Lap of Love Veterinary Hospice & In-Home Euthanasia

I grew up in New York with Great Danes who were part of the family and although my family was full of doctors and nurses, I (unlike most veterinarians) had not considered veterinary medicine as a career. After graduating from Harvard College, I worked at the National Zoo in Washington, D.C, assisting the research and conservation staff. There I found myself increasingly drawn to what the veterinarians were doing and eventually left the zoo and went to work for a mixed animal vet who worked with dairy cattle, horses, dogs and cats. I knew I had found what I was meant to do.

After graduating from Cornell University School of Veterinary Medicine, I fled to the warm weather of Southern California, married a native Californian, and settled in to small animal practice. After my daughter was born, I began to work part-time for a housecall practice. There I discovered how peaceful at-home euthanasia could be. The anxiety and discomfort that sometimes accompanies moving a very ill animal could be eliminated and the euthanasia itself could be tailored to the unique needs of each family. Having had to say good-bye to several dogs and cats I have shared my life which has made me keenly aware of how difficult a decision euthanasia is. I recognize how fortunate I have been to be able to be able to provide at-home hospice care and euthanasia for my own special pets, and would like to be able to provide that service for others.

My hope is that providing hospice care will extend the quality time a pet and his/her family can enjoy together. When it is time for euthanasia, I would like to make the experience as peaceful and stress free as possible, so that it’s more about appreciating the family bond and the time shared with your pet than just about loss.  

Pronouns: She/Her