Happy Earth Pet Hospice

05/21/2026

Hi friends 💜🐾

Random pet-parent question for today…

When you leave the house for work, errands, the grocery store, or a movie, do you leave anything on for your pets?

Some pets get calming music.
Some get a favorite TV show.
Some get a whole cozy setup that says, “I know I’ll only be gone 45 minutes, but please don’t think I abandoned you forever.” 😄

I’m so curious…

What does your pet like to “watch” or listen to while you’re out and about? 📺🎶

Nature shows?
Bluey?
Dog TV?
Cat TV?
Jeopardy?
Classical music?
Country music?

Share your pet’s favorite background noise below — and bonus points if you include a picture of your little TV critic. 💜🐾

05/18/2026

Over the next week, many North Carolina students will be taking their End-of-Grade tests. 💜📚

This can be a big week for our kiddos — lots of nerves, pressure, emotions, and busy little minds trying to do their very best.

One gentle way we can support them is by helping them find a few calm moments each day. And sometimes, our pets are the perfect little cheerleaders. 🐶🐱✨

This week, consider taking 5–10 minutes each evening to let your child spend intentional time with your pet doing something that brings them both joy.

Maybe that looks like:

🐾 Taking the dog for a short evening walk

🐾 Sitting outside together as the day cools down

🐾 Playing with a favorite toy

🐾 Brushing the kitty and helping them feel like their supermodel self

🐾 Simply snuggling, breathing, and being still for a few minutes

It is going to be warm this week, so later evening may be the best time to step outside, slow down, and let everyone’s soul feel a little more settled. 🌅

And if your family does not have a pet, nature can offer that same kind of grounding. Watch the birds, notice the turtles, listen to the evening sounds, or spend a few minutes soaking in the beautiful community around us.

Our children are so much more than a test score.

Let’s remind them they are loved, supported, capable, and strong.

You’ve got this, kiddos! 💜🐾✨

05/13/2026

Hi friends 💜🐾

One of the most common questions I hear in pet hospice and end-of-life care is:

**“How do I know when it’s time?”**

It is such a simple question, but it carries so much love, responsibility, uncertainty, and a deep desire to do right by the pet we love.

I recently wrote a blog on this topic, and I wanted to share it in case it may be a helpful resource for someone in our community:

https://happyearthpethospice.com/blog/how-do-you-know-when-it-is-time-to-say-goodbye-to-your-pet/

I have been practicing exclusive mobile pet hospice and end-of-life care for over 10 years. This piece was written from the many tender moments I have experienced both personally and professionally — from the families who have trusted me to walk beside them, from the early morning and late-night conversations, and from the sacred moments I have had the privilege to share with pets and the people who love them.

I wrote it for the mom who is awake late at night, watching the pet she loves so deeply struggle to settle.

I wrote it for the dad who knows his pet is no longer feeling the way he hoped, but whose heart is not ready to say goodbye.

I wrote it for the teenager who cannot remember life without their best friend. 🐾

And I wrote it for anyone who loves their pet like family and is trying so hard to make the kindest, most loving decisions for them.

My hope is that this blog helps someone feel seen, supported, and a little less alone.

Please feel free to read it, save it, or share it with a family member, friend, coworker, neighbor, or anyone who may need a little extra support. 💜

05/10/2026

Hello friends 💜

Wishing a very Happy Mother’s Day to all the mommies and mother-figures in our community.

Mothers come in so many beautiful forms. Whether your kiddos have 2 legs, 4 legs, more legs, or fewer legs, please know that you are loved, seen, and so deeply appreciated.

I’m sending so much love and good energy to all the mothers today — pet moms, human moms, grandmothers, foster moms, stepmoms, mother figures, and anyone whose heart has loved and cared like a mother.

I hope your day is peaceful, relaxing, and filled with love. 💜🐾

Happy Mother’s Day 🌷

05/07/2026

What would your dog’s perfect day look like? 💜🐾

Would they choose the beach, the park, a hike, a cozy nap in their favorite chair, or a very important trip through the drive-thru for a special treat? 🐶🍟

As our doggies grow from playful young babies into sweet seniors, their perfect day may start to look a little different.

The long adventure may become a shorter sniffy walk.
The beach run may become sitting in the sand with the breeze in their face.
The big outing may simply be a car ride, a pup cup, and a really good nap afterward.

And that is still beautiful. 💜

At Happy Earth Pet Hospice, I often talk with families about how comfort and joy can still be part of a senior pet’s life — even when their body needs a little more support. With some creativity and gentle modification, many pets can still enjoy their favorite places, routines, and special moments in a way that feels safe, comfortable, and joyful.

So tell me — if your dog could plan their perfect day, where would they go first? 🐾

05/03/2026

Hi friends 💜🐾

If your pet could text you today, what do you think they would say?

I have a feeling a few messages might look something like this:

“Please adjust the blanket situation.”

“I would like dinner 37 minutes earlier.”

“Come sit with me immediately.”

“The stairs are being dramatic again.”

“Also… I believe I deserve a snack.”

“And by snack, I mean cheese.”

