Northern Virginia & Washington DC

Growing up with a constant influx of rescue animals into our home, I knew as a young child that I wanted to be a Veterinarian. I spent as much time as possible helping my mom with all sorts of animal activities; from working with retired Greyhound racers and the Weimaraner rescue to helping with the occasional stray. I even assisted with a Beagle that gave birth during the middle of Thanksgiving dinner. I remember always wanting to be around animals even during their final moments before passing away. We lost our family greyhound Bogie to bone cancer when I was about fifteen years old and I vividly remember sitting on the floor of the veterinarian’s office holding him in my arms as he slowly passed away. I feel that every family should have the opportunity to be with their pet, providing comfort and support during their final stages of life.

With a budding interest and determination in helping animals, I decided to attend the Veterinary College at the University of Florida. I simultaneously worked as a veterinary technician which allowed me to learn many of the technical skills necessary for a career as a Veterinarian. The hospital I worked for performed many house calls, mainly for in-home euthanasias, which provided me with an introduction to an important aspect of the Veterinary field which most have not been able to experience. Preparing the doctor’s bag for the euthanasia procedure was surreal, but I fully understood the reality and seriousness of the circumstances the minute I entered the family’s home.

I assisted with many euthanasias in various locations, from the family’s special garden or a soft blanket on the floor of the living room to a pet’s favorite spot in the backyard. The one thought that is synonymous with each location is the how in-home euthanasia can help bring a little peace to a family during a very stressful time. Saying goodbye to a beloved pet can be one of the most difficult things in life. My hope is that I may be able to make this transition a little easier by allowing the family members to say farewell in the peace and comfort of their own home.

This Lap of Love location is independently owned and operated by Dr. Christine Shibly.

My main goals as a young child were to convince my parents to let me have a dog, and to convince wildlife and stray cats to make a home in my family's yard in San Antonio, Texas. I grew up memorizing dog breed standards, reading James Herriot stories, and eventually was allowed to get a little rat terrier puppy I named Tootsie. As the oldest of four siblings, Tootsie was my constant companion and adventure buddy when my parents were busy with my sisters and brother. Though I loved her dearly, Tootsie was a terrier, and thus often disobedient by nature. In obedience school I received high marks for "excellent corrections,” but despite these efforts, Tootsie would often escape from the house just to chase down and bark ferociously at some friendly, easy-going labrador. One of her more humorous transgressions was to steal freshly-baked goods and hide them around the house. She was fiercely loyal, brave, and like most terriers, a little too smart for her own good. Due to my love for her, the animal kingdom, and curiosity about the natural world, I decided I wanted be a veterinarian when I grew up. 

In addition to animals, I also enjoyed music and art as a child, taking piano lessons, playing in my middle and high school orchestras and bands, and singing in my college choir. I attended Austin College, a small liberal arts college in northern Texas, where I majored in Spanish and minored in Art and Biology while completing my pre-veterinary curriculum. I spent a wonderful semester in Granada, Spain, which was "like a dream," just as my professors had promised. My college jobs included veterinary technician work during school holidays, and weekly animal caretaking duties at the biology lab. I spent a year with Americorps working for Heifer International on a farm in Arkansas before graduating from veterinary school at Texas A&M in 2013. After vet school I spent three and a half fulfilling years in primary care and will always treasure these patients and their families in my heart. 

Both in my personal and professional life, I have seen the comfort that in-home euthanasia and hospice care can bring to a grieving family. My first dog was terrified at the vet so letting her pass on at home was a gift for her and us at the end of her battle with cancer and heart disease. Some of my most tender and sacred moments in practice have been during end of life home visits for clients and friends. Our animal companions truly touch and enrich our lives in such meaningful ways. My goal is to help honor that gift of love and meaning by making their transition out of this world as peaceful as possible. 

Growing up in Tennessee, I knew from a very young age that I wanted to be a veterinarian. I brought home a menagerie of animals, all of whom I wanted to fix and keep.

I was fortunate enough to attend the University of the South and the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine. Following school, I worked in a variety of veterinary hospitals in Tennessee, and then Virginia. These experiences allowed me to understand the importance of helping our beloved companions when they are suffering. Our pets are family members and they deserve the very best we can give them. Allowing our loved ones to be at home, where they are at peace and surrounded by people who love them, at the end of their life is a tremendous gift. I am honored to be a part of such a sacred process.

