​Founded nearly two decades ago and rebranded in 2023, Telos Companion Animal Services, LLC is led by Lorrie Shaw—a Certified Animal Hospice Practitioner (CAHP) and Certified Hospice and Palliative Care Advocate (CHPA) who provides experienced, in-home animal palliative and hospice care support to families throughout the greater Ann Arbor area. All services are contracted and compensated directly by pet guardians.

​

Every facet of Lorrie's work is grounded in supporting the human-animal bond—and in being a reliable, skilled extension of your veterinary team.

​

In addition to her CAHP and CHPA credentials, Lorrie has trained as an end-of-life doula for humans and holds the following certifications:

​​

• Certified Fear Free Professional

• Pet Loss and Grief Companioning Certified Professional

• Certified Professional Pet Sitter

• Certified in Pet First Aid/CPR

​​

Lorrie has supported more than 100 families through their pet's final months, weeks, days, and beyond—and has guided many more through the care of senior and geriatric pets. Conditions supported include osteoarthritis/degenerative joint disease, IVDD, chronic renal disease, laryngeal paralysis/GOLPP, congestive heart failure, degenerative myelopathy, GI disorders, cancer, and more. She is also highly experienced with pets assessed for generalized anxiety, fear aggression, and separation anxiety. All care is grounded in the veterinarian's ongoing direction.

​

​​​​​​​

​

​

 

Animal hospice is a philosophy—and program—of care that addresses the emotional, social, and physical needs of pets in the advanced stages of a progressive, life-limiting diagnosis, disability, or age-related decline. The focus is comfort, not cure. It also encompasses the psychosocial, emotional, and spiritual support of pet guardians as they prepare for the death of their companion animal, and the grief that comes with that process.

 

As in human hospice, care is delivered by an interdisciplinary team (IDT), with all medical care supervised by a licensed veterinarian. A vet IDT ideally includes a veterinarian serving as medical director, vet techs and assistants, as well as complementary and rehabilitation therapy professionals, Certified Animal Hospice Practitioners, pet sitters, pharmacists, and spiritual counselors. At its center: the human-animal bond.

​

​​​

​​​​​​​​​​​​

​

​As graduates of Animal Hospice Group and the International Association for Animal Hospice and Palliative Care, CAHPs and CHPAs are trained to support families and pets from the time of diagnosis, through escalating caregiving demands, and into end-of-life. Their scope of practice can include hands-on care and attention to the pet's emotional, social, and physical needs (always under veterinary supervision), as well as psychosocial, emotional, and spiritual support and grief companioning for the pet's circle of loved ones. CAHPs and CHPAs are not licensed veterinary professionals. They cannot diagnose illness, treat disease, alter or create medical or comfort care plans, prescribe medications, or perform euthanasia. They are, however, certified to provide ongoing support specifically related to the death of a companion animal.

​

Lorrie earned her CAHP credential with honors—achieving 90% or higher on both the exam and essay—in April 2023, and completed her CHPA credential in July 2024. These credentials build on her 20 + years of pet care experience, with the last 11 years focused on seniors, geriatrics, and animal hospice.

​​

​

​​​​

​

The specifics depend on each family's needs, the pet's condition, and your team's capacity. But the core is consistent: Lorrie bridges the gap between what families need and what veterinary practices can realistically provide.

Many practices—brick-and-mortar and mobile alike—find it genuinely difficult to dedicate the time, staff, and emotional energy that animal hospice clients require during a pet's final months, weeks, days, and hours. Lorrie's 11 years working in the field, combined with her advanced communication skills, deep familiarity with disease trajectories and animal behavior, and genuine commitment of time, makes her a practical, reliable extension of your team. She is also experienced in facilitating communication between families and veterinary teams, and in liaising with primary and hospice veterinarians directly.

​

​

​

​​

​

​​

• Reduced compassion fatigue. When Lorrie is engaged, your most distressed clients—those with the greatest needs—have a skilled, experienced advocate absorbing much of that emotional weight. Your team's morale benefits.

​

• Better use of your bandwidth. Lorrie handles the increasing demands of animal hospice clients at home, freeing your team to focus on what only you can do.

​

• Stronger adherence to comfort care plans. With professional in-home support, families are better equipped to follow through—consistently.

​

• In-home access your practice can't provide. Some pets cannot travel due to mobility limitations, size, or a guardian's physical constraints. Lorrie's home visits create opportunities for professional assessments, real-time communication, and meaningful support for adherence—right where the pet lives.

