Yesterday was the third time we've needed Dr. Jessica to release one of our dogs. Dr Jessica is not only compassionate, but she's caring & very competent. We never feel rushed through this process. She let's us take all the time we need. I almost forgot to mention one of the other benefits of in home euthanasia: We have other dogs in our family. After Dr Jessica puts my girl to rest, we have our other dogs come in to say goodbye. My other guys know exactly where their pack mate went. They're not confused & they don't wander around the house looking for their family member. The comfort this brings them is priceless. If you're in need of this service, do call them & request Dr. Jessica. She makes a very difficult time just a bit easier. I highly recommend her! read more

We recently had Dr. Jessica come to our house after our 15 yr old dog was diagnosed with terminal issues. You could not possibly ask for a kinder person to help through this process - she explains everything thoroughly, does not rush the process and was great with follow up communication as she even returned our dogs ashes to us in about a week. Would without a doubt recommend her to anyone in need of in home euthanasia. read more

We are so grateful for the calm, kind, gentle guidance of Dr. Jessica Kriner. It was an absolutely gut-wrenching decision to have our 15-year old border collie, Maggie, euthanized at home. It is so helpful to have someone you can ask questions of, to reassure and comfort you at a fraught and emotional time. Every criteria we had was met and exceeded: we wanted Maggie to feel no fear, to have unhurried time with her, to have a clear understanding of what was going to happen, to say goodbye on our terms. Maggie simply and immediately accepted Dr. Kriner's presence, decided she welcomed pets and affection from this sweet person she had never met. The only focus was Maggie, to have her feel complete love surrounding her, to let her enjoy cheeseburgers and chocolate, pets, hugs, kisses, many words of love, to make certain she knew exactly how special she was and always would be and that we were grateful for her life with us. There is no avoiding how heartbreaking a time it is, but to have a precious fur baby handled with love, calmness, gentleness, respect and care is an enormous comfort. We are so profoundly grateful for Dr. Kriner. She returned Maggie's ashes to us with the same compassion with which Maggie left our home. We are unspeakably touched by every aspect of interaction with Dr. Jessica Kriner of Compassionate Heart. read more

Dr. Jessica made one of the worst days of our lives almost bearable. Everything about her presentation, compassion and services was perfect, helping our family to say heartfelt proper goodbyes and process our grief. While I hope to never need her services again, I do recommend to anyone in this difficult position to look into Compassionate Heart. read more

Dr. Jessica is simply the kindest and most caring person to help you say goodbye to your fur baby in the peace and calm of your own home. She's helped me twice now and I highly recommend her. read more

I'm speechless, Dr Kriner was so thoughtful and gentle I don't have words. She arrived on time, was thoroughly prepared, gentle and empathetic. What a wonderful experience for me and my kids, our beautiful cat was gently laid to rest. read more

Words cannot express how grateful we are for Dr. Jessica. She helped us with our 16 year-old Yorkie. Our Yorkie, Bella, was so precious to our family and I cannot imagine letting her go in any other manner than being in her own bed with us petting and holding her. Dr. Jessica made this highly emotional process more tolerable because she is so caring and compassionate. Dr. Jessica put Bella at ease immediately by offering her treats and took her time while we prepared ourselves emotionally for Bella to pass. I highly recommend Dr. Jessica to assist in this peaceful manner of letting any pet cross over the rainbow bridge. The Rainbow Bridge Just this side of Heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge. When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable. All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor; those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by. The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind. They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent; His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster. You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart. Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together... read more

On the very worst day of pet ownership, Dr Jessica came to our house and helped transition our dear family member to his final peace. He was at home where he was comfortable and surrounded by his family. I can t ever thank her enough. If you have a suffering pet, this is the only way to go. While there are a number of in-home euthanasia services, I can't image a more caring and wonderful person to help. The understanding that she demonstrated was unbelievable. We did not feel rushed and she moved along at our pace. I was so nervous all day and when she finally arrived, her calming voice and the way she explains what was about to happen put us all at ease. As sad as I have been knowing what was coming, after Dr Jessica left I was so happy knowing my little guy is not suffering any more. Thank you again. read more

