Leveling up end-of-life care: Excellence, compassion, and the future of veterinary hospice

Chelsea McGivney, DVM earned her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from Colorado State University.Her diverse veterinary career includes completing a small animal internship, working as an emergency and general practitioner, serving as an in-home end-of-life care veterinarian, and working in the pet food industry as a veterinary consultant for a leading company. This unique blend of experiences prepared McGivney for her role as General Manager at Caring Pathways, where she leads a dedicated team of at-home, end-of-life specialists. Her deep passion for the human-animal bond allows her to combine her professional expertise with her love of veterinary care to support families during some of life’s most tender moments.

Tyler Carmack, DVM, CVA, CVFT, CHPV, CTPEP,  is the Director of Hospice and Palliative Care for Caring Pathways. She founded Hampton Roads Veterinary Hospice, an AAHA Accredited End of Life practice, and has practiced exclusively hospice and palliative care since 2011. She has served on the Board of Directors of the International Association for Animal Hospice and Palliative Care (IAAHPC) since 2016 in various roles, including President in 2020 and 2025. Carmack holds certifications in animal hospice and palliative care, veterinary pain management, peaceful euthanasia, veterinary acupuncture, TCVM food therapy, and TCVM End-of-Life care.