​

• Comprehensive grief support for your clients. With credentials in pet loss and grief companioning and years of hands-on experience, Lorrie supports families through anticipatory grief, decision fatigue, end-of-life choices, fresh grief, and long-term bereavement. When your team lacks the time or training for this, Lorrie ensures your clients are still well cared for.

​

• No new hires. No stretched staff. Referring a family to Lorrie requires nothing more than a conversation. She handles the rest.

​

• Stronger client retention. Families who feel genuinely supported through their pet's final chapter are more likely to return to the practice that helped make it possible—and to welcome a new pet sooner.

​

• Grateful clients. Families will remember the thoughtfulness of your referral.

​

​​​​​​

​​

​

​

​​​​​​​

​

​​​​

 

 

 

​

OVERNIGHT STAYS

For families who cannot leave a medically fragile pet, Lorrie provides experienced overnight care—managing all aspects of the pet's medical, physical, mental, and emotional needs, no matter the complexity of the regimen. Families rest; their pet is in capable hands.​

​​​​

RESPITE CARE

Hospice caregiving is emotionally, mentally, and physically demanding—and life doesn't stop. Respite care gives families the relief they need, whether for a few hours, several days, or longer.

​​​

MEDICATION ADMINISTRATION

Timely, consistent medication administration is essential to comfort. As a Fear Free Certified Professional, Lorrie carries this out with both skill and thoughtfulness.

​

​​

ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENTS

For senior, geriatric, and hospice patients, changes in mobility or mentation can feel overwhelming for families. Lorrie provides practical, personalized guidance on products, strategies, and home modifications to help families adapt with confidence.

​

​

THE TELOS LENDING LIBRARY

Established clients may borrow assistive harnesses, pee pads, lambswool bed pads, cooling mats, and other tools from Lorrie's lending library for as long as needed.

​

​

HYGIENE CARE 

Gentle, expert hygiene care & coaching of the family as part of the overall comfort plan.

​

​

CONNECTION TO RESOURCES 

Guidance and referrals to relevant specialists, organizations, and tools.

 

 

STRUCTURED CHECK INS

Regular, structured check-ins to assess the evolving needs of both the pet and the family—and to communicate relevant observations back to the veterinary team.

​​

​​​

CAREGIVER COACHING + THE EDUCATION HUB ​​

Lorrie helps families navigate the 'new normal' with practical guidance on recumbency care, comfort assessment, mental enrichment, hygiene, appetite support within dietary guidelines, and safe medication administration. She also anticipates what families will need before they realize they need it.

​

​

END-OF-LIFE AND AFTER CARE 

Whether a family chooses hospice-supported palliated natural death or humane euthanasia, Lorrie is present—holding space, supporting the family, and assisting with body care after death.

​

​​

PET LOSS SUPPORT

Trained in 2017 under Colleen Ellis using the model developed by grief expert Alan Wolfelt, and holding both CAHP and CHPA credentials, Lorrie provides individualized, private grief support. There are no group sessions—just a skilled, compassionate presence for each grieving person, without judgment or influence. This kind of support improves decision-making throughout the process and ensures your clients never feel abandoned. When your team can't provide it, Lorrie can.

​

​

​

​

​

 

 

AVAILABILITY AND SERVICE AREA

​

WHEN

Lorrie is available for scheduled services seven days a week, and on call 24/7 for crisis support for families actively in her care. All scheduling is tailored to each family's needs.

​​

WHERE

All services are provided in the family's home—including being present for housecall veterinarians, rehabilitation specialists, and complementary care providers. Virtual appointments are available when appropriate. Lorrie can also accompany families to brick-and-mortar veterinary appointments or transport the pet when a guardian is unable to attend.

​

Primary and extended service areas in greater Ann Arbor include Ypsilanti, Saline, Dexter, Chelsea, Pinckney, and more.

​

​​

​

 

​​​​​​​

 

READY TO PARTNER?

​

All services and support are inclusive of both hospice-supported palliated natural death and humane euthanasia, in partnership with a licensed veterinarian.

​​

If you'd like to explore how referring families to Telos can benefit your practice, your team, and the clients you care about most, Lorrie would welcome the conversation. Please reach out to schedule an in-person or virtual meeting.

​​​​​

​​​​

​​​

​​​

​​​​

​​​​

​​​​

​​​​​​​​​

​​​​​​​​​​​​​