Kristi Freeman, DVM

Not too long ago, we were faced with the difficult decision to put our dog, Reilly down. From the moment Dr. Freeman’s office called in response to my initial email, to the moment we said our final goodbye to Reilly, the treatment we all (including Reilly) received was nothing but compassionate, understanding, and gentle. Words really don’t come close to expressing the gratitude we all have for Dr. Kristi Freeman and her staff. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.

This veterinarian, Kristi Freeman was very open, clear, transparent, and prepared me step by step with what was going to happen in this first time experience for me. While internally it was emotionally painful for me, Dr. Freeman appreciated my honesty towards my fear and sadness that arose from this decision.
I am so very very glad that I spent my last moments with my best friend here with Dr. Freeman, I would not have had it any other way. Dr. Freeman had a peacefulness and comforting calm about her that made the situation seem not as sad.
Dr. Freeman created a very peaceful environment and it was a very peaceful process, for my dog, myself and my family…
Dr. Freeman evaluated my friend as we discussed what he was enduring… the choice was clearer than ever… one that brings peace to your heart, for your dog, but rips it apart emotionally for yourself. Among one of the most selfless decisions one could make.
Dr. Freeman made sure to address the respect and dignity that she and her staff valiantly exhibit towards your animal and their after care.
The Aquamation process that Dr. Freeman offered was the perfect fit for what I had envisioned for after care for my dog, the helpful videos on the website were very helpful and explanatory.
Thanks again fellow Unilocalers for sharing your experience with this Vet on this site, it took a lot of courage, but I thank you for sharing this great Veterinarian, Dr. Freeman with me and the world.

I called Dr. Kristi Freeman back in January this year when it came time to say goodbye to Booballa, my best cat friend of 22 years (I’m 27 so I really don’t know life without her). We had it done at home because the vet always just stressed Booballa out.
My former boss used her services before and recommended her to me. She made one of the worst days of my life as tolerable and painless as possible. She was very reassuring because I was agonizing over the decision. She gave me some pamphlets and information on the guilt of making this decision and didn’t rush me at all. She understands how it feels.
I’m glad I called her. I got my cat’s ashes and her paw print in clay about a week afterwards. I chose the eco-​friendly alternative to cremation and everything was fine.
The girl that does Dr. Freeman’s scheduling over the phone was very nice too. Maybe she felt bad because I was crying every time I talked to her but whatever. Nice people get 5 stars.

Dr. Freeman made the devastating process of letting our dear friend go as peaceful and painless as it can possibly be. He was so old and sick with cancer, and we knew he was beginning to suffer. Our regular vet confirmed that it was the right thing to do for him, and recommended Dr. Freeman when I said I would like to have it done at home. I do not know how she does it, but I am so thankful that she offers this service. Although it is heartbreaking to lose a beloved pet, I have absolutely no regrets about the way he passed… comfortably in his own bed, in the backyard breeze, with the friends he loved surrounding him. I take a lot of comfort in knowing that we gave him the ending he deserved and I am so thankful to Dr. Freeman for making it possible! She is so kind and compassionate with pets and their owners. She is respectful, explains everything and makes sure that you are ready for every step of the procedure. I would recommend her without hesitation for anyone who needs to help their pet when it is time.

We had to say goodbye to our sweet pup Atticus way too soon, but Dr. Freeman’s services made the experience peaceful and one that we could feel good about despite our grief and the trauma of his sudden decline.

If we could give Dr. Freeman more than 5 stars we would. We are so grateful that we found her on Unilocal so that we could make the transition for our 18 year old cat as easy and peaceful as possible. Having been through the process before with previous pets, there was no way we were going to take our little girl to a vet’s office for a cold, sterilized goodbye.
Kristi Freeman was so warm and compassionate. She took us through the process with so much kindness and caring. We even got to hold our kitty while she passed and for as long as we needed to after she was gone. Dr. Freeman was even so thoughful to have brought a blanket with crowns on it since our cat’s name is Queenie.
I can’t recommend her enough to help make a painful decision into an experience that honors your pet as well as respects you and your feelings. We really feel like we got to say goodbye to our beloved pet the way we wanted to.

