Animal Euthanasia at home by owner?
From: Dr Andrew Jones
Author: Veterinary Secrets Revealed
Website: http://www.theonlinevet.com
Re: What the ??
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It is Wednesday again…
In the world of animal healing, you see some great, caring
people, and some well..not so caring ones.
Case in point.
1. Those who volunteer their time, Thanklessly – and without
a whole lot of recognition for Animal Shelters.
As part of The Second Chance Animal Shelter ( the Shelter I founded,
next to my clinic), there are some very dedicated volunteers, and an
overworked, under appreciated Shelter Director..
They do it all for the animals who DON’T have a voice.
If you can– donate your time or $ to your local Shelter.
2. Now the OTHER extreme.
I had a disturbing conversation with someone on emergency who
wanted to know one thing– How to ‘kill’ his cat at home-
It was ‘sick’ and he wasn’t gonna spend any mon**ey on god-damn
Vets (his words)..
I advised him that I would see him, and if I determined that his
cat needed to be euthanized, I would do so- and even defer the charge-
But he then went off about not having a car..
Our conversation ended with him saying ‘Thanks for nothing’ and
me being a little worried about his pets welfare.
I phoned the number he left, and it turned out to be a pay phone
in Nelson..
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So what happened?
I don’t know- I never heard from him again.
Fortunately the Great Pet Guardians- like you guys, way outnumber
the jerks of the world….like Mr Euthanizer.
Thank You for being a loyal subscriber and a BIG Thank You
to all of you involved in the Shelter and Rescue world.
P.S. Feel free to comment on my Blog. Do you think that
we should have criminal laws for those who show NO respect
to animals?
Post your comments here!
P.P.S. Do SOMETHING to help those animals who can’t speak
for themselves.
It’s Your Pet…Heal Them At Home!
Best Wishes,
Dr Andrew Jones, DVM
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So, you are from BC, Canada. And you are saying that BC does not have laws on the books about animal cruelty? If BC does not have those laws on the books then there is really, really something wrong with BC & Canada. Down here in the lower 48 we have laws on the books about animal cruelty.
To know how screwed up Canada & BC have become, please research the Human Rights Commission cases against Ezra Levant and Mark Steyn. That should be a real eye opener. BC & Canada think more about Muslims apparently than they do animals.
There that should get me a case in front of one of the kangaroo courts (HRC’s) in BC!
Hello, Dr. Jones on you question on shoullld we have criminal laws on no respect for animals. I say Yes thoes people that can harm and abuse animals just make me sick.I think they should be proscuted to the highest extent the courts can put on them. But thats my appoinion.I’m glad theres people out there doing the right thing.Thanks for letting me speak my mind Krystal
As a person myself who never ever thought that I would have done the right thing in euthanizing my cat last year, it was the hardest thing I had to do.(I had always said prior to this that I would NEVER euthanize.) I cared enough to be there to the very last part, and stayed for a while longer just to let my cat know that I still love her, even in death.(I believe in the afterlife and reincarnation.)
Anywhere USA are places to euthanize whether you have money or not, a car or not.
This poor soul sounded lost about doing the right thing. You gave him an out, financially speaking, and he didn’t bite at the chance. I might have asked him for a few moments of his time, and see about alternatives. Perhaps offer to go to his home, euthanize the cat there and allow the dignity of the cat to die at home, if in fact that was the only course available for the cat.
Or, perhaps the poor soul didn’t want the cat, and maybe I would have offered to take the cat and put an ad out for another home for it, if that was feasible.
Without the proper equipment I don’t condone anyone euthanizing an animal, but for this person who knows what the story was for this cat.
I did a search and found this site on animal cruelty law. http://cfhs.ca/news/new_animal_cruelty_law/
Yes, emphatically, people should be held accountable and penalized for abusing animals in their care. We are stewards and care givers to our loving animal companions. We are responsible for their welfare, period. If you cannot properly care for your animal, find someone who can help you or surrender your pet to a local shelter or rescue.
p.s. My father lives in Trail, but I’m way out in Toronto. I miss the weather (yes!), the scenery (of course) and the easy going laid back way of life.
wow are animal cruelty laws in canada outdated!
