Welcome! My name is Laura Ellavsky, Owner and Doula at Good Souls, LLC. I am here to support and companion you and your family as you navigate your animal’s End-Of-Life journey. I am based out of Central MN and am happy to offer virtual support as well.
My inspiration for this work comes from my beloved Mozzie. That is his happy, squishy face on my logo. Featured on this page as well are my other companions: Tootsie (7), Fiona (3), and Bronco (1).
Mozzie walked beside me for ten and a half years. He was in short, a “Good Soul” and my best boy. When he died, I found myself struggling and didn’t know where to turn. I also realized I had been struggling with anticipatory grief for a while before he died, and I wish I had the tools to have navigated the final chapter of his life in a way that left me with less regret and more memories of comfort, acceptance and time together. My hope is to help ease this journey for you.
End-Of-Life Companion Animal Doulas, or “EOL CAD”, provide non-medical (non-veterinary), social/emotional support to families as they experience or anticipate the loss of their beloved animals. In my role, this might mean being someone to talk to, providing in person support at euthanasia, offering ideas and suggestions, helping identify what a good life and good death means to you for your animal, providing grief support and other resources, planning memorial services, and honoring the life and love you share with your companion animal.
Support Services
Social/Emotional Support & Advocacy
Companioning you and your family at euthanasia.
Helping with supports and empowering you to navigate through the transition of loss and grief.
Grief support.
After-death support.
The death of companion animals and the emotional fallout from that loss is what some refer to as “disenfranchised grief”, which means in our society, there is not a commonly held understanding or acceptance of the magnitude of pet loss in a person’s life. I am here to say your loss, your feelings and your pain are valid. Your grief is seen and heard here. Your loss is just as important as a different loss. The grief you experience when losing your companion animal is normal.
Advanced Care Planning is a process that can help organize your thoughts and provide a compass in the midst of hard decisions. Creating a document that identifies your wants/wishes for your animal before decline or crisis contributes to a smoother passing for the animal and for you. Note here to add that if you haven’t thought about it already, for some it is also important to declare wishes for our animal’s guardianship in our own wills.
Memorializing your animal looks different for anyone. This might mean holding a small service very similar to one you might hold for the loss of a human, it might mean practicing rituals or honoring spiritual/religious beliefs and traditions, collecting pawprints/noseprints & fur, creating artwork- it is whatever you want it to be.
Advanced Care Planning & Memorializing
Exploring local care options and euthanasia choices. For example, you may choose to do an at home euthanasia and arrange for transport of the animal’s body to be cremated.
Discussing what a good Quality of Life for your animal means to you and looks like.
Looking at options to ease mobility of the animal within the home.
Support groups and literature.
Education & Resources
Schedule your appointment
I like to start with a consultation where we can get to know each other and I can hear more about you, your companion animal, and what kind of support you are looking for. This initial meeting can be done over Zoom or through a phone call. I require a signed service contract for all meetings after the initial consult before meeting again and entering into formal support. This includes virtual support as well.
Contact
Questions before booking? Get in touch using this contact form or send me a direct email. I will be in touch shortly.