Golden Gate Home Hospice and Euthanasia

This morning I said goodbye to my dog. That was incredibly hard, but it was tremendously easier than it could have been, thanks to Golden Gate.
I would recommend Golden Gate to anyone who wants to say goodbye to their pet in a comfortable home environment. Their entire process was carefully thought out, compassionate, and kind. It’s not a thing that’s ever going to be easy, but the staff was absolutely wonderful at every stage of the process, and that was a tremendous comfort to me on the worst day of my life. I couldn’t be more grateful.

December 20, 2015
OMG!
I called this place and a woman answered. I asked if she was the answering service because it’s Sunday and I figured they were closed.
She was hesitant to answer. So I asked again… are you the answering service? She was silent. I said, so you’re open?
She said, «THAT DEPENDS ON HOW MUCH MONEY YOU WANT TO SPEND».
I swear to GOD… THOSE WERE HER EXACT WORDS.
OMG! How loving, compassionate and sensitive her words were.
STAY FAR AWAY FROM HERE. ARE YOU LISTENING?

I hope this might be helpful to anyone else who is struggling with hard decisions about what to do with a terminally ill pet. Golden Gate Home Hospice and Euthanasia made the experience of putting my cat, Malachi, to sleep as good as it could have been. After he was diagnosed with congestive heart failure at age 14.5, I thought of having the ER vet do it, but it just didn’t seem right to have him pass away in a hospital when there are other options. When I called, the person who I spoke to over the phone, Bernadette, patiently talked me through what the procedure would be like, and we scheduled it for later that same day, a Saturday. When Dr. Van Horn (or Brian, as he prefers) arrived, he spent over an hour with me, discussing all that I wanted to know, talking about a related experience of his, and making sure that I was sure of what I was doing. Brian is a kind and patient man, and will treat you, your beloved pet, and your situation with the seriousness it deserves. Nothing in the experience, from the initial phone call to any part of Brian’s visit, felt rushed.
All my cat knew was that he got a little prick in the rear, and then he got very sleepy over the next few minutes on my lap while I stroked his fur. I don’t normally feel comfortable letting anyone see me cry, but I was comfortable letting it out in front of Brian, and he gave me some time alone with my kitty after it was done. It was one of the saddest days of my life up to this point. I’m glad I had time to prepare and say goodbye with my kitty, but in my experience, the healing only really started after my dear companion had passed on. If you have to make this same difficult decision, it does get better afterward.

My baby boy’s been gone for 3 months now and there’s not a day that goes by that I don’t think of him. Dr. Brian came into our home and has made this transition as peaceful as possible given the circumstances. They are amazing and treated our boy as if he was one of theirs. Just received a postcard in the mail with a heartfelt message about our angel. Just wanted to share the good they do in the midst of difficult time for pet owners.

I’m too heartbroken to write much, and I’ll update this later when I’ve had time to process. Our vets were loving, warm, thoughtful, and they made the process of saying goodbye to our much loved Zoe, a ten year old cattle dog/​pitbull mix, a special experience I will always remember.
They were so good to her and to us. We are forever grateful.

Dr. Brian and Jenn gave our beloved mutt Wilco the best possible send off this week. They could not have been more compassionate or professional and although we have been through in home euthanasia with another dog in Southern California, this experience was remarkable. We are so grateful that such an extraordinary team is available to do this difficult work. Although the grieving is painful, we are comforted knowing that Wilco was in the best possible hands on his journey to the Rainbow Bridge.

I just want to echo what everyone else has said… Dr. Brian and Jenn came to our house today for a hospice visit for our dog Esther. They were personable, compassionate, knowledgeable and very professional. They really helped us understand what Esther is going through, gave us clear advice on how to monitor and manager her quality of life. Without making any decision for us, helped us understand the signs we should be looking for and the factors we should consider when making the inevitable and important decisions that, sadly, will be ours too soon.

