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Dr. Elizabeth

In-Home Pet Euthanasia in Knoxville & Surrounding Areas

I grew up riding horses and hiking in the beautiful mountains of East Tennessee. I knew that I wanted to go into medicine and care for people and animals after joining my dad, a physician, on house calls for his homebound patients as a child in Cocke County. It was my experience working alongside the compassionate, patient veterinarians in my hometown veterinary hospital in Newport as a high school student that solidified my decision to pursue veterinary medicine for my career.

After graduating from the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine, I worked in a busy companion animal practice outside of Houston, Texas and developed a strong interest in geriatric pet care and end-of-life care. Being able to connect with families and help them during such a delicate time while also providing excellent communication has truly become a passion of mine. Since 2017, I have also been working in the academic and assessment side of veterinary medicine, helping students and graduates navigate the process of taking their national licensing exam.

I was lucky enough to serve families in Atlanta with Lap of Love from 2019 - 2022 before moving back home to Tennessee. Being able to provide this kind of care and support to families here is even more special knowing that my dad is the medical director for a Home Health and Hospice company just down the road — I guess the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. It is my greatest priority and honor to provide a peaceful passing for beloved pets and a comfortable experience for the people who love them.

Pronouns: She/Her

Our services

We’re here to support you when you need it

In-Home Euthanasia

At Lap of Love, we take the utmost pride in helping your pet experience a peaceful passing in the comfort and tranquility of their home.

Veterinary Hospice

Family-focused, in-home hospice care ensures your dog or cat is comfortable and happy during their final days.

Aftercare

From cremation to personal keepsakes, our aftercare services allow you to forever memorialize your beloved dog or cat.

Telehospice

Personal phone/video calls, during which a Lap of Love team member will help you gain clarity around what's best for your ailing or aging pet.

Pet Loss Support

Join our free, virtual Pet Loss Support Groups. Discussions are focused on healthy coping skills, grief reactions, and honoring the lives of your furry family member.

In-Home Euthanasia

At Lap of Love, we take the utmost pride in helping your pet experience a peaceful passing in the comfort and tranquility of their home.

Veterinary Hospice

Family-focused, in-home hospice care ensures your dog or cat is comfortable and happy during their final days.

Aftercare

From cremation to personal keepsakes, our aftercare services allow you to forever memorialize your beloved dog or cat.

Telehospice

Personal phone/video calls, during which a Lap of Love team member will help you gain clarity around what's best for your ailing or aging pet.

Pet Loss Support

Join our free, virtual Pet Loss Support Groups. Discussions are focused on healthy coping skills, grief reactions, and honoring the lives of your furry family member.

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Albert & Loretta

Brockton, Massachusetts

First let me say, my family and I are still grieving for our beloved Maximus. Max was a big dog in every way. He was 170lbs; he ate a lot; he had a big couch for himself, and he ran a big family. My neighborhood including police officers, state troopers, and all of my neighbors who saw him stopped to pay homage to the "Big Boy" of the neighborhood. He was a part of my families' identity to say the least. It was dreadful when my husband and I came to the conclusion, we had to put Max down. We contemplated taking him to the veterinarian's office for this process, but after speaking to the vet, they could see we did not want to inflict anymore stress on Max by bringing him to their office. They referred us to Lap of Love Veterinarians. After speaking to their receptionist, we decided that, Lap of Love Veterinarians was the best route for us to go to honor the love our dog brought to us for the last 11 years. It was the best decision we could have made under the duress of losing our beloved Max. Dr. Kim Smith provided exceptional care to Max, our family, including our cat, Kippa who has been with us for 13 years. She listened with care; she explained the process and procedures with compassion, and provided attention to our cat whose curiosity peaked during her time at our home especially when she was stroking Max. As hard as it was for us, in my humble opinion, Dr. Smith handled our grief and the care she needed to give to Maximus with grace and professionalism. We needed that because we had entrusted her with the final care given to our loved one, Maximus. We kept thinking; I hope she understands just how much we love our dog. She did, and she showed it. I would highly recommend Lap of Love Veterinarians. I am so pleased I can publicly thank Dr. Kim Smith and her entire team. We owe them the same grace and professionalism they showed our family especially Maximus. Please enjoy one of many photos that we have of our Max. Mr. & Mrs. Albert Minor

Scot

Odessa, FL., Florida

Last week after eleven years we said goodbye to our German Shepard Izzy. We were told about Lap of Love Hospice from a friend. My wife and I were so happy to learn of this available service for saying our final goodbye's to our pet. Dr. Cathy Berquist accommodated us with an evening appointment since we both have businesses we run. Dr Cathy Berquist was like a visit from an Angel with her friendly compassionate explanations on the procedure. Nothing was rushed as she took her time to see where we would complete Izzy's final journey. Cathy left such a good warmhearted caring impression on us. We will definitely recommend this service to all our pet loving friends.

