When cats or dogs become part of our families, the last thing we're thinking about is how their time on earth will end. Sadly though, it's something all pet parents eventually face. If you're at that point, you may be considering pet euthanasia (putting your pet to sleep). It's an option that many people choose to prevent pets from suffering in their final days. Pet euthanasia can be performed in a veterinary clinic or at home.
"The best place for a euthanasia is going to be wherever you and your pet feel comfortable," says Dani McVety, DVM, CEO and founder of Lap of Love Veterinary Hospice, an organization that provides in-home euthanasia. "For most people and their pets that's going to be in the home, especially for cats who want as little interaction with strangers as possible. But with dogs, I've had people bring them in the car because they love going for rides or I've met them at the beach or the park."
If pet euthanasia at home is an option you'd like to explore, read on to learn more about the service and what you can expect.
Who Can Perform at-Home Animal Euthanasia?
Pet euthanasia services are regulated by state laws, which typically require a licensed veterinary or technician to do it wherever it occurs. Typically, at-home euthanasia is performed by veterinarians who specialize in end-of-life care (hospice).
How Is Pet Euthanasia Performed at Home?
At-home pet euthanasia services are designed to make the process as peaceful as possible for you and your pet. Unlike the veterinary setting, you decide what environment is best for your pet's passing—in his bed, on your lap, under a backyard tree, surrounded by favorite toys—and your furry pal never leaves your side during the procedure. You can play soothing music, control the lighting, and even feed him a last-hurrah treat, if your pet is up to it.
Typically, when the hospice veterinarian arrives you'll discuss your pet's condition and the vet may give your pet a brief physical exam. Then the vet will explain the euthanasia process to you. Two injections are given for this procedure. The first one sedates the pet so his body relaxes and he drifts to sleep over the course of three to five minutes. The second injection is the euthanasia solution that's an overdose of barbiturates, which shuts off the respiratory part of the brain and the heart stops beating.
Afterwards, the hospice vet may step out and give you a few moments of alone time with your pet. The vet may also offer to create a paw print or cut a lock of fur as a keepsake for you. Finally, the hospice vet will transport your pet's body to a crematory for cremation or to a funeral home for burial, depending on which service you choose.
How Much Does Home Pet Euthanasia Cost?
Having a veterinarian come to your home to perform pet euthanasia will be pricier than doing it in a veterinary setting. But people say the cost of at-home euthanasia is worth it for a calmer experience. Expect to pay between $200 to $300. Note that cremation costs and burial fees are separate.
When Should You Have Your Pet Euthanized at Home?
Perhaps the most difficult question to grapple with is when you should put your pet to sleep. Planning an at-home euthanasia works best when you can do it before it becomes an emergency.
If your pet has an illness that affects the brain, heart, or lungs, those are organs that'll suddenly stop functioning and create an urgent situation, McVety explains. It's important to understand that if you wait until the very last minute, you're probably going to have to make a trip to an emergency pet hospital rather than having an at-home euthanasia.
"You really have to weigh competing desires for wanting more time with your pet but also wanting them to have a peaceful passing," says McVety. "With that being said, if your pet rapidly goes downhill and you have to rush to the emergency room to stop their suffering, don't beat yourself up about it. The timing of natural death is unpredictable."
Your pet's health status, and your ability to keep him comfortable, is the best measuring stick for figuring out when to have euthanasia performed. Talk with your regular veterinarian about your pet's condition and outlook. Your vet can help you get a better feel for your cat or dog's timeline and if medications can ease their discomforts.
Once your pet is at the hospice stage, rarely do things get better though, says McVety. "You might have a better day, a better hour, or a slightly better couple of days. But altogether, your pet's health will continue to decline, which is the natural process of life. Oftentimes, once pet parents realize that, it's easier for them to make a decision."
