Meet the veterinarians
About Dr. Barbie Laderman-Jones
I grew up in a suburb of Detroit, Michigan, and spent much of my summers in Northern Michigan. I love Michigan for its variety of seasons, outdoor activities, and kind people.
When I was a child, I knew I wanted to be a veterinarian, but my focus shifted during my teen and early adult years. Only after college, while I served with the Peace Corps in Papua New Guinea, did my passion for helping animals return.
I attended college in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula at Michigan Technological University, and veterinary school at the Atlantic Veterinary College, University of Prince Edward Island.
I've always been drawn to helping shelter animals and was fortunate to join the field of shelter medicine in its infancy. In 2008, I was the third veterinarian in the world to complete residency training in this newly emerging specialty. Several years later, I became board-certified in shelter medicine. I have primarily practiced in non-profit animal shelters that provide services to the public, especially for underserved pet owners.
As a shelter veterinarian, I was often tasked with making difficult end-of-life decisions for animals who couldn’t be placed in homes. This, along with the passing of my own beloved pets, helps me empathize with pet parents facing this heart-wrenching decision. I recognize the uncertainty and guilt associated with choosing euthanasia, and that pet parents need reassurance and compassion. They need to know that humane euthanasia, provided in the pet’s home and surrounded by family, is a gift and a selfless act of love. As a Lap of Love veterinarian, I want to ensure that every pet and pet parent has access to a gentle and loving goodbye.
In my free time, I enjoy music, singing, and almost any kind of dancing. You can often find me on—or in— the water or in the garden. If the weather isn’t ideal, I’m probably organizing. I love using a label maker and creating spreadsheets!
About Dr. Maria Quiroz
I grew up in Oregon with a love for animals. As a child, I recall being excited to take care of them at an early age and eagerly taking on that responsibility with our family’s dogs and cats.
In middle school, I volunteered with Guide Dogs for the Blind and continued as a puppy raiser during high school. It was then that I started to understand how special the human-animal bond truly is. Watching a guide dog and blind partner navigate the world seamlessly was truly moving.
I graduated from Oregon State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine in 2015 and began working at a small animal practice in the Boston area. I later moved back to the West Coast to be closer to family, and I currently reside in the Bay Area of California.
Throughout my years in general practice, I saw how much peace I helped provide during a pet’s euthanasia. I knew that I wanted to work with Lap of Love and support families during these delicate and challenging times. Allowing pets to be in the comfort of their home, surrounded by loved ones during euthanasia, is truly a gift that every pet deserves.
Losing my own pets over the years has been such a heartbreaking experience—but being able to give them a dignified, peaceful passing still resonates with me. It is a final and beautiful memory I can cherish forever.
When I’m not caring for pets, I love spending time with my domestic shorthair cat, yellow Labrador retriever, my husband, and our young son, who keeps us on our toes! His love for the outdoors mirrors ours, and we love to hike and enjoy time outside together.
About Dr. Barbie Laderman-Jones
I grew up in a suburb of Detroit, Michigan, and spent much of my summers in Northern Michigan. I love Michigan for its variety of seasons, outdoor activities, and kind people.
When I was a child, I knew I wanted to be a veterinarian, but my focus shifted during my teen and early adult years. Only after college, while I served with the Peace Corps in Papua New Guinea, did my passion for helping animals return.
I attended college in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula at Michigan Technological University, and veterinary school at the Atlantic Veterinary College, University of Prince Edward Island.
I've always been drawn to helping shelter animals and was fortunate to join the field of shelter medicine in its infancy. In 2008, I was the third veterinarian in the world to complete residency training in this newly emerging specialty. Several years later, I became board-certified in shelter medicine. I have primarily practiced in non-profit animal shelters that provide services to the public, especially for underserved pet owners.
As a shelter veterinarian, I was often tasked with making difficult end-of-life decisions for animals who couldn’t be placed in homes. This, along with the passing of my own beloved pets, helps me empathize with pet parents facing this heart-wrenching decision. I recognize the uncertainty and guilt associated with choosing euthanasia, and that pet parents need reassurance and compassion. They need to know that humane euthanasia, provided in the pet’s home and surrounded by family, is a gift and a selfless act of love. As a Lap of Love veterinarian, I want to ensure that every pet and pet parent has access to a gentle and loving goodbye.
In my free time, I enjoy music, singing, and almost any kind of dancing. You can often find me on—or in— the water or in the garden. If the weather isn’t ideal, I’m probably organizing. I love using a label maker and creating spreadsheets!
About Dr. Maria Quiroz
I grew up in Oregon with a love for animals. As a child, I recall being excited to take care of them at an early age and eagerly taking on that responsibility with our family’s dogs and cats.
In middle school, I volunteered with Guide Dogs for the Blind and continued as a puppy raiser during high school. It was then that I started to understand how special the human-animal bond truly is. Watching a guide dog and blind partner navigate the world seamlessly was truly moving.
I graduated from Oregon State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine in 2015 and began working at a small animal practice in the Boston area. I later moved back to the West Coast to be closer to family, and I currently reside in the Bay Area of California.
Throughout my years in general practice, I saw how much peace I helped provide during a pet’s euthanasia. I knew that I wanted to work with Lap of Love and support families during these delicate and challenging times. Allowing pets to be in the comfort of their home, surrounded by loved ones during euthanasia, is truly a gift that every pet deserves.
Losing my own pets over the years has been such a heartbreaking experience—but being able to give them a dignified, peaceful passing still resonates with me. It is a final and beautiful memory I can cherish forever.
When I’m not caring for pets, I love spending time with my domestic shorthair cat, yellow Labrador retriever, my husband, and our young son, who keeps us on our toes! His love for the outdoors mirrors ours, and we love to hike and enjoy time outside together.
About Dr. Barbie Laderman-Jones
I grew up in a suburb of Detroit, Michigan, and spent much of my summers in Northern Michigan. I love Michigan for its variety of seasons, outdoor activities, and kind people.
When I was a child, I knew I wanted to be a veterinarian, but my focus shifted during my teen and early adult years. Only after college, while I served with the Peace Corps in Papua New Guinea, did my passion for helping animals return.
I attended college in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula at Michigan Technological University, and veterinary school at the Atlantic Veterinary College, University of Prince Edward Island.
I've always been drawn to helping shelter animals and was fortunate to join the field of shelter medicine in its infancy. In 2008, I was the third veterinarian in the world to complete residency training in this newly emerging specialty. Several years later, I became board-certified in shelter medicine. I have primarily practiced in non-profit animal shelters that provide services to the public, especially for underserved pet owners.
As a shelter veterinarian, I was often tasked with making difficult end-of-life decisions for animals who couldn’t be placed in homes. This, along with the passing of my own beloved pets, helps me empathize with pet parents facing this heart-wrenching decision. I recognize the uncertainty and guilt associated with choosing euthanasia, and that pet parents need reassurance and compassion. They need to know that humane euthanasia, provided in the pet’s home and surrounded by family, is a gift and a selfless act of love. As a Lap of Love veterinarian, I want to ensure that every pet and pet parent has access to a gentle and loving goodbye.
In my free time, I enjoy music, singing, and almost any kind of dancing. You can often find me on—or in— the water or in the garden. If the weather isn’t ideal, I’m probably organizing. I love using a label maker and creating spreadsheets!