Here’s a link to Animal Cruelty laws in BC.
http://www.qp.gov.bc.ca/statreg/stat/P/96372_01.htm
About 10 years ago I had a cat who was dying.
I phoned my vet, telling him that I feared the trip to him would be too stressful (45 minutes) and didn’t want that to be his last experience.
I asked if he would come to our home OR if I could get in immediately while there would be little traffic on the road and I could make the trip in about 25 minutes (it was late at night – about 10pm and he didn’t open again until morning). He lived above his clinic, so I was hoping it would be possible. (I’d called nearby vets who all refused to see me on emergency because I wasn’t a client.) I really did NOT want to wait until morning while the cat
suffered. He told me he could not but would get me in 1st thing in the morning (before appts started) with one of his associate vets as I expressed I didn’t want the cat further stressed out by barking dogs in the waiting room. I didn’t really want that because HE was the ONLY dr I’d taken my cats to and I trusted him, but I made the appt none the less. He then told me that if it got really really bad during the night that I should put the cat in a box (my cat was too sick to even get up at this point) and tape it securely, then cut a hole in the side just large enough to fit a hose through and attach the other end to the exhaust pipe of my car…then turn the car on. He said it would kill my cat painlessly in a few minutes. Thankfully, the cat lasted until morning with no additional (obvious) pain so I was able to take him in to see the associate vet. While this was not the optimal choice, I do think it was a very responsible for him to tell me a way to end the cats suffering should it have escalated before morning when I would be able to get it help. I do think that there are people who don’t have the resources at all (or just aren’t very bright regarding animal care) that might be in this dilemma and if the caller didn’t care at ALL he would NOT have called for advice to begin with. IF that had been someone I know, I’d have suggested whatever was possible to put the animal down (after trying to get them to come in offering various options as you did). God knows what someone (providing he was not just desperately poor, but also not very bright) might try otherwise.
Just my opinion, but I believe in ending suffering and it would have been better for
the guy to shoot the cat than let it suffer so desperately or the (horrific)possibilities
he may have come up with.
Yes,any person that abuses an animal or neglects one
should be held accountable, no excuses. Animals are
one of the greatest gifts that God has given us. Animals have unconditional love for humans, we should feel honored to be a part of their lives.
I do believe that people who do not consider our animal friends to be worthy of our love and care are not truly completely human. They miss out on what it is to truly live and enjoy life to the maximum experience possible. Gil
Hello Dr. Jones,
There are alot of Neanderathals out there…heartless souls. We live in Toronto on a buzy street and we get to see many dead animals on the street in a year. seems that many have no value for the life of a cat dog squirrel raccoon fox or rabbit and i am sure the list goes on.
Funny though i have driven for over 30 Years and always avoided the Road kill of anything of any kind. Many people do not seem to have those values. Here in Toronto we do have a mobile Vet that will come to your home to euthanize ur pet need be …not sure of the cost though.we also have a wildlife center that is always more than will to go the extra mile for those that are in need of assisstance.we have taken many squirrels there, when the mother was killed on the road.
