This year marks 10 years since Dignipets was founded by Dr Merel Taal, transforming from a single-handed mobile vet practice into a nationwide network of professionals specialising in end-of-life care. To celebrate the milestone, the organisation has launched a joint venture partner (JVP) programme, enabling veterinary surgeons to establish their own locally run Dignipets services with full training and support.
With five partners leading teams across 15 locations already, Dignipets is continuing its mission to provide holistic, compassionate care while empowering vets to build meaningful, sustainable practices of their own.
From its beginnings in 2015, Dignipets has grown into a dedicated team of veterinary surgeons, hospice nurses, and support staff who work alongside more than 800 practices to ensure pets and their families receive care centred on dignity, empathy and choice. The organisation now provides support that ranges from a 24/7 reception team trained to help clients experiencing shock or anticipatory grief, to a hospice nursing team offering online video consultations and quality-of-life assessments. By collaborating closely with general practices, Dignipets also helps reduce the moral stress many vets face when they are unable to provide home visits for euthanasia themselves and completes the circle of care for GP vets without concerns about client retention.
Several of its veterinary surgeons are among the few in the UK to achieve Certified Hospice and Palliative Care (CHPV) status, further underlining the depth of expertise within the team.
The organisation’s commitment to excellence in palliative and hospice care has also been recognised internationally. Dignipets Clinical Director and Lead Partner Dr Maja Redfern, MedVet, CHPV, MRCVS, has recently been appointed President of the International Association for Animal Hospice and Palliative Care (IAAHPC). All Dignipets staff are members of the IAAHPC and follow its guidelines to ensure comfort-oriented care for pets as they approach the end of life.
“End-of-life care is one of the most fundamental aspects of veterinary medicine, and bears close attention,” said Maja. “Our close ties with the IAAHPC have been instrumental in the growth of our hospice nursing team and allow us to bridge the gap between diagnosis and euthanasia. We are here to provide families with comfort, guidance and choice at a time when it matters most.”
Reflecting on the journey so far, Dr Merel Taal, MRCVS, DVM, CHPV, founder and director of Dignipets, added: “From the very beginning, my aim was to create a service built on compassion, community and collaboration. It has been inspiring to see our partners develop their own local teams with our active support and training programme. Together, we are building something lasting – purposeful services that belong to the vets who run them, and that bring dignity and comfort to families in their care.”
Commenting on his experience of becoming a Dignipets partner in Stoke and Crewe, Lucian Craciun, MRCVS, said, “I enjoy helping owners to come to decisions with dignity and respect for their long-loved pets. Partnering with Dignipets has brought great rewards for my family and me.”
To mark its 10th anniversary, Dignipets is hosting a series of initiatives including community pet memorial walks through its pet loss support network, a collaboration with the British Veterinary Receptionists Association to create resources helping receptionists support grieving clients, and a partnership with the Animal Cancer Trust to provide clear, accessible information on cancer treatment and emotional support for owners. Further developments are planned to strengthen Dignipets’ role as a trusted partner to both pet owners and the wider veterinary community.
Merel commented, “As Dignipets moves into our second decade, we remain committed to expanding access to gentle end-of-life care, raising awareness about pet hospice, and continuing to advocate for the emotional well-being of both pets and their carers, as well as providing opportunities for veterinary professionals to work in a way that is flexible, emotionally rewarding and sustainable.”
You can find out more about Dignipets JVP programme, or access free resources for veterinary teams on end-of-life care here.
