In-Home Pet Euthanasia in Hartford & New Haven Areas

Growing up in eastern Ohio, I was encouraged to explore and appreciate the natural world at a young age. I played with insects, collected rocks, raised ducklings and pressed flowers. It was far from a surprise when I majored in Zoology at The Ohio State University, where I found myself repeatedly drawn to learning about human and animal interactions, especially when it came to the emotional bond between people and their pets. I decided that this was how I wanted to contribute to a better world - by caring for companion animals that bring happiness and so much more to the humans who love them. 

I attended Tufts Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine in Massachusetts and upon graduating, I worked as a small animal general practitioner in Portland, Oregon for several years before moving back to the east coast. During those years, I learned a lot about myself as a person and more importantly as a doctor. I learned so much about the aspect of quality of life and about how to help families better understand it. I believe in the importance of the human-animal bond and the power it has to change lives. At Lap of Love, I am excited to have the opportunity to help owners care for their pets in the face of chronic or terminal illness. I want to keep that sacred bond strong so that it can be fondly remembered when it is finally time to say goodbye. We all want our furry (or feathered or scaled) loved ones to be happy and comfortable until the end. It is my honor to be able to strive for that every day as a Lap of Love veterinarian. 

When not working, I love exploring new hiking trails, running, painting like no one is watching, and spending time with friends and family. I enjoy a good pun and would rather write by hand than type. On a nice day, I can often be found in the back yard with my two hens (Hillary and Camilla) and I am joined indoors by my guinea pigs (Piggy Smalls and Gil), parakeets (Marvin and Francesca) and hermit crab (Indiana Jones).

I'm an Air Force brat, which means that my family moved around a lot. As an adult, I now appreciate those experiences because they taught me how to adapt to new people and environments. I currently live in Bethany, Connecticut, where my husband grew up, and we have been here for 22 years—quite the contrast to my childhood moves.

As a child, I was always rescuing animals of all kinds, and I knew I wanted to work with animals—I was going to either be a zoo keeper or work with dolphins. That dream changed to working with cats and dogs when I went to veterinary school, but one day working at a big zoo would be a childhood dream come true! 

I completed my undergraduate studies and attended veterinary school at Texas A&M—Gig'Em!

I’ve enjoyed working in small practices where I can get to know my clients and their pets personally. Building that bond is important for practicing good medicine and helping my patients lead their best lives. Of course, it's also nice to have some days where you get to play with puppies and kittens! 

Unfortunately, we have lost many pets over the years, and I have learned that having them home in their comfortable environment makes saying goodbye a little easier. We never want to say goodbye, but it means a lot to know that a pet has passed peacefully. 

End-of-life decisions can be difficult, and I feel fortunate to be able to help families know when it’s the right time so they can feel good about the choices they’ve made. Through my work with Lap of Love I can help families say goodbye to their pet the way they want to—peacefully in their own home. 

Outside of work you can find me at the gym powerlifting or going for a walk. I also like photography, especially macro and nature pictures, and listening to audiobooks and podcasts.