This was my first time with making this decision and actually going through the experience. My husband had done it once at a veterinary office, and it was an awful, traumatizing event. He did not want to be present if it was going to be similar to the first.
After reading Dr. Kristi’s reviews and website, we booked an appointment once we felt it was time. She was completely professional, compassionate, and respectful. We, and more importantly our good girl, were completely at ease from the minute she walked in our house. She guided us through the entire process step by step and, while sad, made it a very peaceful event. I told my husband several times that he didn’t need to be present if he chose, but he had a completely different experience this time around. We both agreed that it was the perfect send off for our sweetheart.
I will add that my fears of not having met Dr. Kristi before that day, or of being judged for our choice, were completely unfounded. Brittney also did a great job of communicating with us.
Overall, choosing to use Dr. Kristi will not leave you wondering if you could’ve made a better choice. She is wonderful, and we are blessed to have found her.
RIP Montana

No one is ever ready to make the call to euthanize their pet but I didn’t want my furbaby Polly to suffer. She’d been by my side through many life transitions and when I was told she had cancer I couldn’t put her through any treatment. I called Dr. Freeman and was able to get an appointment within two days of the diagnosis. Dr. Freeman was so patient and walked me through the process. We listened to harp music which helped ease the silence and sadness. I had a clay pawprint of Polly made then as a memento for me. I chose aqua-​cremation which I had never heard of before and felt that was the right choice for me. Thank you Dr. Freeman for giving me the option of letting Polly pass away peacefully in our own home without any stress and for letting our other kitties have their goodbye as well.

There are no words for Dr. Freeman! I can only say that we are all lucky to have her and wish there were more doctors who did what she does. She can turn a horrible, tragic event into a beautiful memory.

Our seven year old Belgian Malinois developed bone cancer and quickly got to the point where we knew he would need to be put down. As hard as the thought of losing him was, we did not want him to suffer for our benefit. As he was always terrified of the vet’s office, we did not want his final moments to be at a place he feared so much. Our veterinarian recommended Dr. Freeman for in-​home euthanasia, so we gave her a call and made an appointment. Dr. Freeman was absolutely awesome — she came to our home and handled the process with kindness and compassion. Nothing was rushed and she made sure we understood every step, giving us all the time we needed to make it through this difficult process. Our precious boy was able to leave this world at his home with his «pack» by his side, chewing his favorite toy until he drifted off to sleep, and then the final shot was administered. Our other dog was present during the process and I think it helped give her some closure as well. I highly recommend in-​home euthanasia for situations where pets are fearful of the vet’s office, and I would especially recommend Dr. Freeman.

Dr. Freeman provides such a wonderful service. We are eternally grateful to her for helping our beloved 15 year old golden retriever die so peacefully in our home. My biggest fear was that our dog would suffer or we would stress her by having to take her into a vet office. But she died in the most peaceful way that we could imagine. Dr Freeman is a gift; so kind and professional. Don’t hesitate to call her.

Our 15 year old Chow/​Samoyed mix, struggling with degenerative arthritis finally could no longer walk even with a support strap and pain meds and it was time.
I’d previously taken my dogs in when their time had come, but we wanted Sparky to leave us at home, not in the cold environment of a vets office. I contacted Dr, Freemans office and arraigned for her to come over.
Having to say goodbye to a beloved pet is a horrible, devastating experience, one I have done many times, being a lifelong dog owner, and it never gets easier. That being said years of love and loyalty are worth the grief, and having your pet euthanized at home is better than at a vets office, no matter how good the vet a cold floor or stainless table in a crowded facility is no match for your friends own bed.
Dr. Kristi Freeman was supportive and professional. She knew how to work around and ease a protective male dog in his house, and we were able to express our grief and give our pet his last moments on earth in the comfort of home.
I cannot recommend Dr. Freeman enough.

