(855) 933-5683Why Do More Veterinarians Trust and Refer to Lap of Love for In-Home End-of-Life Care?
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When your veterinarian refers you to Lap of Love, they trust us to care for you and your pet during one of the most personal and emotional stages of your life together.
Veterinarians want to know that the families they refer to Lap of Love will be treated with the same compassion and care they would provide themselves. In the past two years alone, more than 20,000 veterinary clinics have referred a pet to Lap of Love, and more than 50,000 veterinarians have trusted us to care for their clients, patients, and even their own pets. We are honored to be the most trusted in-home end-of-life care provider among veterinary clinics nationwide.
Why do so many veterinary professionals choose Lap of Love? They know their clients will receive compassionate guidance, experienced veterinary care, timely support, and continued resources before, during, and after a pet’s goodbye.
Focused on veterinary end-of-life care since 2009
For more than 17 years, Lap of Love has focused exclusively on helping pets and families navigate end-of-life care. What began in 2009 has grown into a nationwide community of veterinarians and support professionals providing in-home hospice, in-home euthanasia, telehospice, and pet loss support across the United States and Canada.
Founder Dr. Dani McVety and Co-Founder Dr. Mary Gardner helped shape Lap of Love around a shared belief that every pet and family deserves compassionate, supportive care surrounded by love. Their work also helped advance how veterinary end-of-life care is understood and provided.
Today, Lap of Love remains veterinarian-led, with Dr. Mary Gardner, Co-Founder & CEO. That original commitment remains at the heart of how we care for every pet and family.
Veterinarians know someone is available whenever families need help
A pet’s condition can change at any time. Questions and concerns don’t always arise during regular veterinary office hours.
Lap of Love’s Veterinary Care Coordinators are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, including weekends and holidays. When you call the Lap of Love Support Center at (855) 933-5683, you can speak with a compassionate person who understands how emotional and uncertain this time can feel.
Our Veterinary Care Coordinators can listen to your concerns, explain the services available in your area, answer questions about what to expect, and assist with scheduling an appointment.
Veterinarians can feel confident that when they refer a family to Lap of Love, someone will be there to help, even when their clinic is closed.
Veterinarians trust our experience and advanced training in end-of-life care
Providing end-of-life care requires extensive medical knowledge, patience, empathy, and a deep understanding of the bond families share with their pets.
Lap of Love veterinarians are specially trained and certified in Advanced Peaceful Euthanasia through the Companion Animal Euthanasia Training Academy (CAETA). This advanced education helps prepare our doctors to provide thoughtful, individualized care for pets with a variety of medical, emotional, and behavioral needs while supporting the family throughout the experience.
Our veterinarians choose this work because they feel called to help pets and families during this important stage of life. They have a small number of appointments each day, allowing them to give each family the time and attention they deserve. They take time to understand each family’s wishes, answer questions, explain each step, and provide care without rushing the experience.
The Lap of Love veterinarian who visits your home is supported by a team dedicated entirely to veterinary end-of-life care, with access to shared knowledge, mentorship, and clinical guidance whenever needed.
Veterinarians know families can receive timely care
When a pet’s health is declining, waiting for help can be difficult. Because Lap of Love has multiple veterinarians in most of the communities we serve, we can help most families within 24 hours.
This availability is especially important when a pet’s condition changes unexpectedly, or a family realizes it may be time to say goodbye.
Our veterinarians come to your home, allowing your pet to remain in familiar surroundings with the people they love. This can be especially meaningful for pets experiencing pain, mobility limitations, anxiety, or cognitive decline. It also gives families greater privacy and allows them to create an experience that reflects their pet and the bond they share.
Veterinarians know we offer more than in-home euthanasia
Veterinary teams understand that families may need support long before they are ready to say goodbye. You may have questions about your pet’s quality of life, changes related to age or illness, or how to keep your pet comfortable.
That is why Lap of Love created The Loving Path, an exclusive continuum of end-of-life care and support for aging pets and the families who love them. The Loving Path brings together services, guidance, and resources to support families before, during, and after a pet’s goodbye, including:
* Quality-of-life assessments and educational resources
* In-home hospice and palliative care
* Guidance for preparing family members
You don’t need to know exactly what your pet needs before contacting us. Our team can listen to your concerns, help you understand the options available through The Loving Path, and support you in determining the next step that feels right for your pet and family.
