End of Life Care

Absolutely. It is optional as each family is different in their want or need to stay with their pet. We do encourage that you stay with your pet if at all possible. We also recommend that you bring a family member or a friend for support. If at any time you are not comfortable with staying, one of our caring technicians can step in and comfort your pet.

When you arrive at the clinic, our client care representatives will confirm that you are the owner or agent for the pet and have you sign a consent form. At this time, they will answer any other questions you may have, discuss if you would like a private cremation (ashes returned), general cremation (ashes not returned, pet is cremated with others) or if you have a place to bury your pet. Payment is taken at this time as well, leaving you free to leave when you are ready following the appointment.

From here, you and your pet will be escorted to a private room with a bed for your pets comfort. One of our Registered Animal Health Technicians will enter the room and explain the upcoming process, which involves giving your pet a light sedation, keeping them calm and more comfortable. This sedation usually takes about 10 minutes to be effective and is administered by an injection either under the skin or in the muscle. This sedation will cause your pet to be a little sleepy and relaxed. Once your pet is sleepy, the technician will return to place a catheter into your pets vein and secure it with a bandage.

When you and your pet are ready, the veterinarian will come in and administer the final injection, which is an overdose of anesthetic, allowing your pet a peaceful and painless passing.

We offer 3 options post-euthanasia.

1) Private Cremation is done through Willow Rock Pet Cemetery. This is the option to choose if you were interested in having your pets ashes returned to you. A team member from Willowrock will pick up your pet from any of our clinics post-euthanasia and arrangements can be made between the two of you. (Payment for this service is direct to Willow Rock).

2) General Cremation is another solution if you were not interested in having your pets ashes returned. They would still be cremated through Willow Rock Pet Cemetery, but they would not be cremated on their own, which is why having the ashes returned isn’t an option.

3) Home Burial is also an option if you live out of town and wish to have your pet buried at home. In this option, after the euthanasia is performed, you are able to take their body back home again provided that you do have a proper place to bury them. The burial site must be 6 feet deep because of the medications used during the euthanasia.