Stories from Families

Inviting someone into your home during such a vulnerable time takes trust—and it’s never easy, especially in the midst of grief. 

In hopes of providing reassurance, what follows is a word cloud shaped by the words that families have shared about Dr. Kaitie, as well as some of the individual stories of those she has been honored to serve.

•  Lisa and Brad D.
  • "We wanted to express our sincere gratitude for the compassion, kindness, and care you showed Kona, Brad and me, during one of the most difficult moments we've ever faced. Saying goodbye to Kona was heartbreaking, but your gentle approach, patience, and empathy helped bring us comfort and peace during an incredibly painful time.  We are deeply grateful for the dignity and love with which you treated Kona, as well as the support you offered us as we said our final goodbyes. Kona was a beloved member of our family, and we will always cherish the memories we shared.  We speak of her antics almost everyday from remembering how she was "on-point" when we deboned a chicken to her proclivity to poop if water touched her tail.  We still remember her fondly, with tears and laughter. Thank you for helping make that last chapter as peaceful and comforting as possible."
• Jon & Keira Adams
  • "We were lucky to have found Kaitlin when we had to make the difficult decision of transitioning our sweet dog, Chuck. She walked us through the process with incredible kindness and compassion, and stayed with us every step of the way; before, during, and after the process. We will be forever grateful to have had her there with us, allowing Chuck to transition at home."
• Sophia L. and Mike E.
  • "We adopted our beloved Brutus when he was about 5 years old from a friend who had to move and couldn’t care for him anymore. I’ll admit, I didn’t connect with him at first like I did with previous dogs. But over the years, he became my loyal companion. Brutus was our gym dog, couch buddy, best friend, and eventually grew to be part of my soul. He grew with me through so many phases of my life. Brutus was never an overly affectionate dog, he never jumped with excitement to see me or climbed into my lap. Instead, he sat faithfully next to me, always kept me in his sight, and would stare deeply into my eyes. I knew Brutus was getting older, his face was gray and he moved more slowly than he used to, but I guess I didn’t realize how much he had really aged. For 9 years, he never slept in bed with us, despite me always trying to forcefully snuggle him. When he had enough for the day, he would march downstairs and tuck himself into his bed under a mound of blankets. I knew something was wrong when it was bedtime one night and Brutus crawled up next to me in bed and fell asleep instead of going downstairs. After a visit to the vet, we learned his little body was full of untreatable cancer and he had likely been suffering silently for months. Our vet told us we had a few days or weeks, but recommended we choose a time for the end to prevent our sweet boy from being in pain, or possibly having a medical issue that caused him to die alone when we were asleep or not home. We found Dr. Kaitlin after deciding that we wanted Brutus to leave the world from his favorite spot at home, surrounded by his humans who loved him. Dr. Kaitlin came to our house, explained the process thoroughly and compassionately, and made our last moments with our boy as good as they possibly could’ve been, despite the obviously crushing circumstance. We never felt rushed or silly for our tears or emotional outpouring. Dr. Kaitlin was so kind to us, and treated our boy with the utmost dignity and respect. She even checked on us a few days later and on the anniversary of Brutus passing. I felt her care to be extremely genuine and am forever grateful that she helped us to have our last moments with Brutus in the comfort of our home. I cannot recommend her enough."
• DeAnn and Michael Payne

  • "For 10 years I had a devout service dog that went with me everywhere.  General was as faithful as any dog could be.  He worked for me, he played with my husband.  General was our child.  He worked hard and he played hard.  Anytime we were out or around other people he was working.

    When we were home, he was relaxed, but also alert watching out for me.

    The time came that General was tired, he didn’t want to go anymore, he didn’t want to work, he tried to get into the car and he missed the opening.  He was beginning to develop other issues so we decided, it was time. 

    We didn’t want to take General to a vet as every time we went, he shook and he hated to go.  I didn’t want that last memory.

    We were fortunate to have Dr. Kaitlin Dozier come to our house. Dr Dozier was very kind.  She gave us time,  she quietly moved around, she was there, but she was so understanding.  She waited until we were ready and then she proceeded to do what needed to be done to ease General over the rainbow bridge.  It was so peaceful. 

