A wonderful service for all who have to say good bye to the pets they love! From the first person I talked to when I called to make an appointment to the incredible vet tech, Barb, who provided the in-home euthanasia --- all the people we dealt with at Bridge were kind, caring, understanding, etc. It is obviously very painful to lose a pet, but these folks make it as "easy" as possible. Barb was very kind, patient,understanding and supportive of us, as well as gentle, loving and respectful to our dog. She was also very professional and efficient with the process, but very sensitive to making sure we had enough time with our pet; we never felt rushed. Barb continuously monitored our dog to make sure things were going as they should, and our pet experienced a gentle good bye. read more

I agree 100% with all the previous reviews here. Everyone at Bridge was wonderful during such an emotional time. From the initial phone call to the visit from Dr. Barbara to the follow up with my cat's ashes they were compassionate and caring. I would give them 100 stars if that was possible. read more

The folks at Bridge made saying goodbye to our beloved cat of 17 years as sweet a transition as we could have hoped for. The doctor who came to our home was soft spoken, understanding, empathetic, kind, and gentle. He gave us as much time as we needed to say goodbye, listened to our memories and sorrows, and counseled us in our grief. We will definitely use them again should we need to put another pet to rest. read more

When it was time to say goodbye to my beloved dog, I knew I couldn't take him to a veterinary clinic. He had always hated going to the vet and I wanted him to spend his final moments in his own home, in my arms. From the phone call to set up the appointment, to the gentle way that Dr. Cox wrapped up my boy in a blanket and carried him to his car to take away, we experienced nothing but kindness and compassion. Everything was explained to us, nothing was rushed, he let us proceed at our own pace. He talked with us about our dog, shared his own stories, and reassured us that our beloved boy would feel no pain. Can't recommend Bridge Veterinary Services enough when that most difficult time comes. read more

It was hard enough to finally make the decision to help our beloved fur child cross the rainbow bridge but it was even harder to pick up the phone to make the appointment. Barb was so wonderful. I started crying as soon as she answered the phone. She knew exactly what to say to me and easily spent 30 minutes on the phone reviewing all the details. Dr. Kara arrived right on time. I really liked that she dealt with parking and directions without having to ask us. She spent some time with our poodle and asked questions to understand the situation. Her kind and gentle manner made the situation peaceful. After taking a paw print mold, she told us to let her know when we wanted to proceed with step one with the sedative. We cried and kissed our beloved baby, said goodbye then cried some more. We told Dr Kara that we were ready. She gently gave the injection then sat on the floor about 10 feet away to give us some space. After about 10 or 15 minutes, she came back over to check our girl and softly said that we could move on to euthanasia when we're ready. We cried more, kissed her again then said we're ready. Dr Kara gave the final injection and again moved out of eyesight. We had been informed that her breathing would eventually slow and her nostrils would stop flaring. Our girl slipped across the rainbow bridge very slowly, gently and peacefully. Afterwards, Dr Kara arranged her in her favorite bed and tucked a blanket around her so it looked like she was sleeping. We later drove her ourselves to Pets at Peace for cremation. read more

