House calls for veterinary aid-in-dying can now be offered on a pet by pet basis.
Our new reality makes these trying times for everyone, and it can add an extra layer of worry for anyone who is contemplating the impending loss of a beloved friend and family member. My goal has always been to provide the most gentle, loving, supported death possible, and to allow pets to remain in their safe space while also preserving their connection to the people they trust most in the world. In these new times we will need to employ some creative new measures to stay true to that goal. It may still be possible to maintain connection with your pet, and preserve that sense of being fully-present for them, even as we respect physical-distancing from each other and do our part to limit the spread of the novel coronavirus.
This does mean that for the for-seeable future all appointments will need to be outside (possibly in your backyard, on a porch, or in an uncluttered garage) and I will need you to partner with me to maintain a 6 to 10 foot distance between us at all times. But if this scenario would be an acceptable one for your pet, please contact me and together we can discuss a plan to make this happen.
Please see note on contact page for fees, travel surcharge and after-care arrangements.
The end of life is a special stage in a pet’s life and it deserves special attention. Time feels even more precious with the dawning realization that time together is drawing to a close. There may be signs that a pet’s body is winding down, that they are less able to engage in their world, be who they used to be, or even be who they wish to be now. And it is natural to worry about their quality of life and what the future holds for them. I have been down this road many times, both personally and professionally, and I am here to offer help.
“Sometimes we can offer a cure, sometimes only a salve, sometimes not even that. But whatever we can offer, our interventions, and the risks and sacrifices they entail, are justified only if they serve the larger aims of a… life. When we forget that, the suffering we inflict can be barbaric. When we remember it the good we do can be breathtaking.” (Atul Gawande,
Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End)
