by Jennifer Sharpe
When pain, anxiety or illness diminish a pet’s quality of life, it may be time to consider end-of-life care.
Dr. Dan Walker has been practicing veterinary medicine for more than 47 years and joined Lap of Love Veterinary Hospice and In-Home Euthanasia, a nationwide organization providing in-home hospice and euthanasia services, a little over a year ago.
“It’s very difficult for people to give up their beloved pet, to make the decision to end that pet’s earthly life, even when the pet’s quality of life is gone,” he said. “That’s what I try to help people measure and evaluate. I answer their questions and share my experience. I also listen, give comfort and the respect that their pet deserves. This is the most rewarding work I’ve ever done.”
In-home euthanasia provider Dr. Amber Nissen of P.A.C. Peaceful Care, LLC, said, “I recommend that pet owners have a quality-of-life discussion with their regular veterinarian. This can be reassuring, as a veterinarian who knows the pet can observe their condition and help guide the family in making a compassionate, informed decision. For many owners, this guidance provides comfort and confidence during an emotionally challenging time.”
Nissen also suggests using assessment tools, such as the Lap of Love Quality of Life Scale.
The role of veterinarians in end-of-life planning
In addition to providing counsel regarding pet quality of life, veterinarians can assist with hospice care and pet euthanasia.
Pet hospice care, Walker explains, is basically palliative care, whereby prescription medications are used to ease pain. In his experience, it is not used often — most of his owners have opted for pet euthanasia.
Veterinarians perform pet euthanasia services in clinical or home settings.
“My in-home pet euthanasia process begins with a brief phone or text consultation with me directly, during which I confirm the reason for the appointment and explain the visit,” said Nissen. “We also discuss aftercare options such as home burial or cremation, along with service fees.”
The procedure is completed in a single visit and “involves an injectable sedation to ensure the pet is calm and comfortable, followed by an injectable euthanasia medication for a peaceful passing,” she said. “From my experience, in-home euthanasia offers a unique comfort compared to clinic visits. Being in their own home, surrounded by familiar sights, smells and family, can make the experience more peaceful and less stressful for both the pet and the owner. While I would never say it makes saying goodbye ‘easier,’ reducing stress during such a delicate moment is incredibly important to me and central to my mission of providing compassionate end-of-life care.”
During most of Walker’s five-decade career, he performed pet euthanasia in the clinic. Now that he’s been working for Lap of Love, he said, “I have never seen the human-animal bond as closely as I’ve seen it in the last year.”
After a pet passes
If a burial is desired, a pet cemetery or home burial are both options. However, home burials might be restricted due to neighborhood covenants or town ordinances. There are also instances where burial is not feasible, such as when the ground is frozen.
In cases where burial is not an option, or for those who prefer not to have a fixed gravesite, cremation allows for a different experience.
Pet cremation options include private, semi-private and communal. With the private choice, your pet is the only subject being cremated at that time. Viewing or witnessing may be available, and ashes can be returned to the owner. This is typically the most expensive cremation option.
In semi-private options, multiple remains are being cremated at the same time in separate bins or divided sections, each carefully identified. Ashes can be returned to the owner in this method as well.
Communal cremation, the least expensive option, does not allow for remains to be identified, and no ashes are returned to owners.
Angel Askins, owner of Angel’s Pet Funeral Home in Tulsa, has been in the funeral industry her whole life but has spent the last 10 years focused exclusively on pets. “I always thought about having a place where people could come and say goodbye to their pet or have the euthanasia performed instead of a vet’s office,” she said. When a pet dies at home, the owner can bring the remains to the funeral home or Angel’s will pick them up; her business also picks up remains from veterinary clinics.
For Brenda Armstrong and Teresa Armstead, owners of Pet Passages in Oklahoma City, every pet matters, regardless of the type of cremation performed. The sisters routinely scatter the ashes from communal cremations on their family property.
“We treat every pet as we would want our own pet treated. Those pets belonged to somebody and were loved by somebody,” Armstrong said.
Pet Passages also offers rooms for owners to spend time saying goodbye to their pets and can assist with personalized funeral services, simple or formal ceremonies, and private family viewings or goodbyes.
Remembering your pet
The Association for Pet Loss and Bereavement provides resources for those dealing with pet loss, including an online memorial platform and video support groups.
Funeral homes and crematoriums like Angel’s and Pet Passages offer a variety of memorialization products as well.
The right choice for your family
While many end-of-life decisions are made in the moment, some pet owners choose to plan ahead. Funeral and cremation services can be arranged and paid for in advance. Even if you are not ready to make any decisions today, thinking now about future decisions could help ease the process when that challenging time comes.
No matter what you choose for your pet, every pet’s end-of-life care is unique and individualized. The right choice is the one that is best for your family.
Helping Families Through Pet Loss
Losing a pet can be as difficult as losing a human family member or friend, and it’s important to acknowledge and process the loss.
“Often, the death of a family pet is one’s first experience with grief,” said certified pet loss therapist Lindsay Benson.
Benson, who has been trained by the Association for Pet Loss and Bereavement, guides adult clients through their grief process while educating and teaching them how to support their children.
“An important part of the family’s process of grieving the pet is continuing a dialogue and openly talking about the pet,” she said.
She recommends books as resources to help children. “Books are really relatable to children because if something is happening to them that they see in a book, it normalizes it.”
Having a memorial service or celebration of life is an important component as well. “Like we have funerals for people, we need to have typically some kind of ceremony for the pet, honoring their life and bringing resolution and processing.”
Making an end-of-life decision for a pet can be particularly difficult for an owner and often brings feelings of guilt along with anticipatory grief.
“Throughout most of the pet’s life, an owner has been responsible for giving care and keeping the pet safe. An end-of-life decision can feel like a betrayal to that love and that care,” said Benson. “But I see it as the ultimate gesture of unconditional love because even though it’s not what you want, you’re doing it because it’s in their best interest and eases their suffering.”
It’s also common to second-guess the decision, Benson said. “I’ve not ever met someone who felt like it was the perfect time. It was either, did I wait too long, or did I do it too soon?” The loss of a beloved pet is never easy, but support is within reach. Find free resources and guidance at aplb.org.
