In memory of Barney

In memory of Barney

When a client's beloved pet dies, Julie Roberts, practice manager at Blackhawk Veterinary Hospital in Janesville, Wis., says her practice reaches out to let clients know their pets will never be forgotten. First, her practice makes a donation to the local humane society in the pet's name. Then they send sympathy cards to clients with a special request for a picture of the pet.

Most clients send a picture, and sometimes they include poems and memories of funny or special activities they shared with the pets. Team members use the photos and information to create scrapbook pages for a memory book they keep in their reception area. "When clients return to the practice, it's the first place they go," Roberts says.