At-Home Pet Euthanasia

One of the particularly challenging aspects of being a pet owner is managing their end of life. With pets having a much shorter life span than humans, unfortunately it is a process which is somewhat inevitable when you welcome a pet into your family.

Recently my Mum had to put her cat down and I wanted to share a particular element of her experience with you, just in case you didn’t know it was an option, should you be in the same situation. Faced with a damning prognosis, my Mum explored her options with her primary focus being one of making the euthanasia process as gentle for both her and her beloved cat as she could.

What she discovered, and what I’d like to share with you is the option to put your pet down in your own home. Not for a minute since choosing this service has she regretted her choice. Like many people before her, it meant she could stay at home with her cat as opposed to taking her to the vet, where memories and smells would have likely caused her anxiety in her final moments. She was able to be calm and comfortable and be surrounded by a familiar environment. In the weeks proceeding the procedure, my Mum even had two follow-up calls, just checking in to make sure she was doing ok after the loss of her cat.

You only have to have a quick search online to see that this is a service which is growing in popularity here in Australia. Some businesses have been set up specifically to cater for euthanising pets and they also offer in-home palliative care, bereavement counselling and burial or cremation services. Alternatively, there are veterinary practices that are able to come to your home to fulfil some, or all, of these needs for you.

Obviously this is not an easy decision to make and one which can cause significant distress to yourself and your family. However, with euthanasia literally meaning “good death” in Greek, it can actually be something of a positive experience if handled in the right way. When it comes time to decide which path to choose, I’d recommend having an open discussion with your vet and your family and ensuring it’s one that each of you feels comfortable with.

I guess the main thing to remember is that there are a number of options out there if you know the right place to look. Just take the time to assess your options so that your last moments with your best friend may be blessed with joy, as well as the sorrow of saying farewell.

Shannon Wood, Managing Director S8 Expert Recruitment Solutions. I have over 14 years recruitment experience specialising in the animal health industry across the ANZ region. Areas of expertise include sales and marketing, technical roles (Quality Assurance, Quality Control & Regulatory Affairs) and operational & financial positions. I work extensively in the veterinary, ruminant, monogastric, aquaculture and the pet specialty industries and I look forward to the next 14 years.