When a beloved pet is aging or nearing the end of its life, the emotional weight can feel overwhelming. That's when Ashley Page steps in. As a certified end-of-life pet doula, she offers compassionate, nonmedical support to both pets and their people, helping families navigate aging, terminal illness and difficult end-of-life decisions with care and dignity.

"My role is to help families feel supported emotionally, practically and compassionately," she said. "That support can look very different depending on the family's needs. Some people reach out because they need help understanding quality of life changes, while others are preparing for euthanasia, struggling with anticipatory grief or simply feeling overwhelmed caring for an aging pet."

Based in York, Page is the owner of Willow Bridge Crossings. She provides in-home services throughout the county as well as in Lancaster County, and she offers virtual grief support services anywhere through phone calls, text support, FaceTime or Zoom.

"I can help families create comfort-focused routines at home, make environmental adjustments for senior pets, talk through end-of-life planning, provide euthanasia presence and support, assist with memorial ideas and aftercare guidance and offer grief support before and after a loss," she said.

She knows what it's like to lose a pet and to feel alone in her grief.

"After unexpectedly losing my soul dog, Jackson, I found myself facing a kind of grief that many people didn't fully understand," she recalled. "There's often this unspoken belief that losing a pet should somehow hurt less, but for many of us, these animals are family, companions and emotional anchors. I realized there were other people carrying that same grief while feeling unseen and unsupported, and I wanted to create a space where they didn't have to go through it alone."

With a background that includes more than 13 years of working professionally with animals through her business Allegiant Dog Walking, Page has also worked in veterinary offices, served as an animal control officer, worked as a professional dog trainer and is a certified pet CPR and First Aid instructor.

"I am also navigating life with my 16-year-old dachshund, Sullivan, who has dementia," she said. "Caring for him has shown me firsthand how much support aging pets - and their people - truly need. From medication routines and environmental adjustments to the emotional weight of anticipatory grief, there are so many layers families are trying to manage."

These experiences ultimately led Page to become a certified end-of-life pet doula and create Willow Bridge Crossings in 2025.

"My background has given me experience not only in animal behavior and care, but also in supporting people through stressful and emotional situations involving their pets," she said. "Becoming an end-of-life pet doula felt like a natural extension of the work I've already spent much of my life doing - caring for both animals and the humans who love them."

Each client's experience is different, she said, but all start with a free phone consultation to find the best support for each situation.

"Some people are looking for guidance with an aging pet, while others may need emotional support surrounding a recent diagnosis or upcoming euthanasia," Page said. "From there, we discuss what services would feel most helpful and supportive for them."

Page hopes her services will shine a light on the emotions that come with loving and losing a pet.

"I think one of the most important things I want people to understand is that grief over an animal is real and valid," she said. "These relationships are incredibly deep, and the loss of a pet can impact someone just as profoundly as the loss of any beloved family member."

She also wants to convey the message that providing pet doula services is about more than navigating a pet's death.

"End-of-life support is not just about the final day," she said. "In many cases, support begins much earlier - during the aging process, after a difficult diagnosis or when families begin noticing changes in their pet and feeling uncertain about what comes next."

When serving as an end-of-life pet doula, Page hopes to help reduce some of the overwhelming and isolating aspects of a pet's death, including the guilt and emotional exhaustion people can experience.

"My role is not to replace veterinary care, but to walk beside families through the emotional and practical parts of the journey with compassion and without judgment," she said. "Sometimes people simply need someone who understands how profound this bond and loss truly are."

For more information, follow "Willow Bridge Crossings" on Facebook and Instagram.