4

Creating an Advance Plan for Your Pet’s End of Life

Although it can be very difficult to think about your pet’s end of life, looking at the practical aspects in advance and creating a plan can make the process easier for both you and your companion animal. Over the years of supporting people through loss, I have noticed that when a guardian has things in place and has made decisions ahead of time as far as possible, they are able to work through the inevitable loss with greater ease.

Even if circumstances suddenly change, if you have a plan in place it lessens the risk of needing to make snap decisions about important issues that you might regret further down the road. It also means that you can gather information, look into the different options, and take your time to decide on the best way forward while the situation is relatively calm.

Areas to Consider

What follows are brief points about what to include in your plan; further details can be found in the chapters referenced. These ideas can potentially bring up difficult emotions, so if time allows, you may find it easier to approach things gently and without pressure.

Your Personal Resources

• Having consulted your vet about your pet’s prognosis, take some time to review your personal resources: finances, time, energy, and emotions. This will help you to keep plans realistic and grounded.
• Another area to explore is your own values and beliefs about what you feel will be right for your pet in terms of palliative and end-of-life care.

(See Part One: Preparing for Pet Loss – Resources Needed When Preparing for the Loss of a Pet, here)

Booking the Euthanasia Appointment for a Small Animal

• When it is time to say goodbye, would it be better for this to be at home or at the vet practice? Many vet surgeries offer home visits, but it is worth checking this, especially if you live in a fairly remote area or the practice is particularly small.
• Another decision to look at is whether you want to, and feel you can cope with, being with your pet when they are put to sleep.

(See Part Two: The Transition – Euthanasia – Coping with Planned Euthanasia, here)

Booking the Euthanasia Appointment for a Large Animal

Your vet can help you think about these important issues:

• Which would be the best method to use to put your animal to sleep?
• Do you wish to witness the procedure, or to say your final goodbye beforehand and leave your animal in the trusted hands of the professionals you have employed?
• Where would be the best place, ideally peaceful and private, with easy access, for the collection service you plan to use after euthanasia?

(See Part Two: The Transition – Euthanasia – Euthanasia of Large Animals Such as Equines, here)

Whether to Request Sedation before Euthanasia

• Some vet practices give sedation as a matter of course but not all do so, and the need for sedation can depend on the animal’s condition and how they generally cope with medical intervention. Therefore it is worth discussing this with your vet in advance to see what they offer and what they advise about your particular pet.

(See Part Two: The Transition – Euthanasia – Coping with Planned Euthanasia, here)

What to Take or Have on Hand for the Appointment

• Think about what would be comforting for your pet as they are put to sleep, for example, their blanket and/or other items with familiar scents.

(See Part Two: The Transition – Euthanasia – Practical Aspects and What to Expect, here)

A Chance for the Family to Say Goodbye

It may not be possible for everyone to have the opportunity to say their personal goodbye, but it is important that they each understand what is happening and why it needs to happen. This could be:

- Young people who are away at university

- Children at school

- Family members who are working away from home

(See Part Two: The Transition – Euthanasia – Coping with Planned Euthanasia, here)

Preparing Children for Pet Loss

• How to do this depends on the age and the capacity of each child to understand and cope with the concept of dying, and also the depth of the bond they have with the pet.
• If time allows, you can gently introduce them to what is happening in line with your thoughts and beliefs about death and dying.

(See Part Five: Other Aspects of Pet Loss – Children and Pet Bereavement, here)

Special Requests

• Do you want to request a snippet of fur or a loose feather as a special keepsake? If so, you’ll need to let the vet know before or at the time of their transition.
• It may be possible to have a paw print taken of a cat or dog, either before or after the pet has been put to sleep, either by the vet or as part of the after-death service.

(See Part Three: Coping After the Death of Your Beloved Pet – Ceremonies and Memorials, here)

Emotional Support

• If you find yourself struggling and want to talk things through with someone who understands, several organizations offer companion animal bereavement support. Your vet practice should be able to advise you or you can search online.
• These services may offer different options, such as online, face-to-face, or telephone support. Generally they are run on a not-for-profit basis and are manned by volunteers who have been through their own bereavement journey and are trained to support others.
• There is a cost if you select a private counsellor in your area.

(See Resources)

Taking Care of Your Pet’s Remains

• This is potentially another very difficult area to think about in advance. However, planning ahead will help to ensure your wishes are met about how your pet is laid to rest.

(See Part Three: Coping after the Death of Your Beloved Pet – Taking Care of Your Pet’s Remains, here)

I suggest that you make a list of which points apply to your situation and approach this difficult process in small and manageable steps. Even if events overtake your plans, if you have given some thought to these important areas, it will go some way towards preparing for what is to come and allow you to feel more in control of the situation.