sorryful for the sadness of this story of the cat.maybe this is why some people are always living in misery..the cat will come back to haunt him …
Hopefully Tommorrow will be a Better Day 🙂
I had to euthanize my cat Annie, 2 years ago, she was 22 the vet figured~and it was so difficult. Now I am faced with the same decision again, My little old dog, Toto, is 18 and has had about 6 seizures in the past month, have figured out its when I have left her for over an hour, so needless to say~Im staying home~she does have a history of panick attacks~especially going to the vet~she can no longer go on her long walks~~cant seem to take the car ride~~and is having trouble with the heat~~she has been the most wonderful loving pet, and I have to decide what is best for her~~not me~~is life the quantity, or the quality?? I just wish I could have a vet come to my home, as she cannot handle the office visit~~dont think she could tolerate it at all~`not now~and I sure dont want that to be her last memory~~I just feel so blessed to have had her, so blessed
Oh my this is such a sensitive topic. First off, I was disgusted by the apparent complete lack of compassion by the man you spoke of! Our pets love us unconditionally, and when the end comes for them, they diserve some dignity, and compassion! After all, would we want to die a horrible death, or would we rather peacfully drift off to sleep? We all know that answer to that! I have had to euthanize two of my cats in a very short period of time. I litteraly felt as if my heart had been torn out of my chest! I held them, because I truely believed that it provided them some sense of peace, and comfort in those last minutes. Though it was very hard on me, my kitties needed to have me there with them. I also held them for a long time afterward, because I believe that their souls don’t immediately leave.
It’s has been almost two years since I had to put my last one down, and I am still crying even as I write this message. But that is OK, because any little furry friend that touches my life in this manner is truely and ANGEL, and is still a part of my life.
Dear Dr. Jones,
My dear cat and best friend “Sammy,” who was a female Himilayan (sp?)only 11 years old, was one of the 1st victims of the over the counter food poisioning. I had a brand new clinic close to where I lived in San Clemente Ca. When Sammy stopped eating and I noticed her lethargy – I took her to the vet near my house. 2000.00 dollars later they still had no answers for me and she was getting really sick. Each trip to the vet was an hour wait, and much stress for her. When she lay dieing at my house – I did not want to take her back to the vet, and just wrapped her up and held and rocked her, until she started spasming in pain – I then called the vet and asked if I could come in but please no waiting for she was suffering. When I got there they took her from me into the back room (I could still see her from the examination room). She sat there for 35 minutes alone on a steel table- until I demanded they bring her back to me. They then euthinized her, I think she was already gone myself. But they charged me $240.00 for the euthinization. I was so upset – I never paid. It was one of the most painful experiences I have ever been through. What is your feeling about this? I love your e-mails and feel you are a great gift to the animal world. Thank you, Laura
Im not saying that animal cruelty is right…. and that this guy had the best intentions in mind. But I do believe that pet owners have the right to choose how to end the Suffering of a severely ill pet. And also that, it is the owners right to be able to put down the animal at home, surrounded by all the animal knows and loves. Think about it this way. If you were a severely sick animal, and there was nothing but long endured suffering in your future. Wouldnt you want to pass on in a place that is comfortable and that you know. Then a cold OR table, possibly without even one thing that you loved as your last thought. Some people sicken Me thinking oh its best for the animal if the vet does it. Bull**** I think an animal parent has the right to make that choice, to whats going to be more easy for the animal. Putting a Dog down is Exspensive, and im sorry but some Vets will drain every last cent from your wallet. Remember this, for those that have actually had to choose this heartbreaking and life changing experience. Its not whats best for you or what is best for them in your mind. Its whats the best and soul relaxing for the animal. As I know from experience. Letting a Animal die Naturally i think at times is more barbaric then putting an animal down, but if you must put an animal down do it in a place were you know the animal will be happy. It wont be angry at you it will thank you for ending its suffering.
I have been following this conversation and have so much mixed feelings concerning bringing my ailing cat back to the vetenary clinic to be euthanized.
He is ailing and loosing weight daily, a magnificent outdoor independant cat.
I brought him to my vet as we had no idea what was wrong. The cat shows no signs of distress but is slowly loosing weight. Obviously I have no disire to see him suffer but on the other hand I wish him to pass peacefully and at home.
My dilemma is asking my vet to come to my house as I found thier attitude on the last visit to be very unprofessional. We asked not to spent the $1,075 diagnostic fees as we could not afford them and even if the cat had cancer we were not in a position to treat it.
