A Note From Our Practice Manager…..

So, here I sit looking back on almost 2 years as the Practice Manager for Angel Pets. And I am playing over the many questions many of our families ask me, as well as many friends who know what my position consists of. “How do I do this? How am I not sad talking to families every day? Isn’t this emotionally exhausting?”

Here is how I answer this. I never thought in a million years I would be so lucky to find my niche career wise. I spent many years waiting tables, working three jobs, even while pregnancy, crunching #s as an accountant. Every position felt like a job, I always looked for something better, never felt I was doing what I meant to do. A blessing in disguise was losing my job due to a layoff just over two years ago. I received a message from Dr Melanie, said she had something to discuss with me, and wanted an opportunity to meet. She had been following my social media site for a while, and I struck an interest in her. And the next part is where I struck gold 🙂 

I have always had a passion for animals, from as young as I can remember. What I do is not a job. It is purely a passion that drives a force within me every single day. Am I sad at times? Absolutely. It is sometimes gut wrenching, to hear the pain in our families’ voice when they call for that dreaded appointment. There are days where I know myself as well as our vets are emotionally exhausted. I have cried on the phone with our clients, our vets have cried at appointments. I can say, I know firsthand, while emotionally this can be very tolling on everyone in one respect, it is also very rewarding in the other respect. On the best days and even on the hardest days, knowing that we made that one last impact on a family, that final goodbye just a smidge easier, taking the hardest day ever as a pet owner and adding just a little light to the sadness, it makes it all worth it.  

I am honored to be a part of the best practice in the area. From the first phone call, to the moment we leave a family’s home, being able to emit such a calm and a sense of peace is the best feeling in the world. That is what makes this career path so rewarding. It is an honor to serve this community, and I speak for myself, Dr Melanie, Dr Miles, and Dr Gail. It never feels like work, especially doing what we love every single day. As I tell all of our Angel Pet families, love is selfless, and your fur baby knew how much you loved them, putting them first above all else.  

Nothing is more rewarding than making an impact on someone, even if that impact is unspoken. I truly love what I do.  

Gina Highfield