The Angel Pets Conference was held June 8th, 2019. The goal is to offer this every 2-3 years.

Senior Pet Needs, End-of-Life Care & Grief Support

Angel Pets Conference Review Post

I’ve added a post: Angel Pets Conference 2019 Review. Please check out the photos. The post is also open for comments! Please check it out!

https://angelpetsconference.com/2019/06/13/angel-pets-conference-2019-review/

I formulated the Angel Pets Opening into a Blog post:

Angel Pets Opening: Eye-rolling, Yoga and Love

https://angelpetsconference.com/2019/06/13/angel-pets-opening-eye-rolling-yoga-and-love/

People from all over the region attended this pioneering, unique and much needed conference covering many topics on Senior pet needs, End-of-life care and grief support to help us become more knowledgeable and comfortable with this difficult, but inevitable time in our pets’ lives.

VIDEO (YouTube): https://youtu.be/qZbdnPpQnTo

The goal is to help us become more knowledgeable and comfortable in caring for our pets (and ourselves) during this difficult, but inevitable time in our pets’ lives.

“We all want to lovingly care for our pets during this critical time, but we do not always know how.”

Senior Pet Needs, End-of-Life Care & Caregiver and Grief Support

Dr. Beth Marchitelli, DVM – covering Animal Hospice and End of Life topics for our pets, Assessing Pet Quality of Life

Coleen Ellis, CT, CLCP – Two Hearts Pet Loss Pet Center – Covering Topics of Pet Loss Grief support for ourselves and others

Dr. Kasandra Garner, DVM, Animal Hospital of North Asheville, covering Senior Pet Care and resources

Dr. Angel Mitchell, DVM, Bonnie Brae Veterinary Hospital, covering Senior Pet Nutritional needs and research updates

“We all want to lovingly care for our pets during this critical time, but we do not always know how.”

The conference is a seated, educational ticketed event

Angel Pets Conference 2019

Course Descriptions

“Exceeded expectations, big time!” -2014 conference attendee KP

Senior pet care  needs and resources- Dr. Kasandra Garner, DVM, Animal Hospital of North Ashville

This presentation will overview the aging pet, physical, nutritional, emotional aspects. Along with giving overviews of resources and ideas for providing comfort and high quality of life as a senior pet. Presentation will provide a better understanding of how senior animal care and needs are different from young or adult care.

Senior Pet Nutrition – Dr. Angel Mitchell, DVM, Bonnie Brae Veterinary Hospital

Dr. Mitchell will cover how nutrition needs change for our animal companions as they age. Ideas for improving digestion will be given. Other pet nutrition considerations covered. Current nutrition topics  regarding research around ‘grain-free’ will be touched on.

Understanding Veterinary Hospice and Palliative Care – Dr. Beth Marchitelli, DVM  

Tips to Help Determine Quality of Life for Dogs and Cats – Dr. Beth Marchitelli, DVM 

Healthy Elements of Grieving for a Beloved Pet (1CE)- Coleen Ellis, CT, CPLP

The death of a beloved pet comes with it’s own unique elements of grief and subsequent needs for mourning. Just like every relationship a person shares with another, the bond we share with our pets is also special and one-of-a-kind.

“Disenfranchised grief” is by the sheer definition of the word a grief “that persons experience when they incur a loss that is not or cannot be openly acknowledged, socially sanctioned or publicly mourned”. With 70% of our population sharing their home with a pet, there’s certainly a part of our communities and social circles that absolutely do not understand the bond shared with a pet, nor the grief associated with their loss.

In this session, attendees will hear more about the grief journey for pet lovers and why that journey IS different than the loss of a human loved one. Attendees will also hear about the amazing healthy attributes of mourning for a beloved pet, and how to help others in their grief journey as well.

*Course meets the requirements for one hour (1) hour of continuing education credit in jurisdictions which recognize AAVSB RACE approval; however, participants should be aware that some boards have limitations on the number of hours accepted in certain categories and/or restrictions on certain methods of delivery of continuing education.

Understanding Anticipatory Grief, Children & Grief, and Pets & Grief (1CE) – Coleen Ellis, CT, CPLP

Attendees will get the finer points of three very important aspects regarding the death of a pet. Understanding Anticipatory Grief will be a session full of rituals and learning about the time before the actual death has happened. Even though a pet is still present, for a pet parent to know the time is approaching, whether it’s actually a day, week or month away, the emotional journey is much like the feelings for the inevitable death. The grief journey has begun; how can the final end-of-life walk support and guidance happen?

Children & Grief- so many times the death of a family pet is their first exposure to grief and loss. Walking with a child in their journey in a healthy manner will be enlightening as we explore how children see death, deal with death, and some activities to help them navigate their own emotions.

Pets & Grief – For those surviving pets in our homes, we’ll want to understand what they are going through as well in the loss of one of their own. Pets are like people, their relationships with other pets in the home is as unique as ours. Helping a pet lover to know what to do for their pets is eye-opening as well as heart-warming.

*Course meets the requirements for one hour (1) hour of continuing education credit in jurisdictions which recognize AAVSB RACE approval; however, participants should be aware that some boards have limitations on the number of hours accepted in certain categories and/or restrictions on certain methods of delivery of continuing education.

Pet Loss Memorialization & Rituals to Honor A Life Shared (1CE) – Coleen Ellis, CT, CPLP

This session is heart-warming, as well as exciting, in seeing all of the various ways a unique life can be honored. Attendees will enjoy this very animated session of what pet parents have done to honor the special time spent with their beloved pet.
In loving and honoring the life shared with a special pet, many people will question “what can I do” or “what are the options.” Bucket lists to elaborate rituals, pet lovers are allowing themselves the permission to do what they need to do to fulfill their six-month goal… a goal which is to reflect back on the end-of-life walk and be able to say “the end was perfect.” From rituals to permanent memorialization ideas, attendees will find this session spirited and quick-paced with the depth of the information shared.

