Dr. Cassandra Lewis
Verified Veterinarian
Why I provide at-home pet euthanasia
I am that stereotypical person you hear about that always wanted to be a veterinarian since I can remember. I loved helping take care of any of the sick pets in my home and we certainly had a zoo with anything from cats and dogs to turtles and fish, horses and guinea pigs and others when I was a kid. I love practicing veterinary medicine and do anything and everything I can for the seniors at Young at Heart. I began to consider euthanasia services after a personal experience with a mule my family had for over 20 years. I grew up riding her and she was the sweetest soul. When she was 36 years old she likely developed a brain tumor and was acting a bit wild and difficult to handle. With winter fast approaching my parents did not want to risk her having a traumatic injury from the snow and ice and not being able to give her a peaceful ending in that circumstance. They called a local vet who attempted to to perform the euthanasia but it went horribly and she ultimately refused to continue and recommended we have a wildlife vet dart her down. She had been our baby for over 20 years and I felt she deserved a peaceful and dignified ending to such a long wonderful life. Even though I was 8 months pregnant at the time, I drove down to Indiana and was able to offer her the ending she truly deserved. It was truly a rewarding feeling to myself and my family to know that she passed without fear or pain, surrounded by love and treated with the gentle touch she deserved. Although euthanasia is always a difficult decision, I've always viewed it as the kindest ending we can offer to our patients. and sometimes one of the most rewarding parts of the profession to be able to take away any pain or suffering for an animal that cannot understand what is happening.
Education
Undergraduate: Saint Joseph's College
Veterinary Medicine: Purdue School of Veterinary Medicine -2009
Certifications
1Fear Free Certified
- Based InAlgonquin, IL
- Service areasAlgonquin & Surrounding Northwest Suburbs
- Work Experience15+ years
- Animals ServedAll Dogs & Cats, Canine, Feline, Small Mammals (in ...
- Notice Required2 hours
General availability
Wednesday6:00 pm - 10:00 pm
Availability each week can vary based on demand and scheduling. Please provide a minimum 2 hour advance notice for all bookings.
Services provided
At home pet euthanasia
Dr. Cassandra Lewis will help your beloved pet transition peacefully in the comfort of of their home, surrounded by loved ones
Est. CostStarting at $350
Keepsakes
Clay paw prints, wooden urns with personalizations available with ashes returned
Est. CostFrom $25 - $180
Quality of life consult
Schedule a 1-on-1 with a vet over a virtual conference call or at home.
Est. CostStarting at $250
What pet parents are saying
Dr. Lewis was amazing throughout this process. It's one of the most difficult things we go thru as pet owners but she was so compassionate & caring. Having her come to the house was the best thing we did for our dog. Dr. Lewis gave us all the time we needed before & after, to make sure we we had our time to say our final goodbyes. I would HIGHLY recommend Dr. Lewis when you have to go through this difficult process, she made this event much easier to process.
It's always heartbreaking to loose a longtime pet. Dr. Cassandra's home visit made it the best experience for our pet I could have imagined. It was calm, caring and comfortable for our pup.
Dr. Cassandra Lewis was so kind during the entire process. Even before the appointment we were able to text her to ask questions and get reassurance that we were making the right choice at the right time. I’m so grateful we were able to give our fur baby, Callie, the peaceful and calm last moments she deserved. It’s never easy, but being able to be home, holding her, snuggling in her favorite spot certainly helped. Our other dog was able to be there as well, which I think helped him understand. I’m so grateful for Dr. Cassandra and although I hope you don’t ever need her - if you do find yourself in this situation, I would highly recommend her and doing it in-home as opposed to in a vet’s office.
She was kind and respectful. She made a very hard and terrible event go smoothly. I can't express how grateful I am to her for this. Thank you so much!
During the worst time of my life, I could not have asked for a more compassionate, accommodating, and caring person to come to our home and help my Riley cross the rainbow bridge. Riley’s health declined very suddenly and quickly, sending my husband and I into a spiral, and while part of me wanted to do this with his regular vet, who has spent the last few years doing everything they could to make his life the best it could be, I could not imagine saying goodbye to my best friend of over 16 years in a clinic on a metal table. Finding Dr Lewis was truly the best decision we could have possibly made. She was very communicative from first contact, gave us all the time we needed before and after, and took such good care of my boy, including ensuring the engraving on his urn was perfect and hand delivering him back to us. I am truly grateful that I stumbled upon Dr Lewis in my search and cannot recommend her enough to anyone needing to make this gut-wrenching decision. She’s truly the best ❤️
Dr Cassandra was so knowledgeable, respectful, patient. We were able to schedule an in home euthanasia for our best boy Jimmy as his health slowly declined and she made it so he could pass peacefully in his home, comfortable and surrounded by love. She treated him with so much care (before and after he passed), let us take all the time we needed, answered or questions. It's so painful to lose him, but she made it as comfortable as it could be. The little jar with a snip of his fur, the paw imprints were such a nice touch. Thank you for doing the work you do, Dr. Cassandra - it's such a tough thing to do seeing people on their worst days, but you make it a little less hard.