The long and short of it was to make us feel incredibly guilty about not doing the whole barrage of tests and we ended up with an even higher bill, no definative diagnoses except severe hip displaysia, not a reason, I believe for his rapid weight loss.
My cat’s back home declining, won’t eat but not suffering and I sure do not want to take it back to that clinic.
It leaves a really bad impression of vetinery care
I have a wonderful cat who has been with me since he weighed one pound. In hi prime he weighed 22lbs. He is now less than 10lbs. took him to the vet who is wonderful but expensive. they want to do tests and don’t think euthanasia is necessary – I remember a cat who loved to eat fruit and plaed with everything – now he can’t eat anything but prescribed food designed to maintain his weight but not help him gain. he throws up all the time and gives heart wrenching yowls right before he does it. there is often blood in the vomit. I am devastated by his decline – I would like to help him pass at home with me. Is it possible to dose him with something like benadryl or clonazepam? where hopefully he would simply fall asleep and die peacefully?
Wow, I agree that no one should treat animals badly, but I keep in mind that they are still animals. I have a dog who sleeps next to me on the pillow and I take him with me everywhere- but he knows how to act around kids or other animals, I’ve tough him how to do everything he knows. This is due, largely to the fact that I’m not afraid to smack him if need be.(Just like a child who does something wrong) I’ve gotten so much shit from my in laws, who’s dogs are spoiled and overweight, bark continuously and growl at their kids. Apparently, they’re dogs have a much better quality of life being given 25 treats a day for nothing and running the household. They tell me I’m a monster and my dog doesn’t love me because I don’t allow him to beg or hump the pillows. Yet my dog heals at all times and does tricks on command, I’m constantly under scrutiny for my disciplining ways. I think some folks take things way to seriously with animal cruelty, its your job to raise your pet, love it and teach him things and make the decision when its time to let go. If my pup was deathly ill, I sure wouldn’t want him to suffer months of pain because I don’t know how to let go. Sometimes doing something that seems cruel to the soft hearted push overs is the most thoughtful to the one in turmoil. But what do I know? I’m a monster.
Please help me! I am going to be evicted from my senior apt in Arcadia, Missouri if I don”t get rid of two of my cats. No. 3 is a visitor. Pure bred black unneutered, 18 mos.male. Sweet as can be. I found the owner, she took him “home” and he came back the next day;that was 2 months ago. Today I was served with an eviction notice. I only get $743. a month from SS , total income. I can’t stand the idea that they might be harmed…..I want to put 2 of them to sleep. Ellie
I am very upset with the way things are going. My mothers dog is 15 years old and is having problems getting up, no control over his bowels and has dificulty breathing on and off and just today starting a little wimpering. I wanted to have a vet come to the house and let him pass at home where he is not scared and could go peacefully. But no vets do that in this area. I think it is terrible, money is not a problem but yet no one can do it. So now we have to load this poor poor dog up into the back of a truck further stressing him out and take him to a facility that smells of other animals which will futher tramatize him and bring him in a room with a stranger to end his life… I CAN NOT STAND IT. I am a nurse and I wish that there was a way that I could become licensed to do at home euthanasia. I think that compasion needs to be shown for the pet owner as well as the pet and taking your animal for its final breath to a stressfull area is heart breaking.
This past weekend I had to do one of the hardest things ever: I had to euthanize my partner’s elderly (19 yrs.) cat, Toby. A little back-story so the gravity of the situation is apparent: I’m temporarily working part-time, and we’re both between paychecks. We’ve just paid the bills, NO financial reserves available (I’m a full 3 car payments behind— you get the idea).
Toby had been losing weight over the past 2 weeks, and we thought she would pass any day, being old and frail (the poor dear was no more than 3 pounds). Anyway, at 3 am Saturday, we found her in the hallway, crying and trying to crawl around: she somehow not only dislocated her arm, but also broke her shoulder blade!