*Course meets the requirements for one hour (1) hour of continuing education credit in jurisdictions which recognize AAVSB RACE approval; however, participants should be aware that some boards have limitations on the number of hours accepted in certain categories and/or restrictions on certain methods of delivery of continuing education.

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Angel Pets Conference 2019

Coleen Ellis, CT, CPLP

A chance encounter with a pet parent facing the death of her pet was a defining moment for Coleen in 1998.    It was the beginning of her vision of how to best meet the needs of pet parents in their desire to mourn, memorialize and pay tribute to their beloved pets when they die.  In 2004, the experience of the death of her dog, Mico, guided her in starting the nation’s first stand-alone pet’s-only funeral home.  Soon, publications such as Kates-Boylston’s Pet Loss Insider deemed her the “most well known pet funeral director” and a true “pet loss pioneer.”

In 2009, Coleen founded Two Hearts Pet Loss Center, to guide people who wish to provide meaningful pet death care services in their communities, as well to be an educational resource in the pet grief discipline.  In 2009, she received the first Death and Grief Studies Certification specializing in Pet Loss Companioning by Dr. Alan Wolfelt as well as releasing her first book, Pet Parents:  A Journey Through Unconditional Love and Grief.  She is also Certified in Thanatology and is a Certified Pet Loss Professional.

By 2014, Coleen was ready to take her vision to a new level.  Joining Nick Padlo as managing partner and Chief Marketing Officer, they formed an acquisition company whose mission is to standardize and raise the service levels of the pet loss industry.  The Pet Loss Center strives to be the nation’s premier pet loss service, elevating the experiential component of pet loss and grief care across the country. In 2019, she shifted her position with The Pet Loss Center to an Advisory/Consultant role.

Coleen is an internationally sought-after speaker on the topics of pet loss and grief.  Through her delivery style, pet care professionals learn a variety of techniques immediately applicable to implement on how to companion families in their grief journey.  Furthermore, her talks to pet parents give them the permission they need to not only grieve but mourn the loss of their beloved pet.

Coleen is the founder and past co-chair of the Pet Loss Professionals Alliance and past president of the International Association of Animal Hospice and Palliative Care, where she currently serves as an advisor. She is a native of Kansas where she graduated from Fort Hays State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing.  She currently sits on the Board of Trustees for Fort Hays State University, and is a recipient of the 2018 Alumni Achievement Award, the college’s highest recognition for graduates.

Dallas, TX, is where Coleen and her husband, Chris Burke, reside. They share their home with their four-legged kids, Crisco and Rudy.

TwoHeartsPetLossCenter.com

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Dr. Beth Marchitelli

Dr. Marchitelli received her degree from Cornell University’s College of Veterinary Medicine in 2001. Shortly after graduating from veterinary school, she practiced small animal medicine in Huntington, New York for ten years. She currently practices small animal medicine in Asheville, North Carolina and has done so for the last three years. She has provided veterinary care for companion animals at several animal hospitals in the Asheville area, including the Humane Alliance Spay/Neuter Clinic, Haw Creek Animal Hospital and Noah’s Arc Spay/Neuter Clinic of Brevard.

She is especially interested in providing high quality compassionate care for pets during the end of their lives as well as the families who care for them. In addition to being a certified veterinary acupuncturist she has a special interest in advanced veterinary pain management.  She is also passionate about promoting wellness care in the hopes to prevent illness in our companion animals whenever possible before it occurs.

When she is not caring for pets or the families who care for them she enjoys mountain biking, and hiking with her husband and her three dogs in beautiful Western North Carolina. Her website is www.4pawsfarewell.com

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Dr. Kasandra Garner, DVM

Dr. Kasandra Garner, DVM, Animal Hospital of North Asheville

Dr. Garner enjoys getting to know each pet and their family. She believes that wellness for our pets is multifaceted, encompassing not only their physical health but also their emotional and mental well-being and their environment. Dr. Garner has a special love for cats and is especially glad to be working at a practice that is a Gold Standard Feline Friendly Practice.  Dr. Garner is devoted to low-stress care for dogs too, so she is thrilled to be working at AHNA where our goal is to be fear-free for all patients. She is excited to live and work in a community committed to providing the best lives possible for all animal companions. Dr. Garner is a proud certified Fear Free Professional.

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Dr. Angel Mitchell, DVM, CVA

Veterinarian
Dr. Angel Mitchell has been with Bonnie Brae Veterinary Hospital since its beginning in 1991. She received her veterinary degree from North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 1988. Her special interests include Pet Acupuncture, Chinese Herbal Medicine, Nutritional Management and Avian Medicine. She has a very holistic approach to veterinary medicine and includes conventional as well as complementary modalities in her practice. Angel is certified in veterinary acupuncture by IVAS, is a member of the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association and has further education in Traditional Chinese Medicine.

https://www.bonniebraeveterinaryhospital.com/index.html

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Free Welcome Tote bag for Conference attendees!

Conference attendee welcome tote bag will include pet related items, conference materials, Patton Avenue Pet Company gift card and more!!!

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Angel Pets Conference attendees Door Prizes

2 – Three Dog Bakery gift baskets – sample

Animal Hospital of North Asheville  goodie bag

Patty Summers – CD Communicating with your Animals

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Communicating with Animals helps you develop your animal communication skills with your animal friends through this verbally – guided exercise. (CD)

Please take time to THANK our

Gold Sponsors

PetGazetteAsheville.comhttps://www.ahna.net/