In-Home Pet Euthanasia in South Florida - Palm Beach County

Growing up in rural Oklahoma I had many pets, some of which included dogs, cats, fish, rabbits, and even pigs. I spent nearly all my time with them or reading about them and when I was only five years old I told my parents that I wanted to be a veterinarian.

For my 16th birthday I got a Dalmatian puppy named Molly. Molly was my baby, and she was with me through high school, undergraduate college, and vet school. During my final year of vet school though, Molly became ill with chronic liver disease and 2 days after graduation I had to make the decision to let her go. This was my first time having to make that decision and while it was very difficult I was thankful that I was able to give Molly the gift of ending her pain.

Throughout the past 9 years while working as a Veterinarian, I have helped many people say goodbye to their babies and I feel privileged to have been able to give them a peaceful and loving last memory.

I grew up in California and Arizona. Along the way, I connected with many creatures, large and small, and they have been a core part of my life. Since I was old enough to walk, I played by butting heads with my goat Willie, rode horses with joy, and sneaked around the forest to catch a glimpse of wild deer. I even found a "secret" place for a new kitten amongst my stuffed animals so I could keep her inside the house. As a child, most of my conversations revolved around how my friends’ pets were doing. 

I formed a strong bond with my childhood dog, Katie Mae. She was a Labrador/Husky mix who sang beautifully with the coyotes at night and befriended my guinea pig, Skittles, who shared veggies with her. We took care of each other for ten amazing years. When, Katie suffered from a systemic infection beyond treatment, it crushed me. I have endured the loss of many beloved companions over the course of my life, and deeply understand the strong the connection between an animal and a human. 

It was inevitable that I would take the Veterinarian's oath to help animals, to prevent and relieve their suffering. So, I proudly graduated from Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine after doing my clinical rotations at the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine. I then went on to gain experience through general practice. Now, it is my desire to support and connect with people and their beloved animals alike. Through providing in-home hospice and peaceful transitions, I achieve this goal. For me, it is a beautiful thing to offer comfort and guidance to people during their most challenging and selfless gift to their furry family members. 

I was born and raised in Roanoke Virginia, which sits in the Blue Ridge of the Appalachian Mountains. It is breath-taking, and you can see mountains in every direction. While I've moved from my childhood town, I take pride in coming from such a beautiful and hospitable city. 

I don’t remember a time when I didn’t want to be a veterinarian. Like most vets-to-be, I had a love for all animals, as well as a fascination for science and nature. I remember reading the James Herriot novels (over, and over, and over) and thinking what an awesome job he had. There is a big difference between early 20th century farm animal medicine and the type of medicine I practice, and I like today’s methods better! 

After high school, I earned a bachelor’s degree in biology at Winthrop University in Rock Hill, South Carolina, then went on to attend veterinary school at Tufts University in Massachusetts. After deciding the snow just wasn’t for me, I moved to sunny Florida to pursue an internship in emergency medicine. Although my sojourn across the east coast was fun, the warm weather and beautiful beaches convinced me to finally put down roots in West Palm Beach.

During a decade of emergency work, I found that end-of-life care was just as important as the steps leading to that point. I’ve helped countless families with hospice and end-of-life decisions in emergency room and ICU settings. Many of these conversations are tragic, occurring in the aftermath of a fatal illness or serious trauma, but many others are with family members who have watched their pet decline over days, weeks, or months.

My childhood dog, an English setter named Katie, was my world, and everything I do—to this day—is to honor her. Katie’s body began failing when she was 15, while I was still in veterinary school. Over the next two years, I moved her across the country to manage her weight loss, poor appetite, incontinence, dementia, and other problems. With the experience I have gained since then, I look back on that time and feel I did her a disservice by not keeping her overall quality of life in mind. When I finally made the decision to let Katie go, I sat with her for a long time afterwards, holding her in my lap and petting her silky fur. I took solace in the fact that she was more peaceful than at any point in the previous years. That is the feeling I hope pet families feel when they are with their pets during their last moments. This experience also taught me important lessons about knowing when it is okay to say goodbye. 

Outside of veterinary medicine, I love kayaking, and taking my dogs to the beach. At home, I spend a lot of time in my garden—although my thumb is more gray than green. I can also often be found attempting to fix something in my house, when I probably should have called a professional. 

Pronouns: She/Her 

I grew up in San Diego, California, and have always loved animals. While I was completing my undergraduate degree in Evolution, Behavior, and Ecology Biology from the University of California, San Diego, I also had the opportunity to participate in local wildlife volunteer and small animal rescue work that extended down to Baja California. Then, I attended Onderstepoort Faculty of Veterinary Science at the University of Pretoria in South Africa, where I was able to learn to treat and handle local wildlife in addition to domestic animal species. 

I am passionate about providing good client communication and patient care. I value the veterinary-patient-client relationship and I have been excited to further enhance the quality and success of the medicine and services that I provide with fear-free veterinary certification.

I am honored to have the privilege to help families during their pet's time of greatest need. I strive to provide the pets and their families as much comfort as possible during such a difficult time.