There are many options to choose from for those considering euthanasia for their pets – the cost can vary depending on what you would like done with the body and will usually be somewhere between $25 and $400. If cremated, a general cremation will be in the $100-$150 range plus an additional fee if you want something memorable such as a custom urn or jewelry added onto it. Alternatively, there are shared and individual cremations. If instead, you want to take the body home with you, you will have to spend anywhere between $25 to $70 to have it euthanased.
You might also like our articles about the cost of pet cremation, pet insurance, or pet sedation.
Euthanasia can be performed at a local shelter or in the veterinarian’s office, costing anywhere from $25 to $150. At-home euthanizing can cost around $225, though prices will vary depending on animal and location. In Minnesota, the Animal Humane Society charges between $10 and $85 dollars depending on the animal that needs to be put down, while Miami offers flat rates of $25 per animal.
Many people are willing to pay a high price for an animal’s euthanasia. However, there is one problem: the cost greatly varies depending on what type of cremation service you want—whether it be in-office or urn with ashes returned back home.
According to GardenWeb Forum members, they have paid anywhere from $50-$200 per procedure for animals’ euthanasias. This would depend on if you need your pet just put down at the vet office or you want their remains sent back to your house. You can also have them buried as well.
PetMD has analyzed cremation options and their prices, which, by their account, can range from $645 to upwards of $800 depending on the type of service you need. Seniortailwaggers says that clinical euthanasia will cost between $75-$350 in most places, while at-home services for animals may start at about $300 but go up depending on what you opt for.
Pet euthanasia details
During the procedure, your pet will be given a tranquilizer to help them relax and make their last moments with you as comfortable as possible. Once they are unconscious from the drug, another one is applied that stops their heart completely so there’s no chance of suffering or pain before death comes. Depending on the services and what you want to happen next, you can either have your pet cremated and ashes returned to you, or have the body buried for you, or brought to you so you can bury it yourself.
The process of tranquilizing your pet can be done at the vet’s office, or in a more comfortable setting. The latter option is best for pets that are too sick to travel without sedation and those who become anxious when going into unfamiliar settings such as the vet clinic. You will also have the alternative of either staying in the room during the process or leaving and returning when everything is said and done.
Any extra costs to consider?
Cremation often has a high cost. It’s not uncommon for an individual cremation service, which is where the pet is cremated alone and with their ashes put into something like an urn or vase, to be $300. You can opt for group cremation services that are usually around $100. After the body has been cremated, you will have to get an urn. It will usually cost anywhere from $30 to $180, depending on the customizations you go for and the jewelry you add, if any.
To have an animal buried in a local cemetery, the price can range from $300 to $800 for a plot. Headstones cost extra depending on what type of headstone you want to get. They are usually picked depending on the pet’s size.
It’s not all that common, but some vets can come to your home so you don’t have to go out and carry your pet with you. It costs anywhere from $50-$200 extra for them to do this, depending on how far they’re traveling or where you live.
Important tips to remember
Many vets are hesitant to euthanize healthy animals. If your animal is not sick and has no behavioral problems, they will likely reject your request for an appointment. It may be helpful in this situation to pay ahead of time so that there’s one less thing on our plate when we show up at the office.
Is there any way to spend less?
You can consider taking your animal to a local vet for the procedure because home services are going to cost significantly more since they have to come to you. Consider buying a small memorial stone or having cremation done on-site so you don’t need an expensive cemetery plot afterward.
Animal cremation can be a difficult decision for those who are not financially stable. There is an option of taking the animal to your local Humane Society or county if you cannot afford it and they may have lower rates than other veterinarian offices.
Be sure to ask about low-cost options at any shelters in your city, as some organizations offer them.
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Alec Pow
Alec Pow is a thorough and methodical Financial and Business Analyst with over 15 years of experience in financial statement analysis, Foreign exchange derivative hedging instruments analysis, modeling, and risk management, with a long history of writing for big news publications like Forbes, MSN.com, Washington Post, and many more.