Animal Hospice Group

What Animal Hospice Group does

Animal Hospice Group (AHG) is an animal hospice and palliative care education company founded in 2020 and operating in affiliation with BrightHaven Inc., a California 501(c)(3) nonprofit headquartered at 122 Calistoga Road, Santa Rosa, CA. The company certifies, trains, and advises three distinct audiences — pet/animal caregivers, veterinary teams and practices, and allied animal hospice practitioners — who need formal credentials and practical skills to support pets and their families through end-of-life care beyond euthanasia. AHG's central value proposition is being the only comprehensive multi-level certification program in the animal hospice niche, developed by four industry pioneer founders (Amir Shanan, Kathryn Marocchino, Gail Pope, and Michelle Nichols) with over 100 years of combined experience.

The product surface consists of a three-tier certification ladder — Certified Animal Hospice Foundations (CAHF) at Level 1, Certified Animal Hospice Counselor (CAHC) at Level 2, and Certified Animal Hospice Practitioner (CAHP) at Level 3 — plus a parallel Animal Hospice University (AHU) library of self-paced mini-courses, webinars, and workshops. CAHF is a 24-lecture, 27-hour self-study curriculum across 9 modules; CAHC adds 18 hours of live Zoom counselor training in cohort format; CAHP layers on 54 total hours of advanced practitioner training with mentorship and a final written assignment. Programs are delivered through a Kajabi learning management system with live discussion groups and networking meetings on Zoom, supplemented by The Final Mile Podcast, a guest-contributor blog, an email newsletter, and an affiliate community of 10+ pet-care partners.

AHG operates as a direct-to-consumer, self-serve online education platform with no external venture or institutional capital; revenue is generated primarily through certification tuition ($399-$749 per tier, with monthly payment-plan options and a CAHC+CAHP bundle), one-time Animal Hospice University course purchases, an affiliate referral program, and tax-deductible donations channeled through BrightHaven Inc. Distribution is exclusively digital via the Kajabi website and Zoom, with enrollment open globally and discussion-group scheduling adjusted for international time zones.

Name

Animal Hospice Group

Legal name

BrightHaven Inc.

Website

https://animalhospicegroup.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Animal Hospice and Palliative Care Certification

NAICS

Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services (812910)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Palliative Care, Hospice & Serious Illness Support (BPAGACAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

End-of-Life Care (Hospice & In-Home Euthanasia) (HLAMAAAL)

Keywords

• Animal hospice education
• Veterinary palliative care certification
• Pet end-of-life training
• Animal hospice practitioner
• Grief counseling certification

Headquarters

HQ city

Santa Rosa

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Certification Program Tuition: Three-tiered certification programs (CAHF, CAHC, CAHP) with tiered pricing. Level 1 CAHF starts at $749 single payment or $219.73/month for 4 months. Level 2 CAHC at $499 single or $201.30/month for 3 months. Level 3 CAHP at $399 single or $246.95/month for 2 months. Bundle options available for concurrent enrollment.
2. Animal Hospice University Courses: Self-paced mini-courses, webinars, workshops, and skills training videos available through instant access enrollment.
3. Affiliate Program: Community members can join the affiliate program to promote AHG offerings and earn commissions.
4. Donations: Tax-deductible donations accepted, with AHG operating in affiliation with BrightHaven Inc., a CA 501(c)(3) Corporation.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Animal Hospice Group provides a three-level certification program (CAHF, CAHC, CAHP) for animal hospice and palliative care, delivered through self-paced online coursework on the Kajabi platform combined with live Zoom-based training, mentorship, and discussion groups. The company also operates Animal Hospice University, which sells self-paced mini-courses, webinars, workshops, and skills training videos to pet caregivers, veterinary team members, and allied animal professionals.

Product overview

Animal Hospice Group (AHG) operates as an education and certification company offering a three-level certification program for animal hospice and palliative care. The core offerings include the CAHF (Level 1), CAHC (Level 2), and CAHP (Level 3) certification tracks, with the full CAHP track providing comprehensive training from foundations through counselor training to practitioner-level skills. Additionally, Animal Hospice University provides self-paced courses, webinars, and workshops. The company also offers supplementary resources including The Final Mile Podcast, a blog with guest contributor content, an affiliate program, volunteer opportunities, and a donation option. All programs are delivered through a combination of self-paced online coursework, live Zoom discussion groups, and mentorship from industry experts.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Animal Hospice University (AHU): Specialized self-paced hospice for pets mini-courses, webinars, workshops, and skills training videos for professionals and caregivers.
• Certified Animal Hospice Foundations (CAHF)
• Certified Animal Hospice Counselor (CAHC)
• Certified Animal Hospice Practitioner (CAHP)

