When a multitalented group of seven, from veterinarians to senior care pet sitters to spiritual counselors, sold out a one-day workshop at the Kirkland Women’s Club on a crisp fall day in 2010, it became clear that other animal lovers wanted to know more. Following the “Introduction to Animal Hospice and End of Life Home Care,” we recognized that animal hospice awareness should become a nonprofit mission. However, we weren’t clear about how to accomplish that. So we would become a “Pet Project” until we finally landed on the looong name that would grow with the organization. But it was begging for an acronym, and AHELP Project was the perfect choice.
Thanks to our community supporters and sponsors, we realized our mission to promote human hospice ideals in animal care through community awareness programs. Sponsors assisted us to get our 501c(3) status in 2013. We held Open Houses featuring practitioners whose services contributed to comfort, an animal hospice certification program, and mentorship and training for volunteers at the Seattle Veterinary Specialists-Blue Pearl Kirkland. To keep up operations and contribute to our “Help for Animal Hospice Caregivers Fund,” we held FUNdraisers at pet-friendly venues such as Northwest Cellars (Kirkland) and Norm’s Eatery and Alehouse (Fremont, Seattle). Local artisans taught us to use hands, hearts, and minds to create memorials to remember our pets at our art therapy-inspired Creative Healing Workshops. These principles inspire us today.
In time, AHELP became an animal hospice resource for pet parents in greater Seattle, and families began reaching out for individualized caregiver support. Pet parents found solace in our Animal Caregiver Support Circles led by AHELP Co-founder Diane Dyer. Michelle Nichols assisted caregivers solve homecare challenges and companioned them to ensure they could comfortably follow their pet's care plan Comprehensive Care Home Visits. AHELPer volunteers with skills and talents in animal massage, aromatherapy, and energy work contributed to comfort for the pets. Active listening was and still is a guiding principle of any AHELP Care Team Member, and our pet parent mantra is “we get it!”
In 2024, we are modernizing our programs to meet more pet parents where they need help the most, in the home. As an animal hospice resource that extends beyond greater Seattle, we offer our coaching over videoconferencing, are developing an online class to reach pet parents more affordably, and look toward launching the "Animal Hospice Podcast" in late 2025.
Core Values
Respect
Compassion
Teamwork
Community