About Us

Growing up an only child in an overworked single parent household can be difficult on both the child and the parent. Fortunately, my mom had a love of animals and there was always a dog and cat (or some variety thereof) around the home. Over the years, these wonderful creatures provided the companionship, love and an unwavering loyalty that I can only hope I was able to reciprocate. It was the memory of these lost childhood companions that helped me realize I wanted to become a veterinarian.

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I graduated from St. George’s University School of Veterinary Medicine in 2008, followed by the completion of a small animal internship in Connecticut. After my internship I worked as an ER veterinarian in Pennsylvania before moving back to the Pacific Northwest in 2010. Up until recently I had continued working as an ER veterinarian, and in the fall of 2013 I started working part time for a company that provided in-home veterinary hospice and euthanasia services to the greater Seattle area.

 

Working as an ER veterinarian I had helped many families say goodbye to their beloved family members and being able to offer this service in the comfort of one’s home was not only an important step but a very rewarding one. From this experience comes Gentle Hands Cherished Paws in-home veterinary hospice & end of life care services and it is an honor to be entrusted with such an emotional and heartfelt life event.

As a child, I always felt like I had a leg up on my peers simply because I always knew what I’ve wanted to be when I grew up- a veterinary nurse (or technician, as they are called in Washington). I wanted to be the one taking care of the critters I loved and nursing them back to health, which is probably why I spent most days bringing home whatever furry, scaled, or feathered friends I could.

In an attempt to curtail this behavior, my mom made the decision to let me adopt the dog that would shape the veterinary technician I would become even further. Maggie’s patience, gentle demeanor, and complete adoration for living demonstrated all of the important things about life to me. After 12 years together, Maggie’s time with us came to its inevitable end and she taught the lesson of loss. Maggie had many experiences at our family veterinarian, but none stuck with me like the day we said good-bye to my sweet girl. Dr. Campbell said all the right words of comfort and even shed a tear for our family’s loss, but even her overwhelming empathy did little to ease the sensation that there has to be a better way...

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Fast forward 10 years, through a degree in animal technology, multiple internships, 6 years as a diagnostic imaging technician, 2 years in the emergency and critical care department and I witnessed time and time again, the fact that there had to be a better way to say good-bye to such loyal and devoted family members, a way full of peace and dignity for both the family and pet. After working part time for a company that provided end of life care, I knew I’d found my calling and in 2016 Gentle Hands Cherished Paws In Home Veterinary Euthanasia & End of Life Care was born and I knew that this was the better way I’d been searching for since Maggie.

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In hospice, we stop poking and prodding in hopes of curing the ailment, and instead focus on comfort and finding meaning and joy in the golden years. The focus shifts from quantity of days left to quality of life being lived. You see, the term quality of life hits home for me, not just because of what I do, but also because I struggle with it at times. At 23, I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, and have spent more than my fair share of time being poked and prodded. I know how it feels to be defined by my condition and my patients have a way of reminding me about the important things… going on long walks, being beyond happy to see the people I love walk through the door, chasing squirrels, basking in a sun beam, or simply smelling the roses.

 

While I’m supposed to be helping the patients that come my way, they help me just as much if not more. I can’t tell you the number of soulful brown eyes that have looked into mine at just the right moment to give me strength when I needed it, which is why I am able to override the heartache that can go along with such emotional work. They deserve the very best, they deserve, peace, they deserve dignity, and honor because nobody will ever love you the way your pet does and why it is always an incredible honor and humbling to bear witness and help families through such a difficult time.

My love for animals started at a young age. I grew up in Western Australia, and spent most of my childhood running around outside with my border collie, Jessie, beside me. I developed a strong appreciation for the special bond of friendship and family that exists between people and their pets.

 

My interests in animals, the human-animal connection, and science, led me to pursue veterinary medicine. After graduating from veterinary school in Australia, I moved to the Pacific Northwest, where I worked as a general veterinary practitioner for a number of years.

 

In general practice, I really enjoyed working with geriatric animals and their families. It is so rewarding to make a positive impact on these pet’s quality of life, and to ensure they are able to lead enriched and comfortable lives until the very end. From these experiences, I decided to make this aspect of veterinary care my focus.

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Saying goodbye to our pets is one of the hardest things we have to do. As a veterinarian, I believe that being able to provide our furry family members with a peaceful and dignified passing, in the comfort of their own home, is one of the best gifts we can give them. I feel honored and privileged to be able to guide families through the end of life process, while providing their loved ones with the peaceful and loving goodbye they deserve.

Growing up in Southern Arizona, we had a plethora of dogs, from dachshunds, to border collies, to German shepherds. From a youth, I was taught to respect and care for our pets as if they were our children, and that premise has followed me through life. I knew by the age of six that I wanted to care of animals through being their doctor and pursued that dream, which took me to the beautiful Pacific Northwest.

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After gaining my Bachelor of Science at University of Arizona, I obtained my Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Oregon State University in 2009. I moved to the greater Seattle area and have spent the past years in general practice caring for dogs, cats, rabbits, birds, pocket pets, and reptiles. During this time, I have found great purpose in helping families care for their loved ones, and especially in keeping them comfortable from youth until it was time to say goodbye. The trust placed in me to help these same families say goodbye to their beloved family members in a peaceful way is humbling and has driven me to continue this in the comfort of their homes.

To my own surprise, I grew up in a household with no pets, only to end up embracing animal care in nearly every aspect of my adult life. Since moving in with my partner’s previously-stray love-bug of a cat, owning a few rambunctious rodents myself, watching my father buy a farm and furnishing it with fat hens, and taking up a dog-walking & pet-sitting job during the pandemic to connect with more animals and the world around me, I’ve been happier and more honored than ever to be able to help care for our companions for even a fraction of how they care for us!

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I’m passionate about transparency, accessibility, and taking the extra time to do things the right way, which is why I’m so glad to be working with this crew. Having experienced my own physical and emotional hardships and helped many loved ones through similar struggles, I truly believe in the human ability to bring goodness to others, even in the hardest times.

Hello! My name is Karkat, or Kat for short! I grew up in Colorado with my two childhood dogs and a pet rabbit, and a dream of working with animals. I have always had a passion for caring for and rescuing animals, with a particular interest in exotic pet medicine. I moved to Seattle in 2019, and now live with my partner, and our two Siamese cats, Beef and Toast. 

In my free time, I enjoy all sorts of textile crafts, from sewing to screen-printing, and have a supply closet that could have me mistaken for an art teacher.

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I am looking forward to the chance to help with the difficult process of saying goodbye.