    We never felt rushed and when the end came and we were ready (not when she felt we should be ready) she let us carry General out to her vehicle and we said our good byes with General wrapped in his favorite blanket.  We still have the paw print we got that day.  

    Thank you Dr. Kaitlin Dozier for your kindness and your care."

• Alison & Freddie W
  • "Dr. Kaitlin came to our home to help us say goodbye to our sweet Riley cat, who had been part of our family for almost 17 years. I cannot say enough about how gentle, compassionate, and present Dr. Kaitlin was with us during one of the hardest moments we've faced as pet owners. Being able to stay in our own home, in a familiar and peaceful space, made all the difference — for Riley, and for us, even allowing our dog to say his goodbye. Dr. Kaitlin took the time to answer our questions, never rushed us, and treated Riley with so much tenderness. Years later, I still think about how much easier she made that day, and I'm so grateful we had the opportunity to have this experience in our home."
• Andy & Becky
  • "Bringing a pet into your life comes with the terrible knowledge that you’ll someday need to say goodbye. If you are anything like us, they are more than family. At times a hiking companion, sometimes a therapist to hear about the day’s trials, a warm presence on your lap on a cold winter morning, always there to make you laugh or to lick the tears from your face. Making the decision to say goodbye in the comfort of their home is the ultimate act of love and compassion. We were grateful to find Dr. Dozier when it was time to say goodbye to Katie, one of our cats. Giving her a compassionate, comfortable passing on her favorite couch is something that will always be grateful for."
• Randei T.
  • "...My sweet black lab Drake was diagnosed with congestive heart failure. We tried several medications and treatments, but nothing provided more than temporary relief. During our last visit to the vet, he became extremely stressed and was not able to calm down or catch his breath. I took him home and promised him that I would never take him to the vet again. Finding Dr. Kaitlin Dozier allowed me to uphold that promise and allow him a peaceful, comfortable transition at home. Although I met her that evening for the first time, Dr. Dozier made it feel like she had known my dear companion and I for years. She was gentle, patient, kind, and genuinely caring. I am eternally grateful that Drake was able to cross the Rainbow Bridge at home where he felt safe and loved. Dr. Dozier made the experience as painless as possible for us all, she is a master at navigating this difficult time with pets and the humans who love them." 
• Anne-Marie

  • "...sometimes the wonderful, loving care you gave to my bunny Sugarbug at the end of her life is just not available to families because it's out of reach financially. You are a wonderful soul for trying to bridge that gap. I will always remember your kindness on that very sad day. 

    Sugarbug was never afraid, and you made her comfortable throughout your care. Your veterinary wisdom reassured me that this was the right decision for my bunny; reassurance that I deeply appreciated. It was truly a gift to let Sugarbug be at ease in her own home where she knew she was safe and loved. 

    Thank you always for being there when we needed you. You are in an elite group of veterinarians willing to provide in-home euthansia for rabbits and I hope you will be able to teach others."

• Roseanne Jelacic

  • "While it has been some years since my Ziggy passed, it is still difficult to walk where we walked or to visit places he loved to go. Life went along as it always had those first few weeks after Zig’s cancer diagnosis but then, bit by bit, our walks got shorter as his interest in going to a park, exploring a creek, or meandering along a lakeshore waned.

    Understanding what this slowdown told me about the road ahead, I knew this was not a journey I wanted to take. If I were to find my way, I would need help.

    Ziggy will know when it’s time for him to go, won’t he? But even if he does, will I? Not letting him go a second too soon, or keeping him here a moment longer than he wants to be – how do I do this?

    Thankfully, there are people whose calling it is to deal with end-of-life questions like these. Compassionate listeners, Dr. Kaitlin and her teammates talked me through my uncertainties, supported and reassured me, helped me find answers.

    When Dr. Kaitlin entered our home on that final day, Zig lay comfortably beside me. His breathing already shallow as the process began, he lifted his head and, turning to look directly at her, seemed to say, “Yes. I’m ready. Things will be O.K.”

    Holding him, cradling him, I rocked him gently to sleep.

    Looking back, I see clearly that it was Dr. Kaitlin’s compassion, confidence, and innately perceptive nature that carried me through and made Ziggy’s last day the best it could possibly be."