I am so absolutely thankful that a service like this exists. Our poor 11 year old tabby, Wally, was diagnosed with renal failure about two months ago. After treating her with another veterinarian and doing daily IV fluids, she stopped eating and lost bladder control. As she got weaker, we just knew it was time.
I reached out to Golden Gate on Tuesday for a quote and said Friday may be the best day as she was still eating a little. After being home with her Wednesday, I knew we should schedule for as soon as possible. I called and emailed after hours Wednesday and got a response later that night. They were able to fit me in at noon the next day. When I woke up, Wally was even worse, Friday would have been torture.
Dr. Van Horn arrived and was immediately soothing to my husband and I. He sat in the room for awhile to get her used to his energy and voice. He thoroughly discussed our situation, what our options were and explained how the process would go. He really took the time to make sure we felt we had all the information we needed before putting her down.
I was able to hold her in my arms through the whole process. As awful as it was to watch, I knew she would be more comfortable on my lap. As Dr. Van Horn explained, she comfortably dozed off before he put her down and I am so thankful that he made her comfortable in her last moments.
Dr. Van Horn was so patient and gave us as much time as we needed, both with her and after she was gone to grieve and say goodbye. I still wanted to pet her after we laid her down and he was so supportive, even had tissues at the ready for me.
I’ve never gone through anything as painful as putting an animal down and I am forever grateful that we had this as an option. The marginal difference in price was absolutely worth it so she could be calm and peaceful at the end. One million stars to Dr. Van Horn and his team, they really made this process a lot less awful.

My cat was diagnosed on Thursday — he had an enlarged heart, liver and spleen and after an ultrasound, saw he had malignant cancer all over his little body, his lungs were filling with fluid. By Sunday, it was obvious he was going faster than I thought possible. My darling, Trubble, was dying quickly — he couldn’t breathe, couldn’t get comfortable and I felt helpless watching him suffer. I called GG Home Hospice at 5:30 Sunday evening and they sent Dr. Brian Van Horn at 7:30 p.m. I can’t thank Dr. Van Horn (and Jennifer) enough for helping my cat through this. Dr. Van Horn said Trubble could have lasted another 12 hours, but what a horrible 12 hours it would have been. Having Dr. Van Horn come in to put my buddy to rest made a nightmare easier to handle.
I recommend Dr. Van Horn’s gentle and sensitive handling of this already awful situation.
Thank you Dr. Van Horn. You are an angel and a rock to do this kind of work for the end of life of our pets. I personally will never forget you.

Awhile back, a friend who had used the services of Golden Gate Home Hospice and Euthanasia for her pet recommended them highly, for whenever the time came that we might need such a service. This morning, the time had come for us to say good-​bye to our beloved cat after 19 years of companionship.
Dr. Van Horn and his colleague, Bernadette, came to our home and patiently explored options with us (more treatment to prolong our cat’s life by days or maybe a couple of weeks, with particular attention to his specific medical condition; or, as we had intended after consulting with our own vet and watching our cat’s inexorable decline in quality of life, helping him transition out of this world). Never did we feel rushed our pressured into confirming our decision.
Dr. Van Horn explained the process, gave us as much time as we wished for private last words and pats, and then guided our cat gently from pain, to relaxation, to departure.
No one ever wants to say good-​bye to a loved one. But sometimes it’s the kindest gift we can grant them. Dr. Van Horn’s competence and experience served us – human and feline – well. His and Bernadette’s compassion and empathy made this difficult transition warm instead of coldly professional, graceful instead of jarring.
As e. e. cummings wrote:
«if day has to become night this is a beautiful way.»

Tony & I want to thank Dr. Van Horn and his staff, Erica and Jennifer, for their compassion and care of our trusty feline companion, Yvette Miau Miau. She was 19 years old and had been sick for at least a couple very difficult years, in which we feel we tried everything we could to make things better for her. Nobody wants to make this call, but if you feel it is the right thing to do for your pet, you can trust Dr. V. He will give you new meds to try if you wish. Or if you’re ready, gently guide you, never pressuring you, through the painful process of saying goodbye, as calmly and peacefully as possible.
A major reason I’m writing this review is that when we were looking for options for Miau Miau, we found these reviews immensely helpful. If you are able to afford to do this at home, and can’t imagine putting your frail pet through one last stressful trip to the hospital or vet, it’s so worth it in every way. The initial home consultation was helpful also. While we miss our gal terribly, we are extremely grateful to Golden Gate Hospice.