We realized she somehow had to be put down. We called an emergency vet. office here in Albuquerque, and were told that it would be over $100 to do it, IF they decided she couldn’t be saved! Even if it had been half that, we still couldn’t have done it. (No disrespect intended to anyone: I have the greatest respect for practitioners of the healing arts. But if you REALLY know your beloved pet, YOU can look into its eyes and know that its Time is here.)
We didn’t have any tubing or a cardboard box to rig-up something to the car, so we were frantically trying to think of the quickest, most humane way of doing this. Trust me, if we COULD have brought her to the vet., we WOULD have.
So, we did the best thing we could think of: I filled up the kitchen sink with warm water. We quickly and tenderly said our goodbyes, I put her little body into a pillowcase, and brought her to the sink where I drowned her. I somehow went on autopilot, realizing for her sake that there can be NO hesitation on my part. I MUST detach emotionally (momentarily), and be quick and decisive. THANK GOODNESS, there was no fight left in her: she took 2 rough gasps, and it was over in 15 seconds. I continued to hold her under for another 5 full minutes, and was certain that she had passed.
4 hours later, we drove out to the forest and buried her, taking careful note of the gravesite.
Some folks might think this was monstrous, but it was an act of mercy, a sacred act. The taking of a life is (and always should be) a big deal. To be there when that life passes is also a privilege. And I am going to ensure that I NEVER have to do anything like this EVER again…
Jeff, I am so sorry that you and your beloved cat had to go through such an awful experience. A charge of $100 for euthanasia is absurd, but putting your dying cat through a pre-euthanasia exam and “work up” is near criminal, though certainly profitable. It seems more and more that most vets are really only about fees, not about loving and caring for animals.
I am currently facing the loss of my 16 yr old cat. He is under the care of a very good vet, a specialist, and we are fortunate to have her in our lives. As much as I grieve his impending death, I know that she will make it as gentle as possible for both of us. She had to euthanize another of my cats last year, and did it in the most reasonable, humane way I’ve ever seen, and I want to share this with others who are in similar situations.
The specialist treating my cat sees animals only by referral and runs an extremely well managed practice. In all the time I have gone there (5 years?) I only encountered another patient just one time. Every other time I was the only person in the waiting room and though they always have a lot of animals in the back undergoing chemo or whatever, it is always quiet there. I don’t know how they do it, but it is such a relief and I appreciate it so much, as does my cat. He is extremely hard to handle, near feral in fact, but this vet can manage him very well. I think it is because he feels safe in that quiet environment.
This vet does not make house calls, so I did have to take the cat to the office for euthanasia, but it is so quiet and calm there that it wasn’t too traumatic for the cat or for me. The vet took the cat to the back and inserted a port in her back leg and then returned her to me in a private room and told me to take as much time as I needed to say goodbye. The cat was comfortable and all was quiet and respectful. I took the time to center myself, calm down and spend her last time on earth in loving communion with her, and when I felt ready I asked the vet to come back and administer the medicine through the port. I think what she did next may be somewhat unusual, but it made it easier for both the cat and me. She first gave a dose of anesthesia, the same drug that Michael Jackson overdosed on. Once my cat was fully anesthetized, the vet stopped for a minute to reassure me and let my feelings “catch up,” then she gave the euthanasia drug. She explained that the euthanasia medicine can be somewhat uncomfortable going in and that some cats become upset and resist it. By anesthetizing the cat first, we avoided all that and her death was peaceful and loving. The vet and the tech spent a few minutes afterward in the room with me and then left me alone with my cat for as long as I needed. When I was ready to leave, the tech came back in and wrapped my cat in a towel and we placed her back in her carrier. The cost of this tender, respectful experience was a whopping $26.00. Yes, I said twenty-six dollars. I returned home with my cat and let the other cats see her, and spent some more time with her. Then I took her to another vet’s office where they allowed me to use their cold storage until the crematorium could accept her. They charged me nothng for the 4 days of storage, which surprised me and somehow helped me with the pain I was feeling. Because they allowed me to use their cooler even though my cat was not a patient there, I was able to schedule a private cremation for my cat instead of having to accept the group cremation services most vets offer.
