MORGAN COUNTY, Ga. — Animal lovers in Morgan County and the surrounding area just got a new service that will make saying goodbye to their furry friends a little bit easier.
Lap of Love is a company made up of qualified veterinarians and vet technicians dedicated to caring for pets and pet owners during the grieving process. They offer various in-home and aftercare services, with the most popular being in-home hospice care and humane in-home euthanasia.
“So our goal at that time is supporting families and helping them keep their pets comfortable in their final days,” Lap of Love Associate Veterinarian Dr. Morgan Coslett said.
When the time is right, Lap of Love will come to your home and take care of your pet by providing them with medication to ensure comfort and creating an experience that makes the process more memorable and valuable to the family.
Dr. Morgan believes that this service is more beneficial to everyone involved compared to going to a vet clinic.
“So aside from the convenience factor, I think it's really important to do it at home because it also allows families to grieve and just really be open about what's going on instead of going to the clinic,” she said. “I feel like a lot of times people try to suppress their emotions when at home, they don't have to think about that aspect of what's going to happen.”
>> Photo below: Dr. Morgan Coslett with her two dogs
For those who might not know if it is the right time to take these next steps, Lap of Love also offers 30-minute phone or Zoom calls that will help assess the pet’s quality of life so that owners can make a confident decision.
“I found a lot of times families, you know, have a feeling that their pet isn't doing well, but they really like the reassurance, having an outside veterinarian tell them that it's okay,” Dr. Morgan said. “So we really talk a lot about their quality of life, what they've been going through, and really just telling them it's okay to make a decision, we're here to support you.”
Once the process is done, pet owners can opt to get pet loss support services because Lap of Love understands that this is one of the “hardest parts of having these members as your family.” When it comes to pet loss support, Dr. Morgan said they host meetings and support groups that will allow those who are struggling with the loss to grieve freely.
Other aftercare options include home burials, communal cremation or private cremation and the making of small keepsake items such as locks of fur and paw print impressions of the pet.
According to the Lap of Love website, the specific animals that they care for are dogs, cats, birds, ferrets, guinea pigs, hamsters and rabbits. However, Dr. Morgan said if you have an animal outside that list, give them a call to see if your pet can still receive their services.
Lap of Love will now service the Athens, Greensboro, and Conyers areas near Morgan County. They also offer services in the Atlanta and Metro Atlanta area.
Although this is a challenging process for many families, Dr. Morgan said she is happy to make it easier for anyone going through it because she understands how it feels.
"A lot of times we've been through it ourselves. And the reason I do it is I know that every day I'm making a difference during such a difficult time," she said. "Imagining the difference you can make in an at home setting where everyone's most comfortable and then also being there afterwards to support the family."