Inspiring Conversations with Gabriela Levy of Beyond Veterinary Care

Today we’d like to introduce you to Gabriela Levy.

Hi Gabriela, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
My love for animals started in a funny way. I was absolutely obsessed with my stuffed animals as a kid. I remember once my dad was testing a new alarm system and wanted to throw one of my cotton-stuffed pets out the window to see if it would trigger the alarm. I was horrified. It sounds small but I think that moment really summed up how deeply I cared for them. I didn’t grow up with animals but I always had this connection to them and a need to nurture.

For a while, I thought my path would look completely different. I went to architecture school but after about a year, I realized it wasn’t for me. Around that time, I started volunteering with animal rescues and that’s when everything shifted. I discovered how fulfilling it felt to help animals in tangible ways and it became clear that this was my calling.

I earned my veterinary degree in Lima, Peru, where I was born and raised, and moved to Los Angeles in 2016. Because I was trained abroad, I had to go through the ECFVG certification process for foreign veterinary graduates, which meant working as a vet tech for a few years while completing my exams. It was a long road but it taught me a lot about perseverance, about humility and about becoming a more complete veterinarian. Learning to do every aspect of the work — from drawing blood and placing catheters to assisting in surgery — made me appreciate every role on a veterinary team and shaped the kind of vet I wanted to be.

My first job as an official vet in LA was at a rescue-based hospital, which honestly felt like the perfect fit — a dream job. We treated animals straight from shelters or the streets. It was intense, emotional and incredibly rewarding. It taught me so much. But after a few years, I started craving more balance and wanted to build something that reflected my own values. That’s when I created Beyond Veterinary Care.

Opening a hospital felt overwhelming, so I decided to focus on something that felt both meaningful and manageable: providing end-of-life care in the comfort of people’s homes. A lot of vets avoid or even dread euthanasia because it’s emotionally heavy but I’ve always seen it differently. To me, it’s one of the most compassionate acts, helping a animal find peace while guiding their family through one of the hardest experiences of their lives.

Over the years, I’ve continued my passion for rescue work and have also become deeply connected to the cat world. I currently work part-time at a cat-only hospital and with an amazing rescue organization called Kitty Bungalow.

I share my home with a 10-pound Chihuahua named Betty Baguette (she looks like a French baguette) and so far, she’s my one and only foster fail. I adopted her through a local rescue and together we’ve fostered many, many cats over the years, most of them through Kitty Bungalow. Right now, we’re hosting a senior orange gentleman named Goldfish, who has been such a sweet, gentle and calming presence in our home.

As Beyond Veterinary Care has grown, I’ve expanded to include hospice and palliative care. I realized there’s a big gap in how most clinics support families through those final stages and I wanted to fill that space with empathy and clarity. My approach is simple: give people all their options, guide them through what each one means and support them fully, whatever they choose.

Now, three years in, Beyond Veterinary Care continues to grow. Every family I help reminds me why I do this. It’s emotional, meaningful and deeply human work.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road. Moving to a new country was a big adjustment. Luckily, I already spoke English, so that part wasn’t difficult but there were a lot of little things to learn. I remember realizing that here in the U.S., nobody uses the actual names of medications. Everyone uses the brand names instead and that was its own learning curve. Even though I had already practiced as a licensed vet in Peru, the experience here was completely different. The way hospitals are run, the role of vet techs, it’s a whole different structure. In Peru, we don’t really have veterinary technicians, so younger vets usually fill that role. We do everything ourselves, from drawing blood to surgery prep, so it was a big cultural and professional shift.

One of the hardest parts was going through the ECFVG certification process. That exam was brutal. I had to study or re-study everything: horses, cows, pigs, goats, sheep, rodents, birds — pets, domestic and wild — even fish and public health. It felt never ending. There was also a hands-on component where you had to perform surgeries, anesthetize an animal, do physical and lameness exams on a horse and even a rectal exam on a cow. It was easily one of the most challenging things I’ve ever done but I came out the other side stronger for it.

Becoming a vet has never been an easy path. You’re dealing with lives and that’s a weight you carry every day. It’s not a job where you clock out at five and leave it behind. There have been countless nights I’ve stayed late because an animal wasn’t stable or personally transferred patients to emergency hospitals because they needed overnight critical care. Once you’re the doctor, there’s this new layer of responsibility, you’re the one making the decisions. No matter who’s involved in the case, it’s ultimately your patient and your responsibility. That pressure is constant but it also teaches accountability and growth.