I first became aware of Dr. Cox in mid-August when I asked my dog's rehab specialist to refer someone who was a mobility expert and could come to my house to help us learn exercises to help in my dog's recovery and care following a procedure involving total anesthesia which left my dog unable to walk. She was 15 1/2 when she underwent the procedure. From the moment I met Dr. Cox she exuded warmth, compassion, high competency, and a strong intuitiveness towards my dog. She gently guided me towards the understanding that despite what other specialists had told me, it was highly unlikely my dog would ever recover mobility and that I needed to prepare for her eventual departure. This, of course, was shocking news (!), but she turned out to be correct. Dr. Cox never lost her composure or empathy as I related to her the details of my dog's treatment by the vet in charge of the procedure and its hideous aftermath (see my review on Sage Center, Concord). And, she did not get offended as I quite vehemently expressed my rage over other holes I came to recognize in my dog's care in general by other vet care professionals. She did not offer a defense for the other vet(s) nor try to curtail my vocalization of my shock, anger, frustration, and grief. She let me be me. As she deftly turned my attention to the next steps of care for my beloved, she explained the various modalities she would recommend for treating the various pain sources my dog was experiencing. And, she assured me I was doing all the right things to care for my dog even as I expressed deep regret about things I'm sure I could have done much better. She was very patient with all of my questions (in person and by email) and didn't mind when I needed additional details or if I asked her to repeat information she had already given. When my dear heart passed on September 4, 2015, Dr. Cox notified all of the vets who had provided care. She also remained a wonderful sounding board for my grief and loss. She is truly gifted at her work and I have already recommended her to others who will soon be faced with end-of-life decisions. I only wish I had become aware of her months if not at least a year earlier. I'm sure she could have alleviated some of the pain my dog, unfortunately experienced. read more

My cat of 22 years started to have kidney failure and I went into a compete panic. I was not prepared for him to die. Every day he got worse and worse. I was taking him to the vet twice a week and finally they told me there was nothing more they could do. The thought of rushing him to the vet when he started to pass painfully...made me sick. I didn't want his last minutes to be in a cold doctors office being put to sleep. I owed him more than that. We called Shea and she came to the house within 48 to help us. She sat with us for 4 hours...listening to how I felt about Kona and why it was so difficult for me to let him go. She coached us through how to support him in his last days and helped me start the process of letting go (which I really believe helped him pass more peacefully). Dr. Cox gave us some injectable relaxants which she told us to give Kona if he was in pain or started to pass and was in pain. A few nights later it happened...he was gasping for air and we gave him a tiny painless injection and he slowly fell asleep. It was the hardest night of my life...but I am SO glad we had some medication to help him pass peacefully. I couldn't imagine trying to rush him to the emergency room at 3am. Way too traumatizing for both me and Kona. Shea was compassionate and an amazing listener. She is so incredibly knowledgeable and walked us through every step of the dying process. I couldn't imagine losing a beloved pet any other way. Allowing Kona to pass at home and in peace, with his family around him was the greatest gift I could have given him and I was able to say goodbye without being in a cold doctors office. We can't thank Shea enough for what she does in this world. It's such a gift. I couldn't imagine going through this without her. She even sent us a card a few days later offering her condolences. read more

When we were losing our beloved terrier to bone cancer, Bridge Veterinary Services made a deeply sorrowful time much easier for my wife and me, and for our other terrier. Dr. Shea Cox came to our home, and with great love, tenderness, and professionalism helped our little guy to pass on, and end his suffering. He passed away in the familiarity and comfort of his own home, surrounded by those who love him: Dr. Cox included in "those who love him." Her veterinary expertise at the end of life, and her depth of compassion for all of us, are truly amazing. Very highly and unhesitatingly recommend Bridge Veterinary Services: highest marks on every conceivable point. read more

I couldn't recommend Dr. Shea Cox more for her incredibly tender, loving care that she provides to pets and their "people" during such a difficult time for both. Dr. Cox showed gracious and gentle kindness not only to my 17 year old kitty Shadow, as he made his transition, but also to me and my whole family, including my 10 year old daughter and my other kitty Pumpkin.. Dr. Cox is also incredibly professional, explaining every step not only with deep compassion, but with clarity and intelligence. Dr. Cox made a challenging situation less so and her respect and honor for all of us was incredible and deeply touching. Dr. Cox truly has a healing gift and we felt lucky that she was the one to help us in our time of need. read more

We made the difficult decision to put our beautiful golden retriever Mufasa down. We have a wonderful vet but wanted to have him go in the comfort of his own home with our family. Kara showed up and as soon as she walked in to our home we immediately felt comfortable and so did Mufasa. She was absolutely amazing, kind, patient and gentle. I highly recommend Kara and this vet service to anyone who has to make this difficult decision. Our sweet boy left this world in comfort and lots of love. I received a hand written card today from Kara. I am forever grateful to her for helping our family say goodbye to our beautiful boy. She is the person you want with you through this heartbreaking moment in time. Thank you Kara on behalf of our entire family. read more

