In-Home Pet Euthanasia in Boulder & Surrounding Neighborhoods

I’m a Colorado native—I’ve spent only one year outside of Colorado when my husband and I moved to Massachusetts for my veterinary internship. I was in college working toward medical school when my childhood horse died suddenly. Our family veterinarian listened to us and demonstrated compassion that I admired, and I changed my path to veterinary school shortly after that loss. 

I attended the University of Denver for my undergraduate classes and Colorado State University for veterinary school.

I’ve been a small animal veterinarian for more than 20 years. The concept of family-centered care, which is a philosophy of caring for both the patient and their family, was introduced to me by The Children's Hospital Colorado through personal experiences with our children. I have integrated that philosophy into how I practice veterinary medicine, and it has grounded me. 

Although I completed an internship in emergency medicine and critical care, much of my 16 years in general practice focused on researching a life-threatening anesthetic complication in greyhounds. I also developed a skill for assisting animals with difficulty receiving veterinary care in the hospital setting due to fearful behavior. 

In 2020, my long-time pet families, Greyhound community, and colleagues supported my transition to a veterinary behavior and psychiatry specialty. I currently practice in Boulder and deeply treasure this aspect of veterinary medicine. In 2023, Lap of Love helped our family say goodbye to a special dog. I am grateful to have the opportunity to join the Lap of Love community with the shared philosophy of supporting people and their beloved animals. 

I am lucky to live near immediate and extended family and to have dear friends to share life with. Sunday night dinner is a gift my mother gives us every week, passed down from generations before her. My husband and I enjoy tending to a suburban farm of dogs, chickens, horses, a turtle, and a cat. Watching our two near-adult children spread their wings brings me great joy, as does mountain time off the grid. 

I was born in California but raised in Washington. I moved many times and met quite a few people, but one constant in my life has been the bond between humans and animals. I often found solace in my furry friends when the world around me was in turmoil. One of my earliest desires was to help foster the precious human-animal bond and guide pets and their people throughout their journey together.

I called the Pacific Northwest home for 23 years and earned my bachelor's degree in biology at Pacific Lutheran University. I then moved to the rolling hills of the Palouse and received my Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from Washington State University. Despite the yearly Lentil Fest and the many cows that made Pullman tempting, I happily began to call Colorado home after summiting The Incline in Manitou Springs for the first time.

General practice has always been my lifelong pursuit. As a child, I dreamed of being the quintessential neighborhood veterinarian. I often imagined a dog or cat I would care for as their family changed and grew. I would see the family at the park or store with their aging but happy, healthy pet, with the bond I helped maintain being the knot that tied us all together. Throughout my career, I have loved seeing pets grow and change through life stages as their families move through their own phases. 

During times of introspection, I often think of my patients in their last days and the difficult decisions their families must make. Along the way, I decided to make this transition as easy and peaceful as possible. My work with hospice care and humane euthanasia has been the most rewarding part of my career. Those final moments are filled with love, and families have only good stories to tell as they look back with fondness and share the best of their loved ones. These touching stories and moments have kept me focused on how the human-animal bond brings hope and invites compassion into our lives. 

Outside of work, I spend most of my time with my loving spouse, two absolutely precious but crazy, energetic boys, and three rescue pups: Cooper, Rosie, and Ziggy. In the spare time I have, I perform as a member of the Colorado Repertory Singers, play disc golf, and bake delectable pastries and other tasty treats.