We were extremely pleased with the responsiveness and support we received from Compassionate Heart. My husband and I recently made the extremely difficult decision to put our elderly Siberian Husky to sleep and Dr. Rachel was understanding and communicative throughout the process. We particularly appreciated how she provided us with all of the necessary information and checked in with us every step of the way to make sure we were ready to proceed. We were given time to privately say goodbye to our girl and Dr. Rachel took care of all of the after arrangements. Compassionate Heart & Dr. Rachel made a very difficult day/time as seamless as possible. We would highly recommend these services! Thank you so much for what you do! read more

A big thanks to Dr. Jessica Kriner from Compasionnate Heart who helped us with the peaceful transition for Cleo at the comfort of our own home and brought her back today. Thanks for being very respectful and understanding . read more

Compassionate Heart - A complimentary paw print to keep Cleo's memories with us forever. - Veterinarians Near Me

See all

Dr Jessica was calming, kind and helped us face our much loved senior cat's exit. I highly recommend her services if you need to make this difficult choice. read more

After 4 years of our cat battling chronic kidney failure we made the hard decision to put him down at 15 years old. Dr. Jessica was such a gift to me during this experience. She explained everything and was kind and compassionate. Letting your beloved pet pass away peacefully in the calm of your home is a great gift. I appreciate all they do to ensure our best friends crossover peacefully. read more

Compassionate Heart - Veterinarians Near Me

When I contacted Dr. Jessica Kriner DVM, I felt like I was talking to a friend although I had never had contact with her in the past. She listened to me and my concerns never once being hurried or dismissive. I made the appointment to have Dr. Jessica come to our home to send my dog, Emmie and my cat Skittles to pet heaven. My husband was not yet prepared to let our dog go, so I called Dr. Jessica to cancel the appointment. She was very understanding and I told her I would call her when it was the right time. A short time later I did call her and made the appointment. Dr. Jessica arrived and told us to take our time just loving them & give treats etc. I decided to have Skittles go first so that my hubby could see how peaceful and loving the process is. Skittles had a purr that was so loud that our local vet had a hard time hearing his heartbeat. He was purring until we knew he was gone. Emmie was our goofy lovable chocolate lab. She was not old, but had serious breathing problems. She was daddy's baby from day one. She weighed 90# but still slept on my hubby's lap in the recliner. She followed him all over the farm and I knew her passing would be terribly hard for him. Dr. Jessica listened to all our stories, never once indicating she had to move on. She said the timing was up to us and that she loved to hear the stories. When the time came, my hubby and I were both kissing and hugging and petting Emmie and right as she was slipping away, my hubby told her he loved her and she wagged her tail just a little bit but enough to reassure us that we made the right choice. Dr. Jessica Kriner is so kind, caring and compassionate. I can't say enough about how great she handled one of the worst days of our lives and how gentle and loving she is to the animals. read more

Compassionate Heart - Emmie on recliner with her dad. - Veterinarians Near Me

My beloved dog became sick on a Saturday and died less than five days later. It turned out to be a widespread underlying cancer that had never been detected. I wasn't sure what was happening to her and I took her back & forth to the vet in her last three days. They witnessed her quick and steady decline and performed tests, but no one ever said to me that my dog was dying. By Wednesday morning, nobody needed to tell me. I knew in my heart that she would not survive. What I didn't know, was whether or not she might be suffering. I reached out to Compassionate Heart (River Forest location / 708-722-1822) and heard back promptly from Dr. Rachel. After describing my dog's condition, Dr. Rachel was the first vet to confirm to me that my dog was in serious condition. The choice was mine: emergency hospital or euthanasia. I asked her to come to my home; within an hour or two of our conversation, she was here. As it happened, DeeDee passed on her own just moments before Dr. Rachel was to begin the procedure. Still, it was so helpful to have her there to validate what was happening and to "pronounce", if you will, her death. That day will stand as one of the saddest I've ever experienced. It was obvious that Dr. Rachel fully understood that sorrow. She would have taken my dog for cremation, but I wanted to do it myself, so she left me with information about the Hinsdale Pet Crematory and a pamphlet listing grief resources. For coming all the way to my home on very short notice and helping me through a terrible time, she charged me... nothing. "I didn't do anything," she insisted. She did, though. And I'll always be grateful. read more

