As it turns out...
You're in one of the few areas where we don't have a Lap of Love veterinarian (not yet at least). One day we hope to have a doctor available to every family in the United States!
About Lap of Love
“I leave an appointment with a trail of grieving people in my wake, and I feel a glow of satisfaction and rightness and karmic return because I know that I have done good and profound work.”
A passionate network of nationwide veterinarians
Viewing all VetsWe believe all pets deserve peaceful end-of-life experiences
Lap of Love is a network of veterinarians around the country with the goal of empowering every owner to care for their geriatric pets. Our philosophy centers around the human-animal bond and the need for that bond to be as undisturbed as possible during this most difficult time. The desire to bring this important service to families across the United States is slowly being realized as additional veterinarians begin working under the same philosophy. Lap of Love is honored to have some of the most compassionate and empathetic vets working with us.
At Lap of Love, we firmly believe in the inherent value of diversity and inclusivity and are committed to providing our services with respect, compassion, dignity, and equality for all families that reach out to us!
At Lap of Love, we firmly believe in the inherent value of diversity and inclusivity and are committed to providing our services with respect, compassion, dignity, and equality for all families that reach out to us!
Creation story
Because pets are family. That's why we do this.
Any veterinarian who chooses to dedicate his or her life to the practice of veterinary hospice and euthanasia is incredibly special. This may not be an easy role to play in our society, but we all respond the same way when asked why we do this: because pets are family, and this is an honor. At Lap of Love, our nationwide network of doctors is in constant communication with each other. Not only are we continually discussing new medical protocols for achieving the best possible outcomes (whatever that may be) for our patients, but we are also the industry leaders in this new and evolving field of veterinary medicine. Plus, we're animals lovers, too—we've dedicated our lives to helping the creatures we share this planet with. And yes, we know what it feels like to lose a family member… grief is grief, no matter what species it is!
Our founders
Dr. Mary Gardner
Co-Founder & CEO
There’s nothing Dr. Mary Gardner loves more than a grey-muzzled dog or a wise old cat! As Co-Founder and CEO of Lap of Love, a nationwide network of veterinarians dedicated to end-of-life care, she is committed to making final goodbyes as peaceful as possible, with compassionate support for both pets and their families.
A proud University of Florida graduate, Dr. Gardner is a nationally recognized speaker on geriatric and end-of-life veterinary care. Her work focuses on advancing awareness and medical care for aging pets, while educating both veterinary professionals and pet parents on how to navigate life's final stages.
She is the author of two books: It's Never Long Enough (for dogs) and Nine Lives Are Not Enough (for cats), and co-author of Forever Friend, a series of children’s activity books designed to help kids navigate the loss of a beloved dog or cat.
Join our team
It's a calling as much as it is a career
We do this because we're naturally drawn to celebrating the amazing powers of the human-animal bond. And for us, there's no better way to honor that than to ensure pets have a peaceful end-of-life experience.
View Lap of Love opportunities
Organizations
Proud member of the following organizations
Find a veterinarian near you
Have questions? Give us a call. One of our care coordinators would love to help.
We are available 7am - 11pm Eastern time, including weekends and holidays.
(855) 933-5683