For Dede Croy, her dogs are more than just pets.
"They're my life. They're my family," said Croy.
After 13 years together, one of her dogs, Duke, became ill. It took two veterinarians and a gamut of tests, but finally the vets had a diagnosis. Duke had an enlarged heart chamber and a collapsed trachea.
After a few months of treatment, it became clear, then end was near for Duke.
"I cried the entire way home. I just knew he wouldn't be with us much longer," said Croy.
Wanting to give Duke peace and comfort in his final moments, Dede called in Beyond the Rainbow Pet Hospice and Memorial Center. On Jan. 9, they came to her house to perform an in-home euthanasia.
"It is a privilege to be able to make that choice for the pet you've loved for so many years," said Croy.
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The company's owners, Terry Branson and Kate Moore, have a combined 70 years experience in the human funeral home business.
"The entire purpose of Beyond the Rainbow is, we do everything in the home where the 'baby' lives, where the 'baby' is comfortable," said Kate Moore, owner, Beyond the Rainbow.
For clients who want it, the company also offers memorial, cremation and burial services.
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