Our pets have a way of making their needs, opinions, and very specific preferences known — especially when snacks, sunshine, cozy spots, or cuddle time are involved. 😄

So now I need to know…

If your pet could send you one text today, what would it say? 💜🐾

04/25/2026

What would your pet choose for their very best day? 💜🐾

A cheeseburger?
A pup cup?
A slow walk where they get to sniff every single blade of grass?
A sunny nap?
A car ride with the window cracked?
Extra cuddles from the people they love most?

During hospice consults, when a pet is nearing the end of life but still has moments where they can enjoy this world, I will often talk with families about creating a **“Ferris Bueller Day”** — or sometimes even a **Ferris Bueller Week**.

A little bucket list of the things that still bring their baby joy.

It does not have to be fancy. It just has to be theirs.

Sometimes these small moments become beautiful memories — little pieces of love, comfort, and joy tucked into this part of the journey.

So I would love to know…

**What would be on your dog or cat’s bucket list?** 🐶🐱💜

04/23/2026

Some of the hardest conversations in veterinary medicine are the ones that do not have simple answers.

One of those conversations is behavioral euthanasia.

This is a topic that often brings up strong emotion, deep sadness, and differing opinions. Families, trainers, and veterinarians may see these situations through different lenses. Because of that, I believe it is important to approach this topic with compassion, humility, and care.

For many years, I did help families with end-of-life appointments for pets whose behavioral concerns could not be corrected and whose ability to safely and peacefully move through the world had become deeply impacted.

When I look back on those pets and families, I do so with peace.

I do not regret helping in those situations.

Those were not cases of “bad pets” or “bad families.” These were pets who were mentally and physically struggling in a way that prevented them from safely enjoying the things that make life feel good.

When I started Happy Earth Pet Hospice, I spent a great deal of time thinking about the kind of practice I wanted to create. As part of that reflection, I made the decision that behavioral euthanasia would not be part of the services offered through Happy Earth.

This decision did not come lightly.

It was not made out of judgment.
It was not made because I believe these families do not need support.
And it was not made because I do not understand how painful these situations can be.

It was a thoughtful practice boundary, and it is the right one for me and for the type of care I want Happy Earth to provide.

Although Happy Earth does not provide behavioral euthanasia, I do continue to help pets who have a terminal or life-limiting illness and who may also have behavioral concerns.

In these situations, planning ahead matters greatly. With good communication, thoughtful preparation, and respect for the pet’s needs, many pets can still leave this world with minimal stress, surrounded by the people they love most, in a safe and familiar place.

Behavioral euthanasia is not a simple or easy topic. It lives in a space where love, safety, suffering, fear, responsibility, and grief often overlap.

I wrote this blog to speak honestly — and gently — about this complicated part of loving pets well.

💜 Read the full blog here:

A compassionate guide to behavioral euthanasia, exploring to consider it and how to approach this difficult decision with care and support.

04/14/2026

A personal note from Dr. Jeanette 💜🐾

A few years ago, my family said goodbye to our beloved boy, Rambo. My daughter Amelia was only six, and Rambo had been part of her life from the very beginning. 🌈

We prepared her gently in the days before his goodbye and gave her the choice to be present. She chose to stay with him, and for our family, it was a peaceful and beautiful experience. Afterward, we surrounded him with flowers before my husband brought him to the crematorium. 🌸🐶

Now, two years later, the tears have mostly turned into smiles when we talk about him. But some nights, Amelia still feels sad — and on those nights, we remind her that we miss him too.

We go outside, find the brightest star, and tell Rambo how we’re feeling. We share a favorite memory and remind him he will always be loved. ✨💜

Every family is different. Every child is different. Every goodbye is different.

What matters most is that children feel seen, heard, and understood as they process the loss of their pet. 🐾

If your pet is entering their final phase of life and you have questions about supporting your children, I am here for both your pet and your family. 💜

04/06/2026

This article touches on a topic that I feel deserves more compassion and less judgment. 💜🐾

Being present for a pet’s end-of-life appointment is a deeply personal choice. Over the last 10+ years providing mobile hospice and end-of-life care, I have helped thousands of pets and their families through this moment. I have been in homes where, by the time I begin the process, I am the only person still in the room, and I have also been in homes so full of family and friends that I have to park a block away.

Neither pet is loved more. Neither family loves less. 🤍

For some people, being present feels deeply important. For others, being in the room is simply not where their body tells them they need to be. Some people need to be close. Some people feel called to step away. Both are human, and both deserve compassion.

When we listen to our hearts and honor what our bodies are telling us, we often end up exactly where we need to be. Whether I am the only human present or surrounded by many loved ones, my focus is always the same: that the pet feels safe, comfortable, respected, and deeply loved. 💜

There is no one correct way to love a pet through goodbye. There is only compassion, intention, and doing the best we can in one of life’s hardest moments.

Article:

Veterinarian Dr Kiah Weeks-Bell says social media is bullying owners into being present at the end.

04/05/2026

Happy Easter to you and your families. 🌷🐾

Holidays are a time for family, love, and togetherness, and I’m sending good energy to all of the pets sharing in that closeness today. I hope each one remains healthy, comfortable, calm, and wrapped in the love of their people.

Should an urgent situation arise, I will be here. 💜