My Lexi girl was very sick. We contacted Lovingkindness Vet Hospital and within 2 hours Dr. Alex…read moreDahlgren came to our home, explained everything that was happening, sedated our baby and put her to sleep. She gave our family time to grieve and explained next steps! We could not have asked for a better experience. Thank you Brenda and Dr. Alex for everything you did for our girl.

Could not have asked for a more peaceful and compassionate way to say goodbye. Thank you for…read moreproviding this service.

This is a wonderfully kind and honest vet clinic. I can recommend them highly. I got a few…read moreconsultations with them for my senior dog and they were more than helpful, very honest and heart centered practice

A year after our health scare last February, Katie is going strong under Dr. Ying's care.read more

My year-old Yorkie was recently diagnosed with IBD and also developed a hip joint issue. While…read moreother vets diagnosed her and ruled out other things (like cancer), nobody had a treatment plan for her, only acute, reactionary procedures. Dr. Quatmann was highly recommend to me by *three* different friends, so I was curious to see if a holistic vet could help me. I'll be honest- I didn't know what to expect. I saw Chinese medicine and acupressure on the website and wondered if I was gonna be taken for a ride. But my experience with Dr. Quatmann was hands-down the best vet experience I've had, with any animal, in 41 years. She started by sitting on the floor on the opposite side of the room from my stressed-out pup, talking to me about her symptoms and taking notes, letting my dog go at her own pace. When she conducted a physical exam, she had me hand my dog over, back end first, so that it didn't look like she was looming (brilliant!) and although my pup was nervous at first, she eventually relaxed into Dr. Quatmann's capable hands. At every step of the way, Dr. Quatmann told me what she was doing and why. She told me what she liked and didn't like about Chinese medicine and Western medicine approaches, and was approachable, intelligent, and kind despite me struggling to keep up. Toward the end, she let my dog "shop" by picking up whatever supplements she felt drawn to (all at 'sniff level'). My dog really got into it! I've never seen her engaged in her environment like that, and it was delightful. In the end, we went with one supplement (wanting to address each symptom individually), which my dog loves taking (truly...she thinks it's a treat). I've already seen improvement! Overall, this was a great experience and I highly recommend this vet practice (though be careful with the parking lot, which is a bit tight).

We've been bringing our dog here since he was 8 weeks old. He's now a little over 2 1/2 years old…read moreso he's been well established. Wally got sick over the weekend and had to see the emergency vet in Roanoke on Saturday. He seemed to have a UTI for which he was given an antibiotic. Today, Monday, he became extremely sick with both vomiting and diarrhea. When I called his vet they refused see him or even give me advice. They told me to call the emergency vet back. His doctor's refused him when he was extremely sick. If it'd been anything non emergency I would certainly have understood. We will never go back.

We are having a few medical issues with Hanno, our 5 y.o. German Shepherd. He had his first seizure…read moreabout two months ago, then another one a month ago. At that point we opted to stop all pharmaceuticals (Apoquel, ProHeart 12) especially after learning they can cause seizures. Going forward we will get titers testing done before doing any further vaccinations. We looked around Boise for a holistic vet practiced in Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine (TCVM) so we could holistically heal Hanno and thought we'd found one. The results were less than impressive and we are still waiting to hear back from them a week later! I remembered that Rebecca L G Verna is a Holistic Vet and I contacted her. This morning, she spent an hour and fifteen minutes on the facetime call with my wife and me. She asked a TON of questions and even looked at Hanno over the video. Her knowledge is impressive and I felt like she was really invested in his well-being. She gave Hanno more attention on the facetime call than the local "TCVM" vet did in person. Not an exaggeration at all. Going forward, our go to vet is Dr. Becky Verna at Paws for Holistic Pet Care and we will use the local vet to run the labs and do the 'hands on' things we cannot do over the phone. You want a vet who will lean forward into the care of your doggie, I highly recommend Rebecca L G Verna. Thank you Becky!

Dr. Verna is absolutely wonderful does it push you into buying things you don't need. Talks to you…read moreabout every vaccine and its affect on the dog. Talks to you about the price of everything ahead of time no surprises at the end. Offers different options if your budget has restrictions. I have been going there for years and wouldn't go to a different doctor. Love this place.

Julie's great! I did a quick 10 minute animal session for my kitty who was howling non stop. She…read morewas able to tell me it wasn't because he needed to be outside, he just needed some mental stimuli and quality time. ​Simple, but the insight really helped because I was getting the impression he was sick of me and really wanted to be a stray again. Now we birdwatch and watch cat TV together and our relationship is a lot better. Julie has such great vibes, very easy to talk to and offered a lot of tools and advice for me. She was also able to identify and validate some things on my own self. Even if you're skeptical, her short sessions are accessible and a great intro to her style (: I'll be booking again next time I'm looking for intuitive insight.