I wish all pets and their people could have this same careful, considerate treatment when it is their time. The key things for me were the peaceful and professional atmosphere and the care and respect given for my cat’s feelings and for mine. At no point were we rushed. At no point was there any noise or commotion. No barking dogs, no screeching birds, no kids whining. Nothing like the typical vet’s office.
This vet is a an internist, and does not do routine vet care, so her office is understandably more quiet. But the typical vet’s office today is needlessly noisy, overlit, and chaotic. I’ve tried nearly every vet in town and they are pretty much all the same. This suggests that they are either being trained to run their practices this way, or just not being taught to be sensitive to animals’ feelings. Maybe both. I HATE going to the vet and avoid it more and more. I hope some of the people reading this are vets and will take to heart what I say next.
First, stop triple or quadruple booking. An hour’s wait in a waiting room crowded with people and animals, with my a terrified cat huddled in the back of her carrier, is ridiculous. Then, when we finally are taken into an exam room we should be seen within 5 to 10 minutes, not another hour. In the exam room, have available the option of dimming the lights. Why? Because it calms the animals and makes them feel better while they are waiting for the vet, and that makes the owners feel better.
Next, eliminate echoes in the exam rooms and speak softly every time you talk, unless the animal’s owner is hard of hearing. Tell the techs to lower their voices or better yet, shut up! There is no need for the incessant, high pitched chatter about boyfriends, weddings, car wrecks and other personal issues going on in the back rooms at such a loud volume that it stresses me and my animals in our closed door “private” exam room. And tell them that cats are not babies and that cootchie-cooing them, and talking loudly in an exaggerated, high pitched, baby-talk voice only aggitates them, it doesn’t reassure them like it might a human baby. And for heaven’s sake, no getting down in their faces and staring into their eyes while chucking them under the chin, or whatever.
My cats hate vet techs and I understand why. The techs do not seem to get the fact that they are strangers to these animals, and that in fact, cats react differently to the above described behaviors than do human babies and maybe some dogs.
Finally, when the visit is over, don’t make us wait another 45 minutes while you take the time to enter every detail of the services into the computer! If you can’t prepare the bill in 5 minutes something is wrong! Checkout was at least 4 times faster when bills were still being written out by hand! Standing there with my exhausted cat in a carrier while the clerk answers two or three different phones, types into the computer a seemingly endless list of services and prices, answers questions that other personnel are popping in and asking, updates the inventory or whatever, while the bird is screeching and the aggitated dogs are prancing and barking, rattling their leashes and tags, sometimes growling at each other, kids are whining and pulling at their parents to leave, etc., is my idea of hell. The TV doesn’t help either so get rid of it. While you’re at it, get rid of the rock music which has been proven to amp up not only animals, but people also. If you must have music, keep it low and make it classical, which has been proven to be calming.
So, when I have to take a cat in to the routine vet (not the specialist that I like so much) I wait 10 minutes to check out and no more. If they aren’t ready to take my money at that point, I tell them to send me a bill and then I leave. As I am driving home, wrestling with feelings of guilt that I have subjected my cat to such chaos, I always swear that I will never go back to that vet. The problem is, with the exception of the specialist, all the vet offices in my town are the same. Loud, crowded, overbooked and running late, and overpriced.
Interestingly, the specialist charges less for her services, even lab services, than any other vet I have visited. And she’s always on time. From the time the exam is over to the time I drive away is at most 5 minutes. I leave with not only my receipt, but a copy of the vet’s notes about the vist, in case I have questions later. This vet cares about her patients and runs her practice in a way that is considerate of their feelings and comfort. The rest of the vets in town could do the same if they cared to.
