Welcome to Pet Hospice Partners
There are moments in life when love asks more of us than we ever expected. Loving an animal means celebrating the joy they bring into our lives—but it also means facing the responsibility of caring for them when time becomes fragile. Pet Hospice Partners was created for that space.
My name is Danielle Schloemp, and I’ve spent over 20 years as a registered veterinary technician, working across general practice, emergency and specialty medicine, shelter medicine, integrative care, and perhaps most meaningfully—end-of-life care. Over the last decade, my professional focus and my heart have been deeply rooted in hospice, palliative care, and peaceful death for animals. I am also a Certified Hospice and Palliative Care Technician (CHPT®), A Certified Peaceful Euthanasia Professional (CPEP) and am Human-Animal Bond Certified (HABC through the NAVC).
But Pet Hospice Partners didn’t begin as a business idea. It began as a calling.
Why I Started Pet Hospice Partners
Let’s back up a bit. This work was deeply shaped by my own experience as a pet parent. My heart dog, Wyatt, taught me just how profound and sacred the human–animal bond truly is. Loving him—and eventually saying goodbye—reinforced my belief that end-of-life care should never feel rushed, lonely, or transactional. It should feel supported, informed, and grounded in dignity.
At the time of Wyatt’s diagnosis, I had already been a registered veterinary technician for over ten years. I wasn’t working in a hospital then—I had stepped away to raise my two young boys, who were just two years old and six months old at the time. When Wyatt became acutely ill, I rushed him to the emergency hospital, baby and toddler in tow, and waited anxiously in the car for the doctor to arrive.
Finally, we were able to go in, and I quickly set up for his IV and placed it myself. We took radiographs and a short time later; the films and auscultation confirmed the worst. I will never forget the veterinarian’s words as she handed me a brown paper bag: “He has acute congestive heart failure. It’s bad. He has maybe three to six weeks. Here are your meds, call us when you’re ready.” I wish I were exaggerating. I’m not.
A few days later, Wyatt was stable enough to come home. Standing there with the brown paper bag full of medications in my hands, it hit me—I had handed that same kind of bag to countless families over the years. Never with ill intent. Always with care. But when the roles were reversed, the perspective shift was profound. I found myself asking, Is this really the best we can do?
That snowy January morning became the inception of my first business nearly ten years ago—born from a desire to help families who were standing exactly where I had been. I made myself a promise that I would do everything in my power to ensure others would never feel as alone, overwhelmed, or unsupported as I did that day.
Fast forward another decade, and here we are in sunny South Carolina—no more snowy days, but the same unmet needs. I am fortunate enough to also serve as the Director of Operations for the International Association for Animal Hospice and Palliative Care and the trend is worldwide - there is a gap between what families need at the end of their pet’s life and what veterinary clinics are realistically able to provide within today’s systems. Pet Hospice Partners was created to help bridge that gap—collaboratively, compassionately, and without replacing the trusted relationship families already have with their veterinarian.
Throughout my career, I’ve witnessed something incredibly consistent: pet families love deeply, and they want to do the right thing - and so do the veterinarian teams—but both are often overwhelmed, scared, and unsure of what “the right thing” actually looks like at the end of life. And veterinarians, veterinary technicians, veterinary assistants, and the entire veterinary team? They are pet families too. Even with decades of clinical experience, when the time comes to have to say goodbye - even the most seasoned professionals need extra guidance and compassion.
Veterinary teams are stretched thin. Appointments are short. Emotions are high. And while clinicians and staff deeply want to support families through these moments, time and system limitations often make that incredibly difficult. Pet Hospice Partners exists to support both—creating space, time, and guidance so no one has to navigate this part of the journey alone.
What Pet Hospice Partners Does
Pet Hospice Partners exists to walk alongside pet families during one of the most difficult chapters they will ever face. We provide in-home quality-of-life assessments, education, and emotional support—helping families understand their options and make decisions that align with their values, their pet’s comfort, and their unique circumstances.
This is not about pushing families toward a particular outcome. It’s about helping them ask the right questions, understand what their pet is experiencing, and feel confident that they are acting from a place of love—not fear or guilt.
We also work in partnership with veterinary hospitals, not in competition with them. Pet Hospice Partners serves as an extension of the care team—offering time, presence, and continuity that supports both families and veterinary professionals alike.
Our Goals
At its core, Pet Hospice Partners has three simple but powerful goals:
To support pet families.
No one should feel alone while navigating anticipatory grief, declining health, or end-of-life decisions. Families deserve space, clarity, and compassion.
To support veterinary teams.
By sharing the emotional and educational load, we help clinics care for their clients without burning out their staff or compromising medical integrity.
To normalize hospice and palliative care for animals.
End-of-life care is still often misunderstood or avoided. We aim to change that narrative—by showing that hospice is not “giving up,” but rather choosing comfort, intention, and love.
A Final Thought
Pet Hospice Partners was built on the belief that the last chapter of a pet’s life deserves as much care and respect as the first. Whether you are a pet parent seeking guidance or a veterinary professional looking for a collaborative partner, I’m honored you’re here.
You don’t have to navigate this alone—and you don’t have to wait until things feel urgent to reach out. Sometimes the most loving thing we can do is simply ask for support.
Welcome. 💛