Like many other reviewers, I wish I could give Dr. Scott Cox more than five stars. My experience with him was the best medical experience I've ever had, period (human or K9). He genuinely cared about me and my best friend (PJ), and was willing to speak to me about the condition and option available to me until I was completely satisfied. Dr. Scott provided me with information and compassion in a way that had a profound calming effect. I now have a memory of the best friend passing at home, in his favorite place, after a great day....instead of in a sterile clinic. In the end, I felt like Dr. Scott was a friend. I would compel anyone facing such a big and painful decision to reach out to Dr. Scott for your own sake, and for your little friend's sake. He is the best. read more

We are impressed and so appreciative of the Drs. Cox... It is a sad time for us moving on without our rascally little monkey-cat. But because of both of the Drs. Cox, Shea and Scott - from first point of contact to the very end - from their website, to scheduling, to their email correspondence, through Dr. Scott Cox's careful hands-on work, Vivi's passing was peaceful and calm and really a very good death. We scheduled for End of Life care through their website and very shortly thereafter we received the first email correspondence from Dr. Shea Cox. We felt relief, as her note was kind, peaceful, clear, and professional with a personal touch. She also kept in touch with us through the day as needed. When Dr. Scott Cox came into our home we immediately felt cared for and were reassured that Vivi was in good hands; his approach eased the whole household. Dr. Scott Cox explained the process, asked for and listened to our needs and wishes. Everything was paced to our timing and feelings. His experience, observations and the information he provided (step-by-step and repeated as we needed) helped us a lot. Dr. Scott took turns with us comforting our dog who was stressed and emotional, too. We wanted Vivi taken for cremation and Dr. Cox did so, gently and with her all cuddled up and cozy as can be. As hard as it is to lose Vivi, Dr. Cox eased her away and helped us beyond description. The kindness, compassion, and obvious knowledge and skill make these two Drs truly great doctors. We thank both Drs., from the bottom of both of our hearts. With admiration and gratitude, Lenore & Sandy read more

My 15 year old female cat, Bubbles, was very antisocial and always screamed throughout the car ride to the vet. When her health started to fail, I thought I would look into in-home euthanasia since the word euthanize itself means "an easy or happy death." I'm so glad that I found Bridge Veterinary Services. It was very easy to make on appointment on-line and I was convinced I had found the right people after reading the confirmation email from Dr.Shea Cox. She explained the process to me and when I learned that the in-home appointment was scheduled for up to 3 hours to give me lots of time to say my good-byes, I was convinced I had made the right choice Dr. Scott Cox arrived on time and we spent the first hour just talking about Bubbles and her history of anxiety. Knowing that, he decided to give her a mild sedative so she would not feel any pain when he gave her the first of the two shots used for the euthanasia . It wasn't long until she was relaxed and sitting peacefully on his lap. When I was ready, I brought my Golden Retriever and younger cat into the living room and Dr. Cox brought Bubbles over to me and put her on my lap where she quickly settled in. Dr. Cox and I chatted for another hour or so and when he asked me if I was ready, I realized that I was because Bubbles was so peaceful sleeping on my lap. It took awhile for the injection to stop her heart, but I could feel her heartbeat and her breathing slow down as I petted her. Dr. Cox checked on her with a stethoscope every once in awhile and finally confirmed she had passed. Bubbles had a big smile on her face and Dr. Cox wrapped her up in a blue blanket. The last thing he did before taking her away for her cremation was to make a print of one of her paws and I now have that on my mantle. In-home euthanasia was so much better than having it done at the vet, and I would highly recommend Bridge Veterinary Services. I will do this now for all my pets in the future. read more

