In-Home Pet Euthanasia in North Jersey

I'm proud to have been born and raised in Brooklyn, NY. 

I've known that I wanted to become a veterinarian ever since I was a child. Even then, I can remember being sensitive to the wants and needs of animals; knowing that they're deserving of love, safety and kindness. Due to life circumstances, I pursued a career in business and marketing for 10 years after undergrad and earned a master's degree in the field before deciding to follow my dream of becoming a veterinarian.

I completed my bachelor’s degree at Cornell University and received my master's in Integrated Marketing Communications from Northwestern University. When I decided to pursue my veterinary degree, I went to Virginia Tech at the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine.

There are many things I love about being a veterinarian. I get to be instrumental in strengthening the human-animal bond and educating families on how to best care for their fur baby as an individual. I enjoy general practice, specifically working with special needs patients (e.g. anxious/fearful pets). I also enjoy helping senior/geriatric populations as well as behavior, nutrition, pain management, dermatology, ophthalmology, dentistry, and surgery. I have worked exclusively with dogs and cats, providing wellness/preventive care as well as urgent care both in private practice and as a relief veterinarian.

I have lost many pets over the years, but that also means I have loved and been loved by many precious fur babies. My first cat passed away at an early age while hospitalized without ever knowing what caused the illness. I also had to make the difficult decision to euthanize my first dog due to complications from kidney failure while I was stuck in a snowstorm in another state. In both instances, I was unable to be with them to say goodbye. These experiences help drive me to ensure that others can be with their pet and experience a peaceful passing in the comfort of their home. 

When I’m not working, I enjoy spending time with loved ones, especially when food is involved. I enjoy to seeing Broadway plays, comedy shows, musical performances; reading and writing; and experiencing new things. Most of all, I enjoy being with my dogs, Kingston (a 10-year old beagle) and Angelo (a 5-year old Maltese-Terrier mix).

I was born and raised in Northwest Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. I went to a Quaker high school, William Penn Charter, which is one of the oldest schools in the country (founded in 1689). My sister and I ran track and field, and we were the fastest sprinters in the school. As a child, I was afraid of butterflies and animals. When I was around 8 years old, my uncle brought his cocker spaniel to my house. With some encouragement, I mustered my courage, petted Cockren, and discovered he was friendly. I started watching Animal Planet and reading about animals, and I quickly realized that I wanted to be a veterinarian. My parents knew a veterinarian who let me volunteer at his clinic, cementing my decision to go to vet school and work with animals.

I went to North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University in Greensboro. My instructor and advisor, Dr. Tracy Hanner, was the first African American laboratory animal veterinarian in the state, and he introduced me to many areas of veterinary medicine, including laboratory animal medicine. I was accepted to North Carolina State University veterinary school. Being a cancer-center survivor enabled me to appreciate how precious life is. It also strengthened my interest in advocating for better lab animal welfare while treatments and cures for diseases that affect humans and animals are being developed. 

Following veterinary school, I completed two lab animal internships and a lab animal residency. I enjoy clinical practice, especially caring for exotic species. I am creative, and I like finding solutions to problems that are not necessarily written in a textbook. I also worked at the Birch Aquarium at Scripps Institution of Oceanography in California, where I thoroughly enjoyed working with a variety of marine animals. I especially enjoyed working with octopuses as I found their intelligence remarkably fascinating.

I have lost several pets, including many pet gerbils and fish. My most recent loss was my first dog, Kolki. He was diagnosed with lupus and cancer, which is very rare. No animal deserves to suffer. If I can relieve an animal's pain, then I have done my job. 

Outside of work, I enjoy anything that is creative and artistic, including reading, painting, baking, calligraphy, journaling, cooking, and knitting. I also like taking trips and having experiences with my loved ones.