Dr. Dani McVety—a Tampa native and veterinarian who co-founded Lap of Love Veterinary Hospice in 2009, and it’s since become the nation’s largest network dedicated solely to end of life veterinary care–recounts the history of the enterprise, launching Lap of Love mere months after graduating from vet school, the name deriving from an early case where the client asked McVety if her dog could remain on her lap while the animal was euthanized.
Recalling that she was previously on the show five years ago, when Lap Of Love was still a budding business, McVety explains that the company now features 100 veterinarians, across 26 states. McVety responds to the specifics of the recent loss of a dog our family experienced, my mother-in-law’s beloved Yorkie, Monty, she lived with for 16 years, including that some of the signals that the 
end has arrived weren’t present. She outlines the signs and symptoms she looks for, and consequently, the kind of coaching she provides for the humans. McVety lays out tips for how someone—particularly someone facing losing their first pet—should prepare, and the importance of allowing a vet like McVety or one of her colleagues guide the process, because the humans are often so distraught they’re not “emotionally sober.” She also addresses why she’s unconcerned about this work taking an emotional toll on her. (www.lapoflove.com)
NOTE: This interview was streamed on Facebook Live and can be watched here www.facebook.com/duncan.strauss
ALSO: I spoke briefly with Paul Knapp about the humpback whales’ sounds—singing—he records each year in the Caribbean. During the course of the interview, we heard a recording of some choruses of whale singing. .
COMEDY CORNER: Brian Regan’s “Boo Sailboat—Pt. 1” (portion) (http://brianregan.com)
MUSIC: Rebekah Pulley’s “Talking Animals Theme,” Paul Knapp’s “Chorus of Whales,” instrumentals
NAME THAT ANIMAL TUNE: Midnight Oil’s “Bullroarer”
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