Our Sphynx had a rather sudden deterioration and after an overnight stay at the local pet hospital, it became apparent that it was time to let her go. Heartbreaking as it was, we didn’t want to have to bring her back to the vet to do it, and asked our regular vet and the hospital for in home euthanasia options. They both recommended Dr. Freeman.
I called to set an appointment, and found her to be caring and concerned about me and my little girl. When the time came, Dr. Freeman was very caring and went through each step beforehand so I knew what to expect. She gave me plenty of time to say goodbye,. She asked about the other cats and had them come over to sniff and say goodbye after my girl was gone.
If you EVER need to put a beloved pet down, this is the only way to do it. My little girl was able to leave in her home, surrounded by love and with no stress.
Thanks, Dr. Freeman.

I have never had to put an animal down before, my other childhood cat lived to be 24 and in the end it’s a relief not painful. But the decision to put my beloved Cool Whip down at the age of 8 was simply killing me. A product of a kitten mill, he had issues from the start, but I gave him all the love I had and he was very happy and extremely loved by my boyfriend and I. When his issues just became too painful for him to live comfortably and he lost half his weight, I tried to take him to multiple Vets to find a loving way to say goodbye. I was met with brutal apathy and contempt that I would just put him down, even one Vet telling me I had not done enough for my animal. I was emotionally devastated. This was my best friend, how would they know what I knew?
I was referred to Kristi Freeman by another home vet who told me I would have the compassion I felt Cool Whip deserved. My little monkey (his nickname) was not at all the kitty I knew, he was dying and he was asking me to help him. And did I make the right decision in Kristi Freeman. Right away it was as if a friend came to my home to help me say goodbye to my best friend. She talked to both of us with kindness and compassion, examining Monkey and telling us what we already knew. She showed us where other issues were beginning to happen, and how an old deformity that I never knew about was beginning to cause him pain. I knew I was making the right decision but it doesn’t stop your heart from breaking. I held him in my arms as my sweetheart held me and we just sobbed as he was given the shots. Kristi then leaned over as she was giving him the final shot, stroked his face and said «Goodbye Monkey, you were truly loved.» I felt him leave.
I just lost it. I was so grateful and thankful that there was someone there who understood. She was the definition of compassion and understanding and hugged two people who were sobbing. Kristi Freeman, you are a fantastic human being who is so needed in this capacity! If I could give her more stars I would. The entire process was heartbreaking but I felt like we weren’t alone.
Kristi Freeman, you rock!

It was a devastating decision to put down our dear 13 year old black lab Loki, who had bone cancer. I was a mess. Dr. Freeman came over and discussed the process, looked over my girl, and agreed with the decision. She gave rational and medical reasons why it was the right time, which is exactly what I needed to hear. This was the most difficult decision of my life, and Dr. Freeman made it easier.
Dr Freeman was courteous, professional, respectful of our family and our other dog. I would highly recommend her services and plan to use her again myself when the time comes. Having you dog at home when you say goodbye is definitely worth the cost. It was so peaceful, and I know my best friend was relaxed and comfortable as she went.

Back in ’09, I called Dr. Freeman via my vet’s recommendation to put our dog down at home. After calling around, Dr. Freeman’s receptionist was THE best, most sympathetic and empathic, yet very professional and efficient. I did not hesitate after shopping around. Sure enough, the receptionist at the time (Mandy) truly represented who Dr. Freeman is.
Our 130 pound dog was in a lot of pain. When he collapsed while pottying in the yard, I asked them to come sooner than the appointment date two days later. Dr. Freeman happened to be open the next day, no problem. Our dog was very alert, so I had to work with our regular vet to sedate him prior to her coming over. Dr. Freeman is quite used to be around over-​protective male dogs in pain, despite our concern that he might harm her although he couldn’t move. She gave a shot in a split second, jumped off the dog to a safer spot, and took the time to do everything right for everybody.
Because our dog was strong-​willed, he was a difficult case, and Dr. Freeman needed an extra shot to sedate him. We got to chat between shots, and she was very friendly yet courteous and extremely professional. The whole procedure took over two hours! She just smiled and said, «I was due to have a difficult case», and she consoled us the whole time. After he finally decided to «go», she again took the time to explain to us by pointing at his leg and joints to explain how the «old age wear & tear» caused it and how much pain he had been, and she assured us of the timely decision to free him from the incurable condition.
We can’t thank her enough, and I just recommended her to a friend and found her name on Unilocal.Glad to read everybody else had the same experience with her. Shortly after we met her, we received a phone call from her office because we told her we lost our beloved cat before we put our dog down. They rescued kittens, and they were looking for homes. We weren’t ready to have another cat yet, but we were pretty impressed that she remembered our «casual» conversation and thought of us.
Surely it’s much less expensive to take in our pets to the vet or to the Humane Society. But if you cannot transport a large dog like us or if you can afford it, there’s no need to add stress to our pets’ final moment. Call Dr. Freeman before your pet needlessly suffers.