I should have written this review so long ago. Unfortunately when you need a service like the one Alicia offers through Compassionate Heart Veterinary Care, you are so distraught that you realized you should have done your research well in advance. I am hoping by posting here that others are able to find solace, relief and peace quickly in their time of need. My dearest bulldog Meatball was being treated for cancer. I was simply keeping him comfortable as the disease progressed as he was no longer responding to treatment. You are never prepared for your pet's last day....ever. But on this particular day, I knew that he couldn't go on any further. We rushed to the emergency vet and realized a tumor on his liver had ruptured. I did not want him to leave this life in the sterile environment of the veterinary ER and insisted he make it back home with me where I would find someone to perform a humane euthanization in my home, surrounded by the people that he loved and that loved him. I was given Alicia's name from the veterinary ER. Believe it or not in my panic of trying to find someone to come to my home with a few hours notice, not one of the other service even called me back. I couldn't believe it! And this was fortuitous for me because Alicia was exactly the person both Meatball and I needed in our life at that moment. She came to our home as quickly as she could and allowed me to have all of the time I needed to say my goodbyes. She was incredibly compassionate, kind and gentle and actually helped make what is a terrible situation, one that I will remember with love, a gentle touch, and not horror, but rather peace. Nobody ever wants to think about having to say goodbye to their beloved pet, but I can say that for me, I knew that saying goodbye in my own home, surrounded by the familiarity of all that I knew (and my pet knew), was the perfect way for me to say goodbye. Alicia was professional, yet gentle. She was knowledgeable and kind. She was patient. Although I hope I do not have to call her soon, I certainly will call her when I need her. I have already recommended her to my friends. I also run a dog rescue and will be sure that all of our supporters know of her kind service. She even brought Meatball "home to me" -- she delivered his ashes. Thank you Alicia. You play a vital role in the relationship between pets and their people. I couldn't be more grateful to have found you! read more

Jessica came to my home within hours of calling her to help my sweet girl transition. I have never met such a compassionate vet. I'm so thankful to have found her and to have had her by my girls side. Thank you, Jessica. You were very helpful and supportive during a very difficult time . Thank you for the care and respect you showed Corrina. read more

As a family we had to make one of the hardest decisions of our lives. It was time to say goodbye to our dearest family member. Scooter was 16 1/2 years old and battling bladder cancer like a champion for 22 months. As much as we loved him, it was time to do the right thing. We called Compassionate Heart's and Dr. Jessica Kriner came to our home and made this process more bearable than we ever thought possible. She let me hold my sweet boy and our family surrounded him as he took his last breath's. We were blessed to be able to do this in the privacy of our own home where Scooter loved to be. Dr. Jessica is an amazing Veterinarian. Do not hesitate to call this company and ask for her. read more

It has been almost a month since we said goodbye to our furry baby. Bentley was my first pet and Dr. Kriner was a great help in walking us through his departure. She explained every step thoroughly and what to possibly expect before she started. She also we went through each step along the way. I am forever grateful for all her help and kind words. read more

I cannot begin to say how great this Vet was. I have never been thru anything so difficult in my life, and she made the experience loving, calm and soulful. SHe explained everything simply, and took as much time as we needed between steps. My kids and husband and I couldn't have asked for a more loving ending to our dogs life. Thank you Dr. Jessica! You are an incredible human for taking on this task for so many people and their beloved pets. If you are considering Euthanasia for your pet, I don't think you could do better than Compassionate Heart. They come to your home, and make the experience memorable and heartfelt and loving. read more

I should start by saying our 143lb. mastiff mix Diesel was never a fan of any vet or any facility, period. He was known to bring staff members back to us on leash in the lobby when he wasn't keen on where they wanted to take him. We adopted him out of a high kill shelter after he was returned twice, we were his last chance and as it turned out the only one he needed. Through two ACL surgeries that left him with pins and screws, to 39 months of accompanying me for full-time caretaking of my mother with stage 4 cancer, including her hospice care and passing in her own home, he was there for it all. We could never imagine stressing him in his final hours with another vet visit as he finally and very suddenly succumbed to sarcoma. Dr. Jessica was an answer to our prayers. Dr. Jessica helped us through our boy Diesel's transition with the utmost Love and Compassion. We simply could not have asked for better end of life care for him in his home. She handled his anxiety and uncontrollable pain within minutes, and on the same day we called! You will always have a special place in our hearts. Thank you so much for being there when we needed you most, you're an angel! Many blessings to you and yours! read more

