In-Home Pet Euthanasia in Merrimack Valley: Southeast NH & MA

Like most veterinarians, my love of animals began at a young age. I grew up with our family’s Shetland Sheepdog and fell in love with every new animal-related Disney film (101 Dalmatians, All Dogs go to Heaven, and Lady and the Tramp, just to name a few). There were so many to love back then! So, it should come as no surprise when and after careful character study, I decided I was destined to become a dalmatian for my career. Of course, as I grew up and became more realistic about my career goals, I landed on the more attainable field of veterinary medicine.

I spent my childhood north of Boston, MA and admired our family veterinarian as a role model. I completed my undergraduate degree at the University of New Hampshire, where I focused on pre-veterinary medicine and met some of my dearest friends following the same career path who are now my respected colleagues. I then packed up my stethoscope and a pair of flip flops and headed to Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine in Saint Kitts. After completing the didactic portion of my training on the island of St. Kitts, I moved to Raleigh North Carolina to finish my clinical year at North Carolina State University. Upon graduation from veterinary school, I followed my heart back home to New England where I took part in internships primarily related to emergency care and neurology.

Since then, I have worked in general practice and emergency medicine, meeting and treating a wide array of patients and conditions. I’ve met veterinary staff and clients from all walks of life who share a commonality of wholeheartedly loving their pets. I’ve been part of both the joy of curing illness and the grief of guiding pets through the end of their lives. I’ve also personally been present for the transition of two of my own family pets over the Rainbow Bridge and understand the delicacy from both the pet-parent’s and veterinarian’s perspective.

Pet parents share the unique position of being advocates for their furry family members while having the decision-making ability to relieve their pain and suffering. As a veterinarian, providing end of life care is one of the most profound and humbling responsibilities. I have found that my deepest connections with families often transpire when guiding them through the most difficult conversations and decision they will ever make regarding their fur baby. I am honored to help families in Southern New Hampshire and Massachusetts through these delicate moments.

Outside of my professional life, I happily share my home with my husband, our two children, a pitbull mix named Irie and an orange tabby cat named Beenie. We enjoy spending time outside hiking and running, and have dreams of living on the beach someday! We are avid concert goers (“Fins to the Left!”) and cherish every free moment we can spend with family and friends. 

I grew up in Shelton, Connecticut with a love for all animals great and small.  As a family, we had dogs, gerbils, hamsters, and hermit crabs. I have carried on the tradition of having a wide variety of pets, and my own kids grew up with cats, dogs, a bird, mouse, rats, rabbits, snails, and an anole, which was fun, but a bit chaotic. Not surprisingly, I grew up reading all kinds of animal stories and loved the “All Creatures Great and Small” series with the veterinarian James Herriot. I also loved anything science and biology-related, and I was fascinated by the complexity of even the simplest of animals. My love of animals and curiosity motivated me to become a veterinarian. 

I completed my undergraduate studies at Cornell University, and I spent a year studying in an agricultural school in Uppsala, Sweden as part of my education. I even spent time at a dairy farm near the Arctic Circle where the sun never sets in the summer! I received my doctorate of veterinary medicine from the University of Minnesota. 

During my time in general practice, I have enjoyed developing close relationships with my clients and working with them to support their pets. While I enjoy practicing all medicine, I am particularly interested in dermatology and preventive care. 

I have a unique perspective on the hospice care experience for both humans and animals. Having my dad and my dog in hospice care simultaneously (and losing both within one week of each other) gave me a deeper understanding and appreciation of the process, and I want to help others through similar situations. I feel fortunate to be able to support families and pets through this challenging time, and I try to help them recall the joys, sadness, and even the silly frustrations they have had over the years with their pet. Helping others to process the loss of a pet is something I feel led to do.

Outside of work, I love baking bread, knitting, reading, and going on long walks—accompanied by dogs, of course! I also love to travel and spend time with my family.