A more comfortable farewell
Amid COVID-19 restrictions, more veterinarians offer pet euthanasia service at home
NEW YORK — Clarence the giant schnauzer came into Penny Wagner’s life as a puppy nearly eight years ago, at a traumatic time for her family.
She and her husband, Steve, had recently lost their 21-year-old daughter in a car accident. Soon after, their other child went off to college and Steve returned to work, leaving Penny home alone with her grief. That’s when they brought Clarence into the family.
Earlier this year, the beloved pet became critically ill with advanced kidney disease. Their veterinarian wouldn’t allow them to stay with him until the end at the clinic due to COVID-19 protocols, so they had him put down at home in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in a favorite laundry room spot.
A vet working with a company called Pet Loss at Home arrived and greeted Clarence and the Wagners. She gave the couple all the time they needed before administering two injections, one to relax the 90-pound dog and the other to let him go. The couple cuddled him as they cried, and their other dog, Cooper, was able to say goodbye as well.
“He’ll always have a special place in my heart,” said a tearful Wagner.
Private services that offer home euthanasia for pets have been busier than ever since the pandemic led to restrictions on humans inside veterinary practices and animal hospitals. But home euthanasia isn’t for everybody. It tends to cost more, and some pet owners believe it is unduly upsetting to small children and other pets.
The vast majority of pet euthanasia is still done in a clinical setting, though some vets have begun to offer end-of-life care at home.
Diane Brisson, 72, of Pinellas Park, Florida, used Lap of Love when it came time to bid farewell to Champagne, her 12-year-old Yorkie, last December. Champagne was the only dog her mother, since passed, enjoyed. Champagne fell critically ill with pancreatitis and other organ failure, and Brisson couldn’t bring herself to leave him at the vet alone at the end.
“I couldn’t have asked for anything more peaceful,” she said.
Lap of Love allowed her to have a neighbor with her for support. The neighbor took photos as Champagne sat in Brisson’s lap in a favorite chair. The vet waited patiently until Brisson was ready to let go. The doctor placed Champagne in a small wicker basket with a white satin pillow and a lavender satin blanket after he passed to take him away for cremation.
“I stayed with him for about 20, 25 minutes and said, ‘OK, you’re going to be with nanny now. You’re going to watch over me with her and you’re going to take care of her up there, and she’s going to take care of you,’ ” Brisson tearfully recalled.
Lap of Love returned Champagne’s ashes to Brisson.
Dani McVety, a hospice veterinarian in Tampa, Florida, founded Lap of Love in 2009. She considered her ability to help people manage grief to be rare among vets.
“A lot of times doctors aren’t necessarily comfortable with that because they haven’t been trained to do it,” said McVety, whose company operates in 35 states with more than 230 vets.
In general veterinary practices, McVety said, euthanasia costs vary, depending on the services. It can be as inexpensive as under $100. At an emergency hospital, it may be more. Like Pet Loss at Home, Lap of Love’s fees vary on location. In Tampa, for instance, Lap of Love charges about $300.