New England Pet Hospice is on the Runway

A few days ago I drove out to Bolton – beautiful apple country- to meet with Heather Merrill, the founder of the New England Pet Hospice. Dressed in my Pet Hospice uni of a maroon shirt and khaki pants, we shared our enthusiasms and our ideas over coffee, then set out for the Integrative Animal Health Center, where veterinarian Dr. Randy Caviness and his team welcomed us.

I knew we were in an interesting place when I pulled into the drive, and a Buddha statue sat across from the entrance. Inside there were images from Taoism and beautiful photos of animals, along with a Tang-style statue of a horse. Dr. Randy and his team treat animals holistically and we were there to tell them how the pet hospice services would complement and support their work with animals and their caregivers.

Heather led off by talking about the many ways members of the hospice team help with respite care, nursing care, transportation, housekeeping and emotional support for the family. She stressed how her vision of animal hospice care is modeled carefully on human hospice care. I talked about grief support, creating memorial and funeral services, and also about support around euthanasia when that seems to be the best course. When I talked about supporting vet staff as well, the comments were very positive. Most people trained in medicine are compassionate, caring folks, but often don't have the time or the expertise to offer as much emotional or spiritual support as might be needed.

Heather and I, in full launch mode, appreciated the careful listening and the helpful feedback we were given.

Just today I found out that we’ll be dedicating a beautiful memorial garden for pets in Sudbury this summer. All of these options affirm my belief in the depth of the relationships that develop between species, and that honoring them is important for all beings.

Stay tuned for two opportunities to have your pets blessed: open to all, it will be held on October 2 at the First Parish in Brookline at 3pm, and another opportunity in the fall will be in Sudbury, the date and time TBA.