Brian and Katy

Sacramento, California

Saying goodbye to our sweet dog, Buddy, was one of the most difficult decisions we have ever made. We are so grateful to Lap of Love and Dr. Sam Counts for helping us through this difficult time. Dr. Counts was so kind and thoughtful, taking time to get to know us and Buddy. She explained every step of the process and answered all of our questions. Thank you Dr. Counts, we truly appreciate the love and support you provided that day.

Brian and Sharon

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Dr. Lisa was great, very helpful in making the entire process go very smoothly.

Cortney

Rocky Face, Georgia

Dr. Rachel was very compassionate and understanding of our choice since I first talked to her. She had us focus on the positive and good memories of our Zoey and let us take our time saying goodbye to her. She was gentle through the process and explained every step of the way. She just made the whole process a little easier and we can’t thank her enough for being there for us and our Zoey.

Debbie

Lake Grove, New York

Could not have asked for a more sweet, kinder veterinarian to assist us in having our beloved Bails to rest. While we are heartbroken and sad he is gone, Dr. Manfredi was consoling and confirmed Bails had lived a full life and he was ready to pass over. We were very thankful for her kind compassion .

Nia

Jacksonville, Florida

My beloved cat, Cheerio was in the hospital for about 9 days where his health was failing due to cancer. The Vet told me that Cheerio will tell me when he was ready to leave and he certainly did. When I arrived at the Vet to visit him, he could barely move and gave me a look that he not longer had the strength to survive anymore. I knew he wanted to be back home. Putting him to sleep, was a decision that I did not want to make, but I knew it would be best for my Cheerio. I called Dr. Katie, who was so kind and understanding of the situation and made time to be available to meet at our house that evening. Once Chee realized he was home, he perked up and used all the energy he had left to jump to his favorite perch by the window where he could see the backyard and the birds and squirrels. He then curled up on his perch and closed his eyes. Dr. Katie calmly and gently explained everything that would occur in the process of euthanasia. She made sure it would be peaceful, as if Cheerio just fell asleep on his favorite spot. Afterwards, Dr. Katie sat with us and spent time talking to our family and let us all say goodbye to Cheerio. The chance to have our beloved Cheerio pass in his own home, at his favorite spot made the difficult decision less painful. I felt more at peace knowing that Cheerio was able to see that he was back home again. Dr. Katie was truly a godsend. <3

Patty

Centennial, Colorado

Dr. Kim was so gentle and kind and compassionate when she came to our house to put our beloved 18-year-old Westie to sleep. She was like a little angel during this difficult event. She was so sweet to our dog and made certain he was comfortable. Dr. Kim made Comet's send-off pain-free and dignified. I can't express how lovely she was; she called her job "a calling" because not everyone can do this. She truly has a beautiful soul. Thank you for what you did for us.

Albert & Loretta

Brockton, Massachusetts

First let me say, my family and I are still grieving for our beloved Maximus. Max was a big dog in every way. He was 170lbs; he ate a lot; he had a big couch for himself, and he ran a big family. My neighborhood including police officers, state troopers, and all of my neighbors who saw him stopped to pay homage to the "Big Boy" of the neighborhood. He was a part of my families' identity to say the least. It was dreadful when my husband and I came to the conclusion, we had to put Max down. We contemplated taking him to the veterinarian's office for this process, but after speaking to the vet, they could see we did not want to inflict anymore stress on Max by bringing him to their office. They referred us to Lap of Love Veterinarians. After speaking to their receptionist, we decided that, Lap of Love Veterinarians was the best route for us to go to honor the love our dog brought to us for the last 11 years. It was the best decision we could have made under the duress of losing our beloved Max. Dr. Kim Smith provided exceptional care to Max, our family, including our cat, Kippa who has been with us for 13 years. She listened with care; she explained the process and procedures with compassion, and provided attention to our cat whose curiosity peaked during her time at our home especially when she was stroking Max. As hard as it was for us, in my humble opinion, Dr. Smith handled our grief and the care she needed to give to Maximus with grace and professionalism. We needed that because we had entrusted her with the final care given to our loved one, Maximus. We kept thinking; I hope she understands just how much we love our dog. She did, and she showed it. I would highly recommend Lap of Love Veterinarians. I am so pleased I can publicly thank Dr. Kim Smith and her entire team. We owe them the same grace and professionalism they showed our family especially Maximus. Please enjoy one of many photos that we have of our Max. Mr. & Mrs. Albert Minor

Scot

Odessa, FL., Florida

Last week after eleven years we said goodbye to our German Shepard Izzy. We were told about Lap of Love Hospice from a friend. My wife and I were so happy to learn of this available service for saying our final goodbye's to our pet. Dr. Cathy Berquist accommodated us with an evening appointment since we both have businesses we run. Dr Cathy Berquist was like a visit from an Angel with her friendly compassionate explanations on the procedure. Nothing was rushed as she took her time to see where we would complete Izzy's final journey. Cathy left such a good warmhearted caring impression on us. We will definitely recommend this service to all our pet loving friends.

