Loyal
and Loved

What is the process?

The vet will talk to you about your pet and what health conditions and medications they are on, and prepare a plan for the visit. We will take account of which family members want to be involved, and also the specific nature of your pet, aswell as taking care of paperwork and arrangement of the aftercare. Once everything is ready, the vet will give a sedative which is specially formulated for your pets needs, to calm then and take away any anxiety and pain, and relax them. after 10-20minutes, once your pet is asleep another medication is given which slows the heart and allows them to pass away peacefully in their sleep.

How do I know when to make the decision?

This is always done for each individual pet by consultation between the vet and the pet's carers. If the activities that your pet enjoys and gets pleasure from such as eating, walking, or social interaction are decreased, while factors that cause suffering are increased (such as physical or emotional discomfort) then this is what makes the quality of life poor. In some cases there are easy treatments we can give to alleviate sufffering, if this isn't possible or practical then the best option may be euthanasia.

How long does it take?

The whole visit for a home euthanasia usually takes around an hour but may be from a half up to 2 hours depending on exactly which medications are used, as this is individualised for every pet. Also some families like a bit more time to sit with their deceased loved one and say goodbye. We never want to rush this process so know that you'll have all the time you need.

How do we make sure that it goes smoothly?

By talking through the details of your pet and your family situation we can prepare a plan that will work the best on the day, and location. This may mean extra calming medications for your pet, even before the vet arrives. Or ir might mean taking extra time to talk to certain family members and answer any questions they might have. From many years of experience doing these calls we know what to look for and how to make things go smoothly.

How much does it cost?

This depends on the size of the pet, and the location, time of day and urgency of the call. For comparison, a cat or small dog home euthanasia in Surry hills, booked on a weekday before 7pm is around $370. The different cremation options for this call would be from $80 up to $420.

How do I prepare?

The best way to prepare is by talking to the vet well in advance of when you think you might need the call. This will allow you to have things in place just in case they are needed sooner than you thought. Once the call is booked, just allow your pet to be wherever they are most happy. We have helped pets pass away in the garden or yard, or perched in their favourite spot in the window. having blankets on hand and not feeding any large meals can also help make things go smoothly. Also, talking in advance to anyone else that is close to the pet, so they don't feel left out.

What happens afterwards?

Your pet is lovingly transported in a soft bed of golden velvet to the clinic, to be kept cool until being transported to the crematorium later that day or the day after. They are carefully tracked every step of the way, by drivers and crematorium staff that Dr Raf has known personally for many years.

Do I need to organise the cremation?

No, only if you want to. You can arrange with the cremation company for the pickup afterwards, though in most cases we arrange it for you and take care of the transport afterwards. This makes it smoother and one less step to arrange if we do the transport when we are there on the day. We use and recommend Petrest, Patch and Purr, and Pets to Rest.

How do I know that I'm getting just my pets ashes?

We only use services where pets are cremated individually. The crematoriums that we work with have careful tracking systems in place, there is also the option to go and view your pet going into the crematorium, where they have viewing rooms, and cameras on the entrance to the furnace. There are also other tracking options such as metal bracelets with a unique identifier that follows them through the entire process and is delivered back to you with the ashes.

This is so tough, how do I do this?

It can be very difficult, to many people the bond with the pet is so strong and cannot even be put into words. We have two wonderful grief support professionals (Leslie and Ivan) who have personally been through this and are a wonderful source of support. Talking with the vet also may help to make things clearer and empower you in caring for a sick or dying pet. You're not alone in this, and we are here to support you in whatever way we can.