Julie is amazing!!! She was immediately able to zero in on an area I've been struggling with for my…read moreson. Her gifts are certainly a blessing. I'm not sure if she could intuitively sense it but her reading/insight almost brought me to tears. Working with this gifted soul makes me eager to continue this journey of healing. I loved how she didn't lead me to read the oracle cards pulled but asked me to allow them to speak to me for interpretation. She's only my second session with a reader but man, I want to learn more with her. And the take away card I pulled is spot on.

Where do we begin with providing a proper client review of such a WONDERFUL and WELCOMING…read morehome-away-from-home for your beloved furry family members, and where you will be a returning client? Is it with the: 1) CARING and KNOWLEDGEABLE client/pet-oriented family Team; or, 2) WELCOMING and INDIVIDUAL luxury boarding suites and adjacent fenced exercise areas; or 3) CALMING and RELAXING clean air environment and walking trails set in the Blue Ridge Mountain region????? As "parents" of two shelter-rescue Rottweilers [Cola (f) and Moose (m)], in early 2024 we were in need of the "purrfect" boarding team and environment as we prepared for an March/April trip to Europe. Significant considerations included the facts that neither pet was very social, nor had ever been apart from us or away from home. To say we had anxiety about this issue is an understatement; but then, we found Miriam and her family-based team at Shady Mountain Pet Retreat in Amherst, VA. Our initial engagement was so successful we returned recently for 2 weeks in October when we attended a family wedding. Below is our attempt to inform accordingly so you may also experience such joy...... Firstly, the TEAM: No business can operate to its highest degree of precision absent having the highest caliber TEAM to execute flawlessly and achieve such performance. Factor into the pet-boarding business equation is the fact that our pets are beloved family members and we strive to entrust their training and care to the most qualified and caring professionals of integrity in the safest environment. Have no concerns on this front, as Miriam and her family are the highest caliber cohesive TEAM who exceed client (and furry guest) expectations. From the moment we engaged with Miriam, we knew we made the purrfect choice. Miriam listened to us and understood our concerns, and suggested an initial meet and greet with Cola and Moose. We eagerly made the 2-hour drive from Mineral, VA to meet Miriam, who is a well-accomplished author and expert in the field of animal behavior, training and care; and her clients and their pets are the direct beneficiaries. I stress the fact Miriam listened to our concerns and provided insightful information facilitating our collective best-informed decision to entrust Cola and Moose with her for a 1-month board and train period during our upcoming trip. I assure you that we did not have any guilt-based regrets as we departed on drop-off day of either of our two visits to date (March/April and then October). You can trust that Miriam sincerely wants you and your pet(s) to be happy, comfortable and free of any stress, emphasizing her positive reinforcement approach which serves as the corner stone of Shady Mountain Pet Retreat. You can even follow your pet's daily adventures through various updates Miriam posts thoughtfully on social media and her website: https://www.shadymountainpetretreat.net/ Secondly (but equally), the BOARDING SUITES/EXERCISE AREAS: Discard any concerns you may have that you will find institutional-style stress creating chain link fence-type boarding "cages" or rooms at Shady Mountain Pet Retreat. Rather, at Shady Mountain your family member will reside in a very comfortable, climate-controlled individualized roomy suite, separated by solid walls from neighboring guests. A raised off-the-floor style pet bed is a plus to afford more comfort while resting. The suite doors have a full length glass window (with drop blind as needed) so residents can watch the daily "office" activities, and a rear-exit pet door leading out to the fenced in exercise area. Each guest enjoys their own supply storage cubby which facilitates the management of feedings, etc. External fenced in exercise areas are divided into separate sections which permits greater staff flexibility for training, etc. See website for all the other possibilities for your pet's stay: https://www.shadymountainpetretreat.net/ Lastly (but equally), the clean air mountain ENVIRONMENT and WALKING TRAILS: As you ascend Shady Mountain to reach the Retreat, you will be filled with a calming and serene sense, taking in the peaceful natural Amherst, VA environment. Cola and Moose love taking in all the smells of nature as we drive up the mountain. Peaceful and calming are the words we would use to describe this environment. If pet appropriate, Miriam's team can take your loved-one on nature walks through trails in the surrounding landscape, with the potential to see deer and other varieties of wildlife. Cola and Moose told us they so enjoyed these nature walks on their most recent visit. We conclude our review by recommending, with the highest regards, the Shady Mountain Pet Retreat, Miriam and her team. At the Shady Mountain Pet Retreat all three elements of knowledgeable and caring people, well-apportioned boarding/training facilities and a serene environment combine to provide the most wonderful and trusting of experiences. Thank you!!

As someone who's worked in canine behavior and training for years, finding a place I will entrust…read morewith my dogs is no easy feat. Now that I've found Shady Mountain I may never leave Virginia. Miriam is the real deal. Besides l the numerous books she's published on dog behavior and training the facility is perfect. It's set up impeccably, has appropriately strict health screening for entry and the services on site are too notch. I left my dogs for their first stay and walked away with ease and comfort knowing they are in the best of hands. It's worth every penny and then some.