Veterinarians know we value the relationship they have built with you
Your family veterinarian may have cared for your pet through many stages of life. They understand your pet’s medical history and may have developed a special bond with your pet and family over the years.
A referral to Lap of Love doesn’t mean your veterinarian is stepping away. It means they want to connect you with a team dedicated exclusively to end-of-life care that can provide additional services in the comfort of home, where many pets and families prefer to be.
Lap of Love works alongside your pet’s existing veterinary team to support continuity of care. When families let us know which veterinary clinic cared for their pet, we send the clinic a sympathy message following the pet’s passing. We understand that these losses can be difficult for veterinary teams, too, especially when they have cared for a pet and family for many years.
Our role is to complement that trusted relationship, keep your veterinary team connected, and help care for your family through what comes next.
Veterinarians know support continues after goodbye
Veterinarians care deeply about the families they refer to us. They want to know that support will not end when an appointment is over.
Through The Loving Path, Lap of Love families can access additional support in the days, weeks, or even months following a pet’s death. Resources include memorial opportunities, the Pet Loss Support Newsletter and Healing Journal, and a complimentary pet loss support group.
These resources offer families meaningful ways to remember their pet, understand their grief, and feel less alone as they navigate their loss.
What a referral to Lap of Love means for your family
When your veterinarian refers you to Lap of Love, they are connecting you with a team dedicated to:
* Answering your questions at any hour
* Helping you understand your pet’s quality of life
* Providing timely care when it is needed
* Creating a loving and dignified experience at home
* Supporting your family before, during, and after goodbye
We understand the responsibility that comes with your veterinarian’s recommendation, and we are honored to support you and your pet through this important time.
We are here when you need us
You don’t need to have everything figured out before calling Lap of Love. Whether you are noticing changes in your pet, need help keeping them comfortable, or believe it may be time to say goodbye, our team is here to listen and help you understand your options.
Call the Lap of Love Support Center anytime at (855) 933-5683 to speak with one of our Veterinary Care Coordinators.
* Reviewed by Mary Gardner, DVM, Co-Founder & CEO of Lap of Love
Frequently asked questions
Why did my veterinarian refer me to Lap of Love?
Veterinarians refer families to Lap of Love because they trust us to be there for their clients when it matters most. Our veterinarians focus exclusively on veterinary end-of-life care and are supported by a dedicated team that provides compassionate guidance before, during, and after a pet's goodbye. Together, we offer quality-of-life resources, telehospice, in-home hospice and palliative care, in-home euthanasia, and pet loss support through The Loving Path.
How are Lap of Love veterinarians trained in end-of-life care?
Lap of Love veterinarians receive specialized training and are certified in Advanced Peaceful Euthanasia through the Companion Animal Euthanasia Training Academy (CAETA). They also receive training in Lap of Love's clinical approach to veterinary end-of-life care, developed by nationally recognized veterinarians.
How quickly can Lap of Love help my pet?
Because Lap of Love has multiple veterinarians in most of the communities we serve, we can help most families within 24 hours. Availability may vary by location and appointment demand, so families are encouraged to call as soon as they believe they may need help.
Is Lap of Love’s Support Center available at night and on weekends?
Lap of Love's Veterinary Care Coordinators are available through our Support Center 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year to answer questions, provide guidance, and schedule appointments. Call (855) 933-5683 anytime to speak with one of our Veterinary Care Coordinators.
What is The Loving Path?
The Loving Path is Lap of Love’s exclusive continuum of end-of-life care and support. It brings together quality-of-life guidance, telehospice, in-home hospice and palliative care, in-home euthanasia, and pet loss support to help families before, during, and after a pet’s goodbye.
What support does Lap of Love offer after they say goodbye to their pet?
Grief doesn't end after a pet's goodbye, and neither does our support. Through The Loving Path, Lap of Love families receive The Loving Path Pet Loss Support Newsletter and Healing Journal, complimentary pet loss support groups, and additional grief support resources to help them navigate the days and weeks ahead.
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