Haven’t written a Unilocal review in years and felt compelled to do so because of how awesome this outfit is. My cat Kain had a super amazing life, we loved him to death but all good things come to an end.
He declined fairly rapidly into the weight loss world of kitty juandice. Some days he was great and would eat at the deli, some days he wouldn’t and looked sick. When it was finally the time I was able to recognize that and accept it was his time to leave the Earth.
I called mid day on a Sunday, distraught, thinking he would pass away or that I would have to put him down under the flickering glare of an institutions light. I received a call within a few hours and had an incredibly passionate doctor come to my house that laid out the process and put him down properly in his stompy grounds. I balled my eyes out. I didn’t feel self-​conscious and the doctor imparted a sense of wisdom and understanding when he left with my lifeless cat wrapped in a blanket knitted by my grandmother who had passed twenty+ years earlier.
Today I picked up his ashes. I had planned to throw it into the ocean. It was encased in a ceremonial mummy urn and I reconsidered my options. I was generally scared to get the ashes and put it off for a good month and a half. The staff telephoned me at least ten times, never acting sour and never willing to send by UPS. I really respect that and their appreciation for the grieving.
If there were more institutions like this one the world would be such a better place. Deeply caring and sympathetic people. Rare to find this. Can’t think the staff there enough. This was my first experience putting a pet down and I doubt I’ll ever find a better one. When I got the ashes there was a little kitty who looked skinny but like a lioness, she had that little glint in her eye and told me everything was ok.
Planning on releasing his ashes with my current lover and celebrating his life. He saw so many transitions in my life, from a college aged child to a married man, to an ex-​divorcee, but Kain is always in my heart.

This has certainly been THE month. Today I had to put down my 10 ½ year old Cavalier who had a heart condition. Wanting to do it at home, I called Dr. Vanhorn and he was at my house in less than 1 ½ hours. Once again, he was so compassionate and caring for both Bentley and me. He made the awful task of putting down my loving pup an easier decision. Thanks!

I came to echo what many other reviewers have said.
Nobody wants to make this call, and this is a hard review to write. Dr. Van Horn came to our home on the day he was needed. He was compassionate and patient and professional. He carefully explained the procedure and gently helped us navigate the process both physically and emotionally. Our dog’s last moments were calm, she was comforted, she was in her own home, and she was enveloped in love. I will always feel a deep and profound sense of gratitude to Dr Van Horn for his help during this heartbreaking time.

Dr. Van Horn is simply top-​notch. He helped me and my SO through a very painful process. We were able to euthanize our poor, elderly kitty at home. What was initially a «what do we do now?» situation was turned into a very orderly, sweet, albeit sad one via the good doctor.

Simply the best of the best! Dr. Van Horn and Jennifer couldn’t have been more sweet, caring, comforting, or professional. Truly compassionate, caring and amazing
with animals — and it makes a huge difference in the comfort of the animal and owner.
Like every other review that has been written about this vet duo, they’re so outgoing and caring from our very first conversation, until our last conversation. My beautiful sweet dog Zoe had been suffering for awhile and I knew it was time to let her go. It was the hardest decision I’ve ever had to make, but they were so helpful in making me feel like I was doing the best thing I could for my dog. Everything was explained in detail before anything was performed, and I was given plenty of time to ask questions and say our final goodbyes. It is a heart-​wrenching experience but truly couldn’t imagine having to go through it all without them to help me and Zoe.
Honestly, if you live in San Francisco you shouldn’t consider any other option if you are faced with having to put your animal down. It may cost slightly more than if you were to bring your animal into the vet hospital but worth every single penny. You will be so glad that you gave your pet a first class experience on their trip home to heaven.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart Dr. Van Horn and Jennifer, and I know Zoe thanks you as well.

Losing a pet is one of the hardest things to endure. It’s an excruciatingly painful and most vulnerable moment to say goodbye to the innocent and beautiful creature you love unconditionally and who has brought you years of joy and peace. Brian and Jenn understand this more than anyone.
When I knew I had to let go of my boy, I had a vet come to the house. He came highly recommended but I found him cold, businesslike, and with a «let’s get this going, I have things to do» approach. I asked him to leave.
I called Jenn, who stayed on the phone with me while I cried, answering all my questions and talking me through the next steps. She went out of her way to work me into their schedule last minute. When Dr. Brian showed up later that afternoon, he was peaceful, patient, heartfelt, and so very kind. He gave me all the time I needed, talking me through it as I cried like a baby. Baz passed peacefully as I held him, and without any pain. I cannot thank Jenn and Brian enough for what they did. They made a horrible moment a little more bearable. No one ever wants to go through this but when they do, they should call Brian and Jenn.