Vets are getting a well-deserved reputation for greed and lack of consideration both for animals and their owners. They are insanely overpriced, (e.g. recent charge of $8.00 per cat-sized pill of Droncet, a drug that has been off patent for what, 20 years or more?) inconsiderate of my cat and me, and NEVER available in emergencies. I DREAD having to take my cats in for routine care primarily for the reasons described above, and so I take them in less and less. Amazingly, they are doing very well without all those supposedly necessary visits! So far, all of them have lived well past 16 years and have died eventually from old age illnesses, and this really makes me wonder about the agenda that most vets are pushing.
This is the only professional service I access where I never get out the door without having spent half a day of my time and at least $300, and actually need “recovery” time to get over the after effects of the stress. I would not put up with this from my accountant, my lawyer, my dentist, not even my own doctor! Everyone assumes that people avoid the vet because they don’t want to spend the money. Well, no one wants to spend money the way most vets charge, but I think the real reason most people resist taking their animals in is because of what I described above. For me, when my remaining cats are gone I will not get another pet because I just can’t imagine dealing with vets when I am old.
My wife and I run a small animal rescue – we do everything we can to help any animal we can. Currently we have 21 animals, from dogs and cats to a 2 week old baby rabbit. We do adoptions, wildlife rescues and even transport for rescues ALL on our own dime. Our phone number is at the local pet shops to help anyone we can. People bring us baby squirrels all the time and some are injured from the fall out of their nest, they will have blood coming from their nose or have obvious external wounds from other animals. We know they are not going to live for long and we cannot find a vet that will euthanize them for a reasonable fee much less for free. So the ability for us to put the poor suffering animal out of its misery in a safe and ethical way is a necessary evil – it does not make it any easier anytime we have to do it. So for those of you on your soap box please think about us poor souls that have to make such a decision for our beloved animals and try to understand we are trying to do the best with what we have – what are you doing?????
I have been doing some research on euthinasia for pets and came across this site and comments. As I sit here this evening with my 22 year old cat whose last day is tomorrow, I truly wish that I could give her something tonight to let her go to sleep comfortably and within the pattern of her daily life, as it is now (which is quite limited). I am taking her to the vet, I could have had a house call, but decided the vet she knows is better than one she does not, but truly I would love to be able to give her something at home in the evening after a cuddle, let her sleep by the fire and be able to let go and move on. Just my two cents.
I too found this page because I was looking for a humane home option for my sweet 18-year-old kitty. My primary concern was that I want to bury her in the yard, under the orange tree where she spent countless lazy afternoons, and as I live in a small city I suspected that the vet would be required to take the body for “proper” disposal. It is selfish and irrational of me, but I hate the idea of her being unceremoniously thrown into an incinerator or landfill with other strange animals. But today I walked down to the vet’s and asked, and learned that I do have the option of taking her home. There is apparently an ordinance against home burial of pets, but that is going to be broken.
So, our appointment is tomorrow. It may sound strange but I am going to ask that I be allowed to push the plunger in myself. Although it is the right choice, this was my choice, and I want to take full responsibility for this profound act. I will bury her with some clippings of my hair rubbed into her fur, so that at least in some sense, we will be together forever.
While I abhor the pet owner in the story, what no vet gets is that it’s expensive and painful to put your cat down. I already did it with one kitty, and swore I’d find another way if I ever had another cat. The experience was not what I would consider comfortable for the pet or all that humane. It’s akin to death row inmate’s final moments, with a legal injection. Because folks, that’s what it is. No one is sleepily overdosing, which is what I am looking for. My cat had the trauma of being poked and prodded, with the pain of an IV needle, and when that “solution” went into her, she let out one last long cry that I’ll never forget. They told me, oh she can’t feel anything. Bull. Now, with my second cat I’ve come to the same dreaded position, having to euthanize due to terminal illness. I found this website only because it popped up in a search engine for euthanizing at home. I am still looking for that option, for an overdose of valium or something to put her down.