I don't have kind enough words to say about Kara. I never imagined I would find a vet, or even a person, who would understand the devastating loss of my beloved Rhodesian Ridgeback. She carried my daughter and me through a peaceful 3 hour process of letting him go, all the while giving him the care and tenderness he needed to let us go. Even after his passing she's kept in constant daily contact with me this whole week, and has told me over and over to call on her for anything I may need to help with the grief. She's emailed with support services and tender words, she washed the shirt he was wearing and urinated on and placed it in a safe spot for pick up, she took his foot print for my daughter, she wrapped him up and carried him as though he were hers, she left a card that night and sent a card you'd expect to receive from a loved one, she helped me write the engraving on his urn. She was perfect in an imperfect situation. I will cherish her tenderness forever. Kara too was exceptional. She was my first point of contact when I made that agonizing phone call. She stayed on the phone with me for 45 minutes and gave me immediate advice to help him, she allowed time for me to be speechless in tears, and told me over and over that I can cancel or reschedule the appointment, no fee charged, just sincere compassion in knowing how painful this is. In tearful gratitude. read more

My GSD Luna suffered a spine injury. I cared for her for a month and in a half hoping for a miracle, alas it became clear that she was not healing and attempts with my vet to get her on her feet failed. The worst part was she had a high pain and anxiety level. I checked on a variety of services who do in home euthanasia and one of them was closed for the rest of the month and the other was a mobile vet All Seasons Mobile Vet - Charles McKinney, DVM in Oakland who said he could do it but then asked if I would drive her corpse back to his office. I am thinking "What you don't offer that? AND you want me to drive the body back?" Fortunately I found Bridgevs.com - My dog was hurting in a bad way and I really didn't want to take her to an office, I wanted her to have a peaceful departure from a place where she felt loved and could be in familiar surroundings. Although they were booked - for 4 full days. I left a message with doctor Cox and told her my predicament, she called back and arranged another vet Kara to come help us. I was able to use her web site (which is easy) and set up an appointment for the following day. When the time came Kara was punctual explained everything and allowed us all the time we needed to spend with Luna and help her on her way to the afterlife. Care, consideration and dignity is what BridgeVS brought to our home and imparted to our pet. I am grateful for Dr. Kara and Dr. Cox - the service they perform is the work of angels. read more

I cannot state enough how appreciative I am of Bridge VS, and Shea and Scott in particular, for their services. Firstly, having an in home euthanasia option is a gift: not just to us but to our beloved family member (pet) as well. Having this option is... valuable beyond words. Secondly, Shea and Scott took care of us over and beyond any expectation we had. Their profound respect for us, for our family member, for the process was more than I could ever ask for. I'm tearing up as I write this, but they're tears of love and of happiness that Bridge VS made possible. I can only thank them over and over again or what they did for us, and, I highly recommend them to anyone facing the decision of euthanasia / end of life care for their family. Thank you Shea, thank you Scott. Please keep doing what you're doing. read more

I would give BVS a million stars if I could. I had to recently make the hardest decision of my life of putting my 18-year old cat, Baby, to sleep. This was my first experience ever having to make this type of decision. I was referred to BVS by the emergency vet I had to go to over the weekend. I was apprehensive of the cost of having them come to my house, etc. I can assure you - if you love your animal immensely like I did - it was worth every penny. I was lucky to get Dr. Scott Cox. The scheduling process was very easy and I was in a very emotional place so this was super helpful. He made Baby's transition as easy as one could possibly hope it to be and was so incredibly patient with me as I said goodbye to my best friend. He was at our house for over two-hours to ensure things did not feel rushed and handled by little angel with such care and concern. I feel blessed I got referred to BVS. This type of service is so needed in this world. Thank you Dr. Scott! You were amazing and we will never forget how great you were with us and our little Angel, Baby. read more