Our pup had lymphoma, and in just a month since diagnosis, we watched as her healthy/​active body degraded. So hard to watch, and we knew that when the time came to say goodbye, we wanted her to be as comfortable as possible and in a familiar place.
Dr. Van Horn and Jennifer are incredible at what they do, and their job is not an easy one. During the consultation, we were given plenty of information to digest, so that we would know when to make the call. When we did, they came to our home. They made sure to talk us through every step beforehand, and when it was all over, they gave us plenty of time to do what we needed to.
I would highly recommend Golden Gate Home Hospice & Euthanasia to anyone else having to say goodbye to their pet. You will be in good hands with Dr. Van Horn and Jennifer.

I dreaded this moment soon after we adopted Sasha, our sweet shepherd girl. She had a healthy three years with us and we fell in love. So you can imagine the agony when, at 10, she fell ill and was diagnosed with Lymphoma. Over the next month we watched her degrade from one of the most healthy and active 10-​year-​olds to a poor, broken old dog. But like all good dogs, her spirits were high right until the end and we had a great time, even as her body increasingly slowed her down.
A couple of weeks in I gave Golden Gate a call so they could do a consultation. This part is helpful, because they will check out the animal help teach you what some signs of pain and suffering are, so you can make the best decision.
On her last day, I noticed she went under my desk, which is something she did when she was scared of something or sick. When she wouldn’t eat even her treats, we knew we had reached the end.
We called Golden Gate again and they agreed to be out the same evening. After arriving, they went over what to expect (they’re very good at this, at all phases), and were never once pushy about moving along.
They gave us time to say goodbye, and then we got the only thing I could wish for our pretty girl… That she died peacefully and comfortably, on her own blanket and in the home she loved being in. More importantly, surrounded by us, her family who did the best we could to make sure she wouldn’t live to suffer one more painful day than she had to.
After it was done, they let us be alone with her, and again, never hurried us. I requested to carry her like I had done so often the last few days, and they understood. I will never forget taking her away that one last time, and while sad, is a memory I’ll cherish along with the many more great ones.
It takes a special kind of person to do this kind of work well, and I’m so glad that Dr. Van Horn and team do this. They know that everyone who calls has a pet they care for dearly, and they treat every animal with the same love. They will never have a «satisfied» customer, but knowing the alternatives we are grateful because of the respect Golden Gate showed us and Sasha.

It’s been a rough couple years for my family and my animals. My wife and I lost our Maine Coon, Juju, and our big handsome, Labrador Mix, Monroe, at SFVS in this time period. Both of these magnificent friends had to be admitted and euthanized as emergencies. So, when the time came for our spirited Jack Russell, Callie, we had wanted it to be different. Callie was already in progressive liver failure when Dr. Brian first came to visit us. Prior to this, she had a several day stay at SFVS. This was extremely hard on her. Callie’s separation anxiety was extreme. We altered her diet dramatically, and followed a strict medicine and supplement regimen to manage her condition, with the knowledge that it wouldn’t get better.
About six months later, I called Golden Gate Home Hospice, preparing for the inevitable. Jennifer called me back and we talked about Callie’s condition, her personality and her comfort levels. She hates the vet. She has difficulty with men. She is reactive. For her, that means that she bites when she’s frightened. And she’s frequently frightened.
Jennifer was warm, supportive and caring over the phone.
Dr. Brian came out soon after to meet Callie. We had a normal appointment, talked diet, medication and supplements and she did quite well. We started her on a pain management plan. I was so glad I had the opportunity to do this ahead of time. I didn’t want her to be nervous with Dr. Brian when we would have to make her final appointment.
She made it almost another six months before the pain started to overwhelm her.
Making that appointment was one of the most difficult decisions I’ve ever made, but it underscores the importance of the work that Dr. Brian and Jennifer do. They are warm and caring to the core, despite the heart wrench of this part of their practice. (Please note that this is a regular house call veterinary practice as well.) Dr. Brian and Jennifer explained the entire process ahead of time. Everything we did that day felt like a collaboration on Callie’s behalf. We took the time to make sure she was comfortable and happy. And it helped knowing that she had an amazing last week of her life. The process was incredibly hard, but incredibly loving. She was ready.
As heart broken as I am, Brian and Jennifer, I can’t thank you enough for making Callie’s last hours comfortable, content and most importantly at home.