A Veterinarian’s Perspective on in-home Euthanasia

As a veterinarian euthanasia is both heartbreakingly hard and a necessary part of the service I provide. I believe that one of the most important services I perform as a doctor is my role in making the final moments of a beloved pets life peaceful and pain-free. My goal during a euthanasia is to make the pet and the pet-parent feel safe and comfortable, and with very few exceptions I feel strongly that the best place to achieve this feeling of safety and comfort is in a family’s home environment. I hate the idea of older pets struggling to make a final trip into the car and their bereaved owners struggling to help them make the final effort for a ride to a place that has often meant discomfort and anxiety. I believe the best place for a pet to take their last breath is a soft, comfortable bed in the safe, loving environment of home. I have made a commitment to provide my patients with the level of care I would want for my own pets, and my commitment to helping facilitate a meaningful in-home goodbye is strengthened when I look at my own animals and think about what I want for them during those final moments.

– Dr. Kelly Butterworth