As the granddaughter and daughter of animal lovers, it was only natural that I developed a love for animals at a young age. Growing up, I had several beloved animal companions: a cat, a dog, and two horses. Caring for and riding my horses taught me about the strength of the human-animal bond, and I knew from a young age that I wanted to be a veterinarian.   

It was a dream come true to attend the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine at Virginia Tech. As a first year veterinary student, I began volunteering with the school's Pet Loss Support Hotline and remained involved all my years as a student. I felt drawn to this volunteer work, and it was a privilege to speak with grieving pet owners, hear memories of their beloved companions, and offer them empathy and support.

During my years in practice, my top priority has always been to help pets and owners maintain a good quality of life. I love teaming with pet owners to collectively decide on the best plans to diagnose, treat, and manage their pets. It is an honor to support and celebrate the strong bonds that we have with our animal companions, and to provide peace and dignity at the end of their lives.

I grew up in Los Angeles, California and was an animal lover right from the start. My family always had cats, sometimes lots of them. Cats were my first love, but then we got a little terrier mix dog named Casey and I adored him. My parents eventually let me take horseback riding lessons and my passion for horses just blossomed. My favorite horses at the time were Medicine Man and Gloria Kay. I remember my cousins saying that I would become a veterinarian one day due to my love of all animals; they were right!

I went to Cal Poly, Pomona, as an undergraduate, and then to the University of California at Davis for veterinary school. Prior to veterinary school, I worked as an assistant both in an emergency clinic and also in general practice. I rode around with an equine veterinarian, and even went to Wisconsin and went on calls with a dairy veterinarian. Upon graduation from veterinary school I worked in several practices in the greater Los Angeles area. My practices included daytime general practice, feline only practice and a busy 24-hour animal hospital. I eventually started my own house call practice, mainly caring for cats and I found that I really enjoyed getting to know people and their pets in the comfort of their own homes.

In 2015 I moved to Loudoun County, Virginia. My husband and I drove cross-country with two cars, two boys, two cats, and a dog! My horse followed 9 months later.

When I found Lap of Love, I knew it would be a great fit for me. I know how much easier it is for the pets and for their people to be in the familiar surroundings of their own home and I am honored to provide this loving care to pets and families.

From the time I was a small child I always had a love for animals. Growing up in the suburbs of DC, I had pet dogs and cats, not to mention any injured or orphaned bunny, squirrel, or bird my parents would let me take in. The special bond between me and my pets is what drove me to be a veterinarian.

I attended the University of Maryland and studied zoology and psychology.  Though I knew I ultimately wanted to become a veterinarian, I also enjoyed working in the sciences and spent time in neuroscience research prior to making the jump to veterinary school. I attended the University of Georgia School of Veterinary Medicine, and then made the move back to DC to start my veterinary career.

For several years, I worked as a general practitioner, and found that the most rewarding part of my job was helping to strengthen the bond between families and their pets. I started doing house calls for end of life care a few years into private practice, and seeing the comfort it brought to pets and their families to be in their own homes when saying goodbye is what ultimately brought me to Lap of Love. I consider it a privilege to be able to help families in this way, and am honored to be able to make this difficult process as peaceful as possible.

I was born and raised in Sao Paulo, Brazil as part of an animal loving family. Growing up we always had dogs and I was the kid that would bring home strays and beg my parents to let me keep them. My brother and sister got purebred dogs for their birthdays, a Siberian Husky and a miniature Poodle. Not me; my first dog was a cute mutt called Tieta that I brought home after finding her roaming the streets. We did not know at the time, but Tieta was pregnant and we ended up having a litter of puppies shortly after. I vividly remember the smell of newborn puppies and to this day it remains one of my favorite smells. My love for animals was always a constant in my life and my family knew very early on that I would pursue a career that involved animals. As soon as I could understand that a job as a Veterinarian existed I strived to become one.

