In Home Euthanasia
Making a decision about whether it’s time to let a beloved pet go is one of the hardest things anyone loving a pet will have to go through. What can compound the difficulty of the decision is that most pets don’t like going to the vet’s. I’ve heard from many of my readers that, until they read Buckley’s Story, they had no idea that having a pet euthanized at home was even an option.
I write in Buckley’s Story: “There was never a doubt in my mind that when the time came, Buckley would die at home. I had never been comfortable with euthanasia done in veterinary clinics. Even though I had assisted with many of them in my years of working at animal hospitals, and they were usually peaceful experiences, I did not like the idea that an animal’s last moments would take place in such a sterile and unfamiliar setting. No matter how peaceful veterinarians and staff try to make this final transition, most pets are stressed by veterinary hospital visits, and pet owners can be left with their final memory being one of a stressful experience instead of the peaceful one it can be when done in the pet’s home.”
There are few veterinarians who offer home euthanasia. Those that do generally don’t advertise the fact. I feel that asking a veterinarian whether they offer this service is extremely important while the pet is healthy, rather than waiting until there is a need for the service and then to find out that it is not available.
Home euthanasias can make the final good-bye a peaceful, and sometimes even beautiful, experience. There will not be a stressful or upsetting car ride. You won’t have to see healthy pets or other pet owners as you walk into the clinic with your pet for the last time. By gathering family members around the pet, you can create a calming atmosphere and surround the pet with what she’s familiar with, providing comfort and support. You can even have the euthanasia conducted outside in the pet’s favorite spot in the yard. In home euthanasia also allows you to create a ceremony that suits your personal and religious beliefs. You will be able to spend as much time with the pet’s body after the ceremony as you need to without being disturbed by veterinary staff. You will be able to grieve in privacy and on your own terms.
I recently came across an online In Home Pet Euthanasia Directory and wanted to share this valuable resource with you. The site is still under development, and not every state is showing listings yet.
Ingrid, thank you for writing about this subject so that people know it may be an option for them, and also to plan for this before the time it’s needed if possible. We need to keep spreading this idea so that more people know about it. I am lucky that my veterinarian is a house-call veterinarian and this is an important part of her relationship with her clients. I even think if we visualize their peaceful ending somewhere in our home it is comforting to us, and our companion and our other household residents can sense our resolve and be comforted by it.
That is so true. I sure wish we had it here where I live, because I hate more than putting the pet down is the fact that they have to go to the vet. It would be so much nicer to have it done right here where they are used to the surroundings and can go peacefully. But it is not to be around here. Especially since I live in the boonies because of all the extra animals that live here. But thanks for the good info.
Bernadette, I agree that we need to share this information – it’s why I was so happy to find this new website.
Marg, you might be surprised what’s possible if you ask about it. As I said, even veterinarians who don’t advertise the service sometimes offer it. I’ve found that sometimes, even vets who have never offered it before will make an exception for a client they’ve had a longterm relationship with.
I think this is a wonderful idea and I plan to do that with my 2 cats and dog when their time comes, if I know it is their time. I had my cat Sassy put down last June, it was a surprise to me because I thought she would just get some medication and come home. It turned out that she was very ill and it was the best thing we could do for her at the time. It was also, a weekend evening and we had to go to an emergency vet.
They said we could spend some time with her before hand but they were a bit busy and in a rush. Needless to say, it was very difficult and I ended up staying much longer after it was done, when I really needed more time before. We don’t always know when it will be the time but I sure hope it can be done in my home and not in an emergency situation where we don’t have much control.
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Canine Cancer, Ingrid King and Rose B., Lynda La Plante CBE. Lynda La Plante CBE said: RT @wearethecure: In Home Euthanasia | Buckley's Story: You won't have to see healthy pets or other pet owners as you walk into the … http://bit.ly/armGtW [...]
I’m so sorry about Sassy, Rose. It does make it so much more difficult when it’s an emergency situation like yours was.