In-Home Pet Euthanasia in Western Mass

I was born and raised in Merida, a small city on the Venezuelan Andes mountains. I moved to the United States when I was 17 years old and have lived in the Northeast ever since.

I have wanted to understand and care for pets my entire life. I started doing animal research and shadowing veterinarians during my college summer breaks. After my undergraduate studies at Amherst College, I completed a master's degree at the University of Cambridge, studying airway disease in brachycephalic (short-nosed) breeds. Finally, I pursued a DVM/PhD program at Cornell University that allowed me to train in both neurobehavioral research and veterinary medicine.

In my most recent role as an emergency veterinarian, I became passionate about supporting families on their worst days and providing comfort to my patients at the end of their lives. I consider it an honor to be able to do this now at a higher level by joining animals in their homes, where they are surrounded exclusively by the people who love them most, and where they can be most at peace until their last moments. 

Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with my family, reading fiction novels, and finding ways to stay connected with Latin culture.   

I'm a native Texan, but I spent most of my childhood in Louisiana. Like many families, ours always included dogs—and the occasional cat—but my passion for veterinary medicine didn't truly emerge until my twenties. 

After earning my bachelor's degree in zoology from Louisiana State University, my life took an unexpected turn. I entered the ministry, became ordained as a teacher, and founded a private Christian school. Shepherding that school into a thriving, accredited institution was deeply rewarding, but I gradually felt called to serve in a different way. I returned to LSU, earned my veterinary degree, and began the next chapter of my lifelong commitment to service. 

I went on to earn a Master of Public Health degree in epidemiology and become board-certified in laboratory animal medicine, milestones that strengthened my skills, deepened my medical knowledge, and reinforced my commitment to lifelong learning.  I've cared for rabbits, ferrets, hamsters, guinea pigs, and other beloved pocket pets, as well as farm animals, wildlife, alligators, and even chimpanzees. Although much of my career focused on animals other than dogs and cats, I've always continued to care for companion animals because I value the opportunity to serve the families who love them. 

 Over the years, I've come to appreciate that one of the greatest gifts we can offer is to be present during life's most difficult moments. Helping a beloved companion experience comfort, dignity, and freedom from suffering—and helping families find peace in knowing they honored that bond with love and compassion—is among the highest callings of our profession. Through Lap of Love, I'm able to bring that philosophy to families across Western Massachusetts, providing peaceful, compassionate hospice and end-of-life care where pets are most comfortable—at home, surrounded by those who love them most. 

My wife, Miss Bev, and I have three adopted children with Down syndrome, all of whom joined our family while I was in veterinary school. Today, our home is shared with Honey Bunch, a Chinook sled dog; Queenie, a tuxedo ragamuffin cat; Kitty Boy, our rescued black-and-white tomcat; and a small backyard flock of chickens lovingly tended by Miss Bev. Life in our home is busy, joyful, and full of laughter.