Assembly of the Wandering Shepherd knows the decisions that need to be made when a beloved cat, dog, rabbit, Guinea pig, horse, or other companion nears the end of their life can feel overwhelming. Coupled with the loss of sleep and extra stress that comes with caregiving for an animal companion, it’s easy to feel lost or alone.

End-of Life Doulas who specialize in companion animals complement palliative and hospice care provided by veterinarians. We are not medical specialists. We are specialists in death and death care that medical providers do not provide. Doulas support animals and their owners with compassionate care in a number of ways, including emotional and informational support during the difficult time before an animal dies.

Some of the things we can be called on to help with include:

• Exploring options for palliative or hospice care

• Discussing euthanasia options

• Helping humans go over a Quality of Life scale for their animal

• Planning a “bucket list” for you and your pet

• Celebration of life events - before and/or after your pet dies

• Guidance about burial and/or cremation options

• Ideas for physical memorials

Our Animal Chaplain, Robynn, is a certified Companion Animal End-of-Life Doula through the University of Vermont. We care about animals of all species and their human caregivers. We NEVER charge for our services. We’re here to help you as you navigate the challenges of caring for an animal while planning for their death, and the choices that come immediately after death.

We are here to help. Let us know what we can do for you today.