Why I started Petals
Back in the eighties, in a small town in Kerala, I had a best friend named Jimmy. He wasn't anything fancy — just the dog who showed up at our gate one day and decided he belonged there, and we never argued with him about it. We knew almost nothing about vaccination back then, beyond the basics for rabies. When Jimmy contracted canine distemper, there was no cure, and I watched my best friend's body turn against him in ways no child should have to witness.
We took him to the government veterinary dispensary, the only place we knew to go. I remember standing there, unable to bear what I was seeing, quietly hoping for nothing more than an end to his suffering. What followed was the standard of the time — a method so crude it caused him visible, prolonged distress before he was finally gone. That image stayed lodged in me for years, through my teenage years, and is still vivid to me now, decades later.
I started Petals in memory of Jimmy, so that no other pet parent has to stand where I once stood, watching their baby suffer through a death that didn't have to be cruel.
What I believe about palliative care
Most vet services arrive at the end. I wanted to arrive earlier — to be the vet who walks alongside you through the difficult weeks, who helps you understand what your pet is experiencing, and who is already a trusted face when the time for goodbye comes.
Palliative care is not giving up. It is giving more — more comfort, more dignity, more time done well.
A little about me
I have been a registered veterinarian for over ten years, working across small animal practice in a range of clinical settings. I hold a Bachelor of Veterinary Science (BVSc), with a particular interest in companion animal medicine, pain management, and end-of-life care.
I went on to become a veterinarian, and eventually made my way to Australia, where I found real passion in general medicine and watched the field move light-years beyond what was available to Jimmy. Somewhere along the way, I made a quiet decision: palliative care and pain relief should not be an afterthought in an animal's life. They should be the cornerstone of how that life ends. Pet parents deserve to be walked through that ending with care, not left to face it alone.
The name Petals is deliberate. These animals — loyal, uncomplaining, endlessly forgiving — carry more for us than we often carry for them. They deserve to be handled as gently as a rose petal: held lightly, treated tenderly, allowed a peaceful passage. I am with you through that journey, for as long as you need, so that your goodbye can be as graceful and humane as Jimmy's should have been.
Next Animal is built around one simple idea: that every pet deserves a gentle, peaceful ending, and every family deserves a vet who treats that moment with the weight it carries.
What you can expect from me
No rushing
I take all the time you need — before, during, and after. There is no waiting room, no next appointment pressing.
Honest conversations
I will tell you what I genuinely think — about your pet's condition, their comfort, and the options available to you.
Your home, your terms
I come to you. Your pet stays in their familiar environment, surrounded by the people they love.
Support beyond the visit
I do not disappear after the goodbye. I am available for questions, follow-up, and guidance as you need it.
Qualifications & experience
Ready to meet me in person?
Book a visit and I will come to your home — no waiting rooms, no pressure, just an honest conversation about how I can help you and your pet.