Lap of Love Veterinary Hospice & In-Home Euthanasia

I grew up in Essex, Maryland, which is just outside of Baltimore. My love of animals began early on and for as long as I can remember, I wanted to be a veterinarian. When I first made this determination, my mother took photographs of me “doctoring” our very tolerant cocker spaniel Buffy. They remain some of my most cherished photos to this day! 

In high school and college, I worked as a veterinary technician, which validated my decision to become a veterinarian. While working as a tech, I learned that being a vet was more than just caring for the animals, it was also about the humans who cared for them. After graduating from the University of Maryland with a Bachelor’s Degree of Science in Biology and a Bachelor’s Degree of Arts in Ancient Studies, I attended veterinary school at the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine (Virginia Tech).  

For the past 10 years, I have worked in general practice beginning in Parkville, Maryland, then in Jacksonville, Florida after moving to the area with my husband a few years ago. In that time, I’ve witnessed my patients grow from infants to seniors and learned how the human-animal bond evolves throughout different life stages. Helping families make the decision of when it is time to say goodbye is always difficult and being able to provide them with peace during this process is one of the most rewarding aspects of my job. Recently, I had to euthanize my own three-legged cat, Clementine, when she developed cancer and rapidly declined. I was able to help her pass peacefully in our own home, in my husband’s arms, and I will forever be grateful that her last memory was in a safe place that she loved. I feel incredibly honored to be able to provide this gift for my patients and their families as well.  

When not assisting families with end of life care, I can usually be found planning our next trip with my husband Rick (we love traveling abroad!), playing with (or chasing) our toddler, Evelyn and our rambunctious cairn terrier PGT, or reading and snuggling with our cat Greta.