I was accepted into one of the best Veterinary schools in Brazil starting my journey in this wonderful career. My favorite mentor in University had done his PhD at Virginia Tech and he always encouraged me to pursue a career in the United States. I did not shy away from the challenge and worked very hard to move to a new country and be accepted into an internship at an equine clinic in Texas. That was 16 years ago and I never looked back. My love for horses drove me to pursue a residency in large animal internal medicine and a Masters degree in veterinary science at the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine. I have been blessed to work with horses for a good part of my career and for the past few years I have been helping dog and cat owners at a General Practice clinic.

Throughout my career I’ve dealt with countless critical and incurable cases and witnessed suffering that I felt privileged to be able to alleviate in the most respectful manner. I always felt honored to be able to offer families the option to say goodbye to their beloved pets in a peaceful and respectful way. Animal welfare is paramount to me, be that at the clinic dealing with a healthy appointment or providing end-of-life care. I feel privileged to have the opportunity to utilize my experience and knowledge to alleviate suffering and give pets the most dignified and peaceful goodbye possible, in the comfort of their own home.

I always felt a connection to animals and knew I wanted to be a veterinarian from a young age. My mom is a nurse so medicine was a frequent topic of conversation around the dinner table. In elementary school, my parents let my brother and I pick out our own cats from the animal shelter. I picked a sweet Tortie kitty named Lily who was with me all through high school and college. Saying goodbye to her was my first real exposure to the loss of a pet. I remember coming home from college, taking one look at her, and knowing the decision that had to be made. The veterinarian let me hold her in my arms as she passed. While this moment was difficult - it solicited my passion to become a veterinarian and honor the human animal bond.

I graduated from the University of Delaware with a degree in Animal Science then pursued my veterinary degree at The Atlantic Veterinary College, Prince Edward Island, Canada. I later completed a small animal rotating internship in Gaithersburg, Maryland before moving into private practice. In private practice, I found a love in forging lifelong relationships with clients and their pets. This includes guiding the difficult discussion of end of life care. I believe that allowing our pets to pass peacefully is the last great gift we can give them - for everything they give us. I am honored to be be a part of the Lap of Love family, providing this service to families in their time of need.

Growing up in Vienna, Virginia, I relentlessly begged my parents for a dog. Initially, my dad declined saying, “We don’t need a dog! We have you. We will call you Spot!” Unfortunately, the nickname stuck, but his assurance to never own a dog did not. In 1999, my mom finally outwitted my dad and our Golden Retriever, Abby, joined the family. She was truly the perfect childhood dog. My love for Abby and all animals sparked my initial interest in veterinary medicine. It was not, however, until I began volunteering for various therapeutic riding programs that my true aspiration to become a veterinarian ignited. It was then that I realized that by helping animals, I could help people too.  

Since graduating from the University of Georgia followed by the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine, I am thrilled to be back in the Northern Virginia area. As a Lap of Love veterinarian, I am honored and humbled to serve the members of my community – both two and four-legged alike. I find fulfilment in being a source of comfort and support for families during one of the most difficult times in their lives. Having experienced the loss of my own pets and witnessing the grief of my own family as well as many others, it is obvious that pets truly do become members of our families. As such, I believe they are undeniably deserving of the love, care, compassion, and dignity that is required at the end of life. I hope to offer a peaceful at-home experience for those family members undergoing this difficult transition. 

Although I have loved and enjoyed the company of animals since as far back as I can remember, I wasn't set on becoming a veterinarian until late in college. I was fortunate from a young age to essentially grow up with my two family dogs, Yoshi and Mario (my older brother was obviously a Nintendo fan), but letting both of them go only a few months apart when I was 18 years old was easily one of the most difficult things I've been through in my life. It wasn't until I was in veterinary school that I fully appreciated everything Yoshi and Mario did for me, and everything my family did for them in return.

I attended veterinary school at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, where I continued to be fascinated by animal physiology and where I founded a committee for sustainability and environmental responsibility for our veterinary campus. After graduation I moved to Northern Virginia and have greatly enjoyed the mix of city, coast, and mountains that it readily offers. From Raleigh I brought with me my cat Cricket, who is quite possibly the most perfect cat ever (though, I am always open to debate).

I joined Lap of Love because I very much believe that euthanasia is the final act of love that we can make for our non-human family members. As much as it is in my power, I wish all of my patients peace and respite from suffering at the end of their lives and I wish their families comfort as they say goodbye to their loved one.