Dr. Kathleen Cooney, also known as Dr. Kathy has been specializing in advanced end-of-life pet care since 2006. She regards the final stages of a pet’s life as sacred and focuses her work on protecting the human-animal bond during the last moments of life. Her comfort center in Loveland has welcomed hundreds of families since 2010.
Dr. Kathy graduated from the Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 2004. In 2006, she launched Home to Heaven In-home Euthanasia Services in Colorado, one of the world’s first exclusive euthanasia companies, which later included hospice and palliative care for animals. In 2013, Dr. Kathy added aquamation services to Home to Heaven, which later became the company Guardian Pet Aquamation, a pioneering group helping numerous other aquamation owners get their start. Home to Heaven was sold in late 2016, and Guardian Pet sold in mid 2021 to Regency.
Dr. Kathy founded the Companion Animal Euthanasia Training Academy (CAETA) in 2017 and remains their Chief Product Officer and Director of Education. As of 2021, she took on the added role of Chief Medical Officer of Caring Pathways, Inc based in Colorado with locations across the US. She is a past President of the International Association for Animal Hospice and Palliative Care (IAAHPC) and assisted in the development of the American Animal Hospital Association’s End-of-Life Accreditation Program. Dr. Kathy is well-known for her work in companion animal euthanasia and has authored two books on the subject along with numerous articles and book chapters. She has collaborated in end-of-life training for the American Veterinary Medical Association(AVMA), AAHA, the North American Veterinary Community(NAVC), IAAHPC, Fear Free Program, Society for Veterinary Medical Ethics(SVME), the Veterinary Information Network(VIN), and many more. Dr. Kathy is a strong advocate for best practices in all aspects of end-of-life care and speaks nationally and internationally on such topics. She is also currently working towards board certification in animal welfare through the American College of Animal Welfare(ACAW), expected by 2024. She loves all things old and gray. Her family brood consists of husband John, children Michael, Shannon, and Jenna, plus the posse of dogs loving the good life in beautiful Loveland, Colorado.