As the health of my 17 year old Jack Russell deteriorated, several of my friends recommended the services of Dr. Freeman. As any of you who have made THE decision know, when you’ve made it and you’re certain, you want it done ASAP! When visiting my vet I had often seen unfortunate pet owners crying in the waiting room or outside spending a last few moments with their pet and I did not want to be that person…
Dr. Freeman was booked up when I called but made some special arrangements and was able to come to my house on Monday. She does a quick exam to ensure that you’ve made the right decision (and it’s always comforting to know that you’ve made the right decision), explains the entire process to you, does all the paperwork and explains everything as she’s going along.
When she’s done, she offers you some materials on grieving and will assist with the cremation of your pet. The pet cremation services was on the expensive side for a 9 lbs. dog but when you’re in that situation, cost isn’t much of a concern. However, it would have been nice to have been offered different packages. I had planned to plant my dogs ashes along with a tree and therefore didn’t need the nice cedar box with a brass name plate (cremation cost was about $ 200). If you can manage it, I had to take my other dog to the pet cemetery in Sorrento Valley for cremation when he died one morning and the charge was only $ 90 (plastic bag in a cardboard box).
I was very happy overall with Dr. Freeman, her compassion and her level of service and would not hesitate to recommend her.

When it came time for my sister & brother-​in-​law to make the decision to put their wonderful dog to sleep, it wasn’t easy for them. He was a beautiful shepherd-​lab mix that they rescued from abusive circumstances and had for almost 15 happy years. He was big, sweet and gentle — a beloved member of their family and friend circle. The big guy hated going to the vet’s office and they didn’t want his final memory to be of a place he wasn’t happy in. They wanted his passing to be gentle.
My sister did some research and found Dr. Freeman. Kristi is an amazing woman with the kindest, deepest heart. She understands how deeply people love their pets and did everything possible to make sure that my sister & brother-​in-​law had time to say goodbye and were ready to let him pass. I don’t know how she does this day after day, but thank you Kristi for being so patient, for helping them through their loss and making his passing so gentle.

Dr. Freeman was recommended to me by the outstanding staff at Vetinary Specialty Hospital in 2008 where we had been taking our 15 year old Black Lab, Flash, for some time for various health problems including a round of treatment for lymphoma when he was 11, which he overcame and continued to live happily four more years. Obviously we wanted only the best care for our dog so I knew when the time came to put our dear friend to rest, that we wanted it to be at our home where we, and more importantly, Flash would be most comfortable. Dr. Freeman was amazing and helped us through a very difficult time. We live in a condo downtown and she handled every aspect with the utmost respect for Flash. I can’t recommend her services enough to all my pet-​owner friends. I couldn’t imagine saying goodbye any other way. Thank you so much Dr. Freeman for the services you provide.

Kristi provides an amazing service to pet owners… FYI, her website is
I wrote the story about the dog who picked me over 10 years ago inside my review of the VCA emergency hospital. She was terminal with lung cancer. And my awesome ex-wife’s friend for 16 years was immobilized from arthritis.
Kristi came with us together to help our companions leave their pain behind. There absolutely is no better way my ex and I could have handled everything and Kristi is central to our experience regarding how our dogs left us.
Thank you, Kristi. Sorry about all the tears we shead — I don’t know how you can surviving all the sobbing but you’re a saint and we really appreciate your help.