I am wondering the same thing about a safe quick and painless home euthanasia remed. my poor dog is 13 years old and is not holding on very well. my biggest thing is going to the vet absolutely terrified her. I don’t want to take her there for her last moments where she is scared and thinking that she did something wrong. I want her to be at home where were sitting with her and she falls asleep and that’s that. they are already suffering why make him go through more trauma going in the car to the vet. I have heard that you can give high blood pressure medicine in high doses in it will do the trick. I obviously have not tried it in am terrified it won’t be quick enough. I know we all have our thoughts about releasing our animals this way but the way I see it it’s easier for the animal. in this case it is at least. there should be a cheaper alternative or health insurance that covers animals.
I echo the sentiments of many of the posts here. I had to euthanize my dog of over 10 years yesterday. I found a vet who would do it for $127, which was a lot cheaper than the mobile vet that wanted $300. It isn’t just the cost of going to the vet, is the owner wanting their pet to have a last memory of being at home in a comfortable environment. I think there should be some type of humane combination pill that owners can get to humanely euthanize their dog or cat at home. Going to the vet is not only traumatic for the animal and the owner, you have a distraught owner trying to drive home after putting down their best friend. It can be a saftey hazard. You also have the guilt that their beloved died on a cold exam table with strangers around. That is not the end we wish for our pet. There is virtually no reliable information available on home euthanasia. People are desperate and they might try desperate measures. This is not what anyone wants, the grief on top of guilt on top of being stressed out about the cost and other factors. I also had one person answering the phone at the vet’s office tell me that the vet has to examine and agree to the euthanasia. Excuse me, but I have watched my pet, I’ve seen it’s decline, I know it is suffering. I don’t want to be told it is not ‘suffering enough’ or whatever by a vet who is intent on selling me a bunch of services or products to prolong a life that may not be worth living any longer. The choice is taken out of my hands, I am a ‘bad’ owner now for not finding $1000 more dollars to buy a treatment that prolongs the length of life but not necessarily the quality of life. When a dog or cat cannot do the things they have always done that makes them a dog or cat, it is time. I don’t believe in prolonging a life just for the sake of prolonging a life. At the time my dog was in decline, my mother also went in to a diabetic coma and suffered brain damage. She was put in a state run nursing home. She told my brother to just kill her. She doesn’t want to live like that. She is essentially ‘warehoused’ waiting to die. There is no quality of life for her. These two situations between my mother and my dog had me thinking a lot about how we do death in this country (USA), and it’s not right. We spent so much keeping something alive and never ask if it is a life worth living, if it is a life we would choose for ourselves. We have a fear of death but it is a relief. I don’t want a vet to capitalize on my grief and sadness and provide what is essentially false hope. My animal is going to die. Do I want it to die while we still have some good days left and I have those happier memories, or am I going to go to Herculean efforts to prolong a life well past the point my dog has any good days and it is just a test of endurance? Why? Why can’t an animal owner choose to do this humanely at home?
Maybe you should have considered that the calling man was in stress because he HAD NO MONEY AND NO CAR! He obviously loved his cat or he would not have been calling from a fricking PAY PHONE. I don’t believe he was malicious or evil. I believe he was torn apart by his pets suffering and wanted to help it but had no means to do so. If he is complaining about vet costs he had already dealt with it. Post after post online of poor people desperate to help a pet who can’t afford to euthanize their pet, looking for a solution to end a pets suffering is so very sad. Screw you disgusting judgy people. I hope he found someone to help and I hope his kitty died peacefully.
I am looking at having to put down my 20 year old dog and it will cost $400 to have someone come to the house to help him die. God forbid I couldn’t afford it and had no means to end his suffering. I can’t imagine how horrific that would be.
I guess the poor shouldn’t have pets? Unbelievable judgy crapbags.
Thank you, Antoine. <3