Another challenge is realizing how much of this profession involves working with people. I went into it because I loved animals but a huge part of being a good vet is understanding people, their emotions, backgrounds and expectations. You become part therapist, part teacher and part problem-solver. We don’t just treat the animal; we help the person care for that animal. Every client has a different relationship with their pet and learning how to meet them where they are is a big part of the job.

One of the toughest lessons I’ve learned is that we can’t care more about someone’s pet than they do. That sounds harsh but it’s something every vet faces. We get so emotionally invested and when we see owners who aren’t as connected or proactive, it can be hard not to take it personally. Early in my career, I used to replay every single case in my head, what I did, what I could have done differently, and I’d really beat myself up over it. The truth is, the more you care, the more this work can break your heart if you don’t learn how to set boundaries. Finding balance between compassion and self-preservation has been one of the most important lessons.

Starting my own business came with its own challenges. Beyond Veterinary Care is still a one-woman show. I handle almost everything — scheduling, communication, inventory, finances, all of it. I had no formal business training and there have been plenty of moments of doubt. I’ve had to figure things out as I go and there are still days when I wonder if I’m doing it right. But every step, every hard lesson, has made me more confident and grounded in my purpose.

If there’s one thing this journey has taught me, it’s that growth never feels comfortable. I’ve learned that if you’re not uncomfortable, you’re probably not growing. And as challenging as it’s been, I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Beyond Veterinary Care?
Beyond Veterinary Care is a mobile veterinary service based in Los Angeles that focuses on hospice and end-of-life care for dogs and cats. I offer in-home euthanasia, hospice and palliative care to help pets live as comfortably and as dignified as possible in their final stages of life.

I also provide aftercare services, which means that my team and I respectfully transport each pet’s remains with the utmost care and compassion. My goal is to make this process as seamless as possible so families don’t have to carry the added stress of making arrangements during such an emotional time. I often serve as the intermediary between the family and the crematorium, developing a close understanding of what each family wants so they don’t have to navigate those details themselves while they’re grieving.

I know that nobody is ever truly ready to lose someone they love but I feel incredibly honored to be able to guide families through that process and help them prepare — emotionally and practically — for what lies ahead.

What sets Beyond Veterinary Care apart is the attention to detail. I’ve always been a very detail-oriented person and I truly believe it’s the small things that make the biggest difference. From how I speak to families to how I care for their pets, every gesture is intentional. Those little details can transform fear into peace, helping families see that even in loss, there can be beauty and calm.

While I always follow professional standards and protocols, every experience is unique because every pet and every family is different. I take the time to get to know each family, to understand what they need emotionally and logistically, and to make sure every visit feels personal, peaceful and right for them.

Over time, I’ve become proud that Beyond Veterinary Care has come to represent compassion, kindness and connection. Many families tell me afterward how relieved they felt, how their fears faded, and how they were able to find comfort in an experience they once dreaded. Beyond Veterinary Care exists to make one of life’s hardest experiences a little softer, a little kinder and full of love.

Do you any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
My favorite memories are all from our summers at the beach. My family has been going to the same beach for about 20 years and it’s always felt like my happy place. Whenever I visit Lima now, I only want to go in the summer so I can be there. It’s my little escape from reality and a place that always feels like home.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.beyondvet.care
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beyondvetcare/?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ%3D%3D&utm_source=qr#
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/beyond-veterinary-care-los-angeles?utm_campaign=www_business_share_popup&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_source=(direct)
• Other: https://share.google/oPUAPxMWH7f4WRoJ8

Image Credits
1–3. Kitties from Kitty Bungalow and our medical room, where we perform exams and treatments for rescue cats.
4. A Kitty Bungalow event featuring a kitten with cerebellar hypoplasia.
5. Me working at the rescue-based veterinary hospital, where I spent my early years as a veterinarian.
6. A kitten from Kitty Bungalow, one of many rescues we care for and foster.
7. Me with Helen, my right hand in end-of-life care. We’ve worked closely together for years and she’s now an essential part of Beyond Veterinary Care.
8. Another photo of me at Kitty Bungalow, one of my favorite places to be.
9. A kitten I fostered who was born with congenital heart disease. I helped her transition peacefully and the crematorium I work with made this beautiful clay paw print of all her tiny paws. Hanging beside it is a small glass vial holding her fur clippings — something I also offer to the families I help.
10. One of my beloved patients, she was suffering from a painful type of cancer, we showered her with roses before we helped her transitio..
11. A beautiful cat named Lia, photographed by her owner and kindly shared with me, on the day she left this world.