I have been working with Bridge Veterinary Service through Dr. Shea Cox for around 9 mos as my cat is on hospice. She has kidney disease/thyroid problems, possible tumor, arthritis and is just very old (likely age 20). When we first met with her we were told by another vet there was nothing that could be done. Perhaps out of desperate hope I booked an online "hospice" visit instead of euthansia. After our nearly 3 hour visit, Dr. Cox revolutionized the health of our kitty. It was the best money I ever spent, plus it was an in home evaluation. She changed up her pain management and added anti inflammatory meds for arthritis and saw her through a health crisis of not having pooped in days. In addition she referred us to an eye specialist who had a pioneering procedure that no other vet recommended. It gave us a cure that involves injecting a form of restalyn for cats for the condition "Entropion" and gave our cat her sight back. Dr. Cox has been a steady, supportive, educated vet who continues to help us with making this painful decision around when to let an amazing companion leave us. We have had one of the sweetest years of life with our cat, knowing it is likely her final year, due to Dr. Cox (Bridge Veterinary Services) AMAZING CARE! read more

I am writing another review because perhaps my other did not save. On Monday of last week I contacted Bridge Veterinary Services upon the recommendation of someone who used them last year for her pet. Our dog could no longer get up or walk without a valiant effort. He had stopped eating and drinking. He had many, many issues at 15 1/2. His breed has a life expectancy of 15. We knew it was time. We chose in home euthanization rather than bringing our guy into the vet in order for him to have a more peaceful passing. From the moment we contacted Bridge - Mia, the person you initially communicate with, was thorough, detail oriented yet completely compassionate of our situation in her e-mails to us. When Tuesday afternoon arrived, Barb St. Amant, RVT, came to our home. To say Noah, our boy, my husband and I were all treated with the utmost compassion and respect for our time would be an understatement. Everything was communicated. Everything we were feeling acknowledged. We were given time with our guy to process each step. Barb is experienced, thorough, respectful and compassionate. When my daughter called later in the day to see how the process went, I replied, "It was all I could have hoped for. Very peaceful." read more

We used Bridge back in May and I had been meaning to write this as I cannot speak highly enough about them. We had Barb and honestly, I don't know what we would have done the day of without her. She has the disposition of a saint and was so incredibly calming and kind. She came to our home and the entire process was peaceful, humane and well thought out on their end. Barb made us a little puppy paw print and gave us all of the time we needed. Everything was clearly explained on the website as well in person, which we needed as our dog was diagnosed on a Friday and we had to put her down on a Wednesday, so we could barely get our heads around it. They gave us a number of cremation options and took care of everything so we could concentration on our final moments and worry less about the details. There were so many awful and scary decisions during that time, but this was far and away the best one for us and our dog. read more

I must give the strongest positive recommendation to Dr. Shea Cox. Our Akita, Yuki, was at the end stages of Cushing's Disease, and her body was shutting down. We wanted her final moments to be in her own home, with her people. I left a message for Dr. Cox on a Saturday evening, and she called back quickly, with compassion and understanding. We set an appointment for Monday. Dr. Cox guided the process with gentleness and care, allowing it to move at the pace we needed, communicating with us at every step. She engaged with Yuki, and was another loving hand as we navigated this transition. We were never rushed, and were given support and space to grieve and say our final goodbyes. She treated Yuki and ourselves with the utmost caring and respect, giving Yuki a dignified and painless ending. read more

Scott was absolutely amazing. I was having a very hard time letting go of our beloved 19 year old cat who was fading. I didn't want her to suffer but couldn't bear the thought of putting her down. From the moment I contacted Bridges, I was impressed and grateful. The information on their website, their policy of allowing last minute cancellations, and their three hour time window made me feel better about contacting them. Scott was thoughtful, caring and compassionate (both towards the people and our sweet cat). He was so knowledgeable, supported our decision making and made us feel comfortable not only with our decision to euthanize our cat but with all the other decisions we had made regarding her care. He was gentle and allowed us to take all the time we needed and explained all he was doing. A week or so later, he sent a lovely card. I feel so lucky to have found Scott. He made a difficult decision and the loss of our sweet cat much easier. I am very grateful and recommend him (and Bridges) very highly. read more