Products and services

• Certified Animal Hospice Foundations (CAHF) Level 1 self-study certification program providing foundational knowledge in animal hospice and palliative care through 24 on-demand video lectures (27 hours) across 9 modules, with required discussion group participation, a final exam, and a CAHF Certificate of Completion. Designed for pet caregivers, veterinary team members, and aspiring practitioners.
• Certified Animal Hospice Counselor (CAHC) Level 2 live virtual internship certification program focusing on counseling skills for supporting pet parents through terminal diagnoses and end-of-life journeys, consisting of 18 hours across 6 bi-weekly Zoom sessions, assessments, and a final interview. Targeted at practitioners working directly with pet families.
• Certified Animal Hospice Practitioner (CAHP) Level 3 advanced certification program preparing practitioners for real-world animal hospice care application, with 54 hours of training including live Sunday Zoom sessions, mentorship, interdisciplinary team collaboration, and a final written assignment. Designed for those seeking to practice as certified animal hospice professionals.
• Animal Hospice University (AHU)

Quantifiable outcome

• 27 hours of instructional content across 24 lectures in Level 1 alone
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• BrightHaven Center for Animal Rescue, Hospice, and Holistic EducationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBrightHaven is a 501(c)(3) Corporation affiliated with Animal Hospice Group. AHG operates under the blanket of BrightHaven Inc. at their Santa Rosa, CA headquarters. The organizations share founders and educational missions focused on animal hospice and holistic care.
• Julie Austin PhotographyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerJulie Austin Photography provides professional photography services for AHG marketing materials, blog posts, and educational content. Photography credits appear throughout the AHG website.
• Veterinary WisdomminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHome of ClayPaws® Kits and the Veterinary Wisdom® Resource Center. Participates in AHG's affiliate/network community as a partner organization supporting pet families.
• Pet CloudminorGTM or Marketing PartnerVirtual grief support and community platform for pet loss. Participates in AHG's network of participating affiliates supporting pet caregivers.
• The Caretakers Animal CareminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCompassionate at-home animal care services provider. An AHG student/graduate-run organization offering hospice care services.
• Holistic ActionsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHolistic pet care support platform offering positive and practical guidance for pet wellness. Partner in AHG's affiliate community.
• Animal Reiki SourceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerProvider of Animal-Guided Healing through the Let Animals Lead® Method of Animal Reiki. Part of AHG's participating affiliate network.
• Love, BaxterminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPet loss support organization helping people navigate grief with compassion, guidance, and love. Affiliate partner in AHG's community.
• TailChapterminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPlatform helping people capture and preserve stories of their pets' lives before they're gone. Affiliate partner in AHG's community.
• Black Paw Memorial PinminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMemorial product provider for people who have lost beloved pets. Affiliate partner supporting pet loss community.
• Animal Communication Insights (Joanne Yeoh)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerAnimal communication services helping pet parents understand their pets' thoughts and feelings. AHG guest blogger and affiliate partner.
• BrightHaven Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBrightHaven Inc. is the parent 501(c)(3) Corporation affiliated with Animal Hospice Group. The company is headquartered at 122 Calistoga Road, #308, Santa Rosa, CA 95409-3702. AHG operates under BrightHaven's nonprofit status.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• International Association for Animal Hospice and Palliative Care (IAAHPC): The most direct peer — IAAHPC is the leading membership and educational organization in animal hospice and palliative care, offering training, conferences, and professional resources to veterinarians and caregivers. It operates in the same niche as AHG but with a broader professional association model rather than a tiered certification model.
• BrightHaven Inc. Parent 501(c)(3) organization and strategic co-development partner of AHG. BrightHaven runs an animal rescue, hospice, and holistic education center that shares AHG's founders and educational mission, providing the operational and reputational backbone for AHG's programs.

Broad incumbents

• Lap of Love Veterinary Hospice: The largest US in-home pet hospice and euthanasia provider. Lap of Love shares AHG's animal hospice mission and trains its own veterinarians in hospice care, but is a clinical service operator rather than an education/certification provider, making it an adjacent incumbent in the same category.
• BluePearl Pet Hospice: National specialty and emergency veterinary hospital group that has expanded into end-of-life and hospice-adjacent services. As a broad incumbent in veterinary care, BluePearl represents a potential enterprise customer channel for AHG certifications at scale.
• Veterinary Information Network (VIN): The largest online community and continuing education platform for veterinarians globally. VIN is a broad incumbent in vet CE that could expand into animal hospice content; relevant as a benchmark for scale, distribution model, and potential competitive encroachment.
• VetFolio: Veterinary continuing education platform offering RACE-approved online courses. VetFolio is comparable as a digital CE provider to vets and could be a future channel or competitor for animal hospice continuing education credits.

Emerging players

• Pet Loss Professionals Alliance (PLPA): An emerging niche professional organization for pet loss and bereavement practitioners. PLPA is comparable as a smaller, mission-driven community providing training and certification in a directly adjacent end-of-life services category.
• Animal Behavior Institute: An online certification provider for animal behavior and training professionals. Comparable as a small, niche digital education business serving pet-care professionals with structured certification programs, though focused on behavior rather than end-of-life care.
• Holistic Actions: Affiliate partner of AHG offering pet wellness education and community support. Holistic Actions is comparable as a mission-driven, founder-led educational platform serving the holistic pet care community — a closely adjacent niche to AHG's end-of-life focus.

Regional players

• Pet Hospice UK: UK-based organization providing information and support around animal end-of-life care and bereavement. Comparable as a regionally-focused, mission-driven resource in the animal hospice space, though not a certification provider.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/AnimalHospiceGroup
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/animal-hospice-group

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Animal Hospice Group