In-Home Pet Euthanasia in Savannah & Surrounding Neighborhoods

I am a 'corporate' brat, meaning I have traveled to and lived in many places growing up. I was born in the Pacific Northwest, and have spent time in the Midwest and Northeast. I’ve ultimately wound up in the southeastern United States for the last 15 years; my current home being the 8th state I have lived in.

My family has always loved animals, making their care a priority. My grandmother told me many stories of bringing home hungry, stray animals during the depression and lining up in Atlanta parks for their dogs to receive rabies vaccines. As a child, my own dog needed surgery to repair anterior cruciate ligament ruptures in both knees, and my family provided the care necessary to ensure a good quality of life. We had a responsibility to our pets and did whatever was necessary to keep them healthy and happy.

As a teenager, my friend's father was a veterinarian, and I was able to spend many afternoons shadowing and observing at his small animal clinic. By the age of 15, I knew that veterinary medicine was for me, due to my love of caring for both animals and people. After high school, I received my bachelor’s degree in veterinary science, and then my Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from Michigan State University. Post graduation, I worked in shelter medicine for 3 years, then focused on small animal medicine at a private practice for the next 16 years. 

My husband and I lost our first dog to a meningioma, which is a type of brain tumor. After 13 months of fighting, it was time to say goodbye. His quality of life was diminishing and he suffered a seizure that made it clear it was time to let him go. My good friend, and fellow Lap of Love veterinarian, came to our home. Our boy enjoyed treats while the sedative took effect, and with ease, received the medications that helped him pass. It was so amazingly peaceful—he transitioned from this life to the next on his bed, at our home, surrounded by his family. Though it was the hardest day for us, I am so thankful for the ease in which he passed and his comfort through the process. 

I wish everyone had this type of opportunity with their pet during those final moments. After more than 19 years of small animal practice I’ve realized the importance of letting pets go while they still have a good quality of life. While everyone wants to keep their pet around as long as possible, we also don’t want our best friend to suffer. Knowing the perfect time is difficult, and I want to help others through that journey and provide a peaceful place for their beloved companions to cross over. 

Outside of veterinary medicine, I enjoy spending time with my two daughters, exercising, gardening, and sewing for a local non-profit organization that helps babies in the NICU. 

I grew up in Thornton, Illinois, which is a southeast suburb of Chicago, and moved to Kimberly, Wisconsin when I was in middle school. I have wanted to be a veterinarian since I was a small child playing "hospital" with my stuffed animals, and have always had an inner knowledge that veterinary medicine was my destined career. 

I completed my undergraduate studies in animal science at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities and studied a semester at the University of Melbourne in Australia. After graduating, I attended veterinary school at The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine. 

After veterinary school, I completed a one-year rotating internship at Bay Area Veterinary Specialists in San Leandro, California, and then worked in emergency medicine for the next ten years. 

In 2019, I transitioned into relief work for emergency and general practices, which I did for two years before starting my own veterinary consulting business in 2021. Veterinary medicine is a demanding job that can take a toll on your physical and mental health. In my consulting role, I help veterinary clinics support their staff’s wellbeing so they can continue to provide the best care for pets. I love helping current and future veterinary staff be the best versions of themselves so they can practice good medicine and support their patients. 

After working in emergency medicine for over a decade, I understand how difficult it is to lose a pet, especially when it happens suddenly. Making the decision to say goodbye to a pet is never easy, but the experience is much easier on pets and humans when it can happen in the comfort of home. I lost both of my dogs in 2019, and I feel fortunate that they were able to spend their final moments in their favorite places. 

I look forward to providing other families and pets with the same peaceful end-of-life experience I had with my dogs, in their home and surrounded by the people who love them. 

In my free time, I enjoy cooking, weight lifting, hiking with my tripod canine companion, Otter, and conducting paranormal investigations—this year alone my friends and I have investigated a dozen places. I am also a reiki master and enjoy using energy work to help people and pets.

I have loved animals my entire life and have a passion for helping them. My family moved around a bit in my early years, but I primarily grew up in Lisle, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. We always had dogs and considered them members of our family. I loved riding horses and spent as much time as I could at the barn. When I was in high school, my horse sustained an injury while I was riding. I witnessed the exceptional veterinary treatment he received and was able to assist in the rehabilitation process, which solidified my desire to pursue a veterinary degree so that I could one day care for many more animals and build relationships with their owners. 

I earned my bachelor’s degree in animal and veterinary sciences from Clemson University—go Tigers!—and received my veterinary degree from the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine. 

After graduation, I completed an equine internship in Rhode Island before moving to the Lowcountry to be with my husband. I worked in small animal general practice and then spent the past three years working at a mobile large animal practice, and I love being able to care for animals where they are most comfortable - their home. I have a special place in my heart for senior pets who provide their families with a lifetime of love, and it is an honor to give them the care they deserve as they age. 

I lost my heart horse, Sunny, a few years ago, and the experience gave me even more empathy for how families are feeling in those difficult moments. While it can feel like an impossible decision to make as a pet parent, choosing to relieve an animal’s suffering and providing a peaceful, dignified passing in their home, surrounded by the people they love most is a true gift. I feel honored to provide that kind of experience for pets and families through my role at Lap of Love. 

Outside of veterinary medicine, I enjoy running, hiking, traveling, and spending time with my husband, daughter, and our pup, Crouton. We love discovering everything the Lowcountry has to offer!