Dr. Jessica from the far west Chicago Suburban Compassionate Heart was a gift to our beloved Sadie and our family. As painful as it was to let go of our lab yesterday, today I have no regrets and feel we did everything possible to make her passing comfortable and respectful. Dr. Jessica came to our home the same night we called. Her calming voice was reassuring and everything she did was geared toward keeping Sadie calm and pain free. Sadie laid in front of the fireplace where she had been sleeping all day and it was here that she left this earth. Our family encircled her with strokes and love throughout the sedation. Dr. Jessica was so respectful of our needs and understands what a gut wrenching process this is. I would recommend her to anyone who faces this hard decision and having her do this in our home was the greatest gift and goodbye we could give our "family member" read more

I absolutely recommend Dr. Jessica and Compassionate Heart. Our sweet 13 year-old Maltese was losing her battle with cancer, and her quality of life was clearly suffering. She always feared the vet, shaking uncontrollably every time we went. We did not want her last moments to be spent in fear, so we knew since her diagnosis we wanted to pursue home euthanasia. Dr. Jessica arrived promptly, and was extremely kind and caring. She walked us through process, what would happen and what to expect, and made sure we moved at a pace that was comfortable for everyone. She was gentle and loving with our girl, and she passed quietly without any fear on her favorite spot on the couch. Dr. Jessica made one of the worst days of our lives a little more bearable. We received a clay paw print, and a kind follow up note. It takes a special kind of person to do this work with such compassion, and Dr. Jessica is that person. We are very grateful to have found her. read more

Dr. Alicia Harris assisted us as we euthanized our beloved dog Shimi. We received her name from our cancer vet (Dr. Looper - who I also highly recommend). When I knew that Shimi was terminally ill, I interviewed three different home euthanizing vets. Alicia stood out for several reasons. She spoke to me for about an hour listening to my story, obtained information about our pet and his disease (osteosarcoma) and most importantly answered my questions directly. I wanted to know about the entire process, the sedation/euthanizing cocktail and any potential side effects. I wanted to know every detail and she took her time explaining it all to me. She has a partner, Lucy, and I was concerned that Alicia would be booked or out of town when I needed her, so I asked to speak to Lucy as well. Within a few hours, Lucy emailed me and we talked - again a long thorough conversation. When it was time, my high expectations were met. None of my fears were realized (i.e. no side effects of the drugs). Shimi passed so smoothly, it was as if he was sleeping. She even made us paw prints and dropped off the ashes back to us - really nice. I really feel that, with Alicia's help, we did Shimi right - my last act as a pet parent. read more

When our beloved cat was dying we called Alicia at the suggestion of a friend. She came over and my two children and I actually had a beautiful experience assisting our kitty to be done with suffering. We sat under a tree in the backyard and said good bye with the love and support of Alicia. I would not recommend driving a pet to the vet again, since that is traumatic for the animal. Having a vet willing to come to assist the animal in their own home, with their own family is the best thing you can do for your pet. And Alicia is a trustworthy and loving person. She is so comforting. Please call her if you need help with a sick and dying animal. She is the best! read more

Our beautiful 14.5 year old Alaskan Malamute/German Shepard, Thunder, passed away 2 weeks ago, in his favorite corner of our house. Dr. Lucy Hanus was extremely professional, kind and caring. She explained everything that would happen and let us proceed at our own pace. We were so happy Thunder was able to go to sleep in his favorite spot, a tight corner in our bedroom, and Dr. Hanus didn't mind squeezing in there with us, including our other dog, Mante. And afterwards, she slipped away and let us spend time alone with Thunder and didn't rush us. We scheduled for him to be cremated and she promptly returned his ashes to our house. Seeing Thunder get worse over the last couple of months and finally deciding to end his suffering was very difficult and painful, but Compassionate Heart and Dr. Hanus made a distressing situation a little bit easier to bear. I highly recommend them to anyone going through a such a difficult situation. read more