Brian and Katy

Sacramento, California

Saying goodbye to our sweet dog, Buddy, was one of the most difficult decisions we have ever made. We are so grateful to Lap of Love and Dr. Sam Counts for helping us through this difficult time. Dr. Counts was so kind and thoughtful, taking time to get to know us and Buddy. She explained every step of the process and answered all of our questions. Thank you Dr. Counts, we truly appreciate the love and support you provided that day.

Cortney

Rocky Face, Georgia

Dr. Rachel was very compassionate and understanding of our choice since I first talked to her. She had us focus on the positive and good memories of our Zoey and let us take our time saying goodbye to her. She was gentle through the process and explained every step of the way. She just made the whole process a little easier and we can’t thank her enough for being there for us and our Zoey.

Nia

Jacksonville, Florida

My beloved cat, Cheerio was in the hospital for about 9 days where his health was failing due to cancer. The Vet told me that Cheerio will tell me when he was ready to leave and he certainly did. When I arrived at the Vet to visit him, he could barely move and gave me a look that he not longer had the strength to survive anymore. I knew he wanted to be back home. Putting him to sleep, was a decision that I did not want to make, but I knew it would be best for my Cheerio. I called Dr. Katie, who was so kind and understanding of the situation and made time to be available to meet at our house that evening. Once Chee realized he was home, he perked up and used all the energy he had left to jump to his favorite perch by the window where he could see the backyard and the birds and squirrels. He then curled up on his perch and closed his eyes. Dr. Katie calmly and gently explained everything that would occur in the process of euthanasia. She made sure it would be peaceful, as if Cheerio just fell asleep on his favorite spot. Afterwards, Dr. Katie sat with us and spent time talking to our family and let us all say goodbye to Cheerio. The chance to have our beloved Cheerio pass in his own home, at his favorite spot made the difficult decision less painful. I felt more at peace knowing that Cheerio was able to see that he was back home again. Dr. Katie was truly a godsend. <3

Patty

Centennial, Colorado

Dr. Kim was so gentle and kind and compassionate when she came to our house to put our beloved 18-year-old Westie to sleep. She was like a little angel during this difficult event. She was so sweet to our dog and made certain he was comfortable. Dr. Kim made Comet's send-off pain-free and dignified. I can't express how lovely she was; she called her job "a calling" because not everyone can do this. She truly has a beautiful soul. Thank you for what you did for us.

Albert & Loretta

Brockton, Massachusetts

First let me say, my family and I are still grieving for our beloved Maximus. Max was a big dog in every way. He was 170lbs; he ate a lot; he had a big couch for himself, and he ran a big family. My neighborhood including police officers, state troopers, and all of my neighbors who saw him stopped to pay homage to the "Big Boy" of the neighborhood. He was a part of my families' identity to say the least. It was dreadful when my husband and I came to the conclusion, we had to put Max down. We contemplated taking him to the veterinarian's office for this process, but after speaking to the vet, they could see we did not want to inflict anymore stress on Max by bringing him to their office. They referred us to Lap of Love Veterinarians. After speaking to their receptionist, we decided that, Lap of Love Veterinarians was the best route for us to go to honor the love our dog brought to us for the last 11 years. It was the best decision we could have made under the duress of losing our beloved Max. Dr. Kim Smith provided exceptional care to Max, our family, including our cat, Kippa who has been with us for 13 years. She listened with care; she explained the process and procedures with compassion, and provided attention to our cat whose curiosity peaked during her time at our home especially when she was stroking Max. As hard as it was for us, in my humble opinion, Dr. Smith handled our grief and the care she needed to give to Maximus with grace and professionalism. We needed that because we had entrusted her with the final care given to our loved one, Maximus. We kept thinking; I hope she understands just how much we love our dog. She did, and she showed it. I would highly recommend Lap of Love Veterinarians. I am so pleased I can publicly thank Dr. Kim Smith and her entire team. We owe them the same grace and professionalism they showed our family especially Maximus. Please enjoy one of many photos that we have of our Max. Mr. & Mrs. Albert Minor

Scot

Odessa, FL., Florida

Last week after eleven years we said goodbye to our German Shepard Izzy. We were told about Lap of Love Hospice from a friend. My wife and I were so happy to learn of this available service for saying our final goodbye's to our pet. Dr. Cathy Berquist accommodated us with an evening appointment since we both have businesses we run. Dr Cathy Berquist was like a visit from an Angel with her friendly compassionate explanations on the procedure. Nothing was rushed as she took her time to see where we would complete Izzy's final journey. Cathy left such a good warmhearted caring impression on us. We will definitely recommend this service to all our pet loving friends.

Brian and Katy

Sacramento, California

Saying goodbye to our sweet dog, Buddy, was one of the most difficult decisions we have ever made. We are so grateful to Lap of Love and Dr. Sam Counts for helping us through this difficult time. Dr. Counts was so kind and thoughtful, taking time to get to know us and Buddy. She explained every step of the process and answered all of our questions. Thank you Dr. Counts, we truly appreciate the love and support you provided that day.

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