Vet offers at-home pet euthanasia through online platform
Nala spent his last few moments in his favorite place with his favorite person by his side.
On Aug. 20, the 13-year-old cat was euthanized on his favorite blanket on a windowsill at the York County home of his owner, Samantha Grainger.
“He was my absolute best friend since I was 6 years old,” Grainger said.
Diagnosed with kidney failure about two months ago, “he started to go downhill very fast,” Grainger said.
She saw how Nala reacted every time he went to the veterinarian for visits and wanted to make his final moments as peaceful as possible. Grainger opted for at-home euthanasia because she felt it would be more comfortable
for Nala.
After a quick online search, she found Dr. Erin Struble, a Newport News-based veterinarian with Banfield Pet Hospital who is also heavily involved in the rescue of orphaned kittens.
Struble, known as Dr. Snuggles, has been in practice for seven years and is no stranger to helping pets — and their owners — through the difficult end-of-life transition.
She recently signed up with the California-based veterinarian-owned startup CodaPet that helps make the process on the business side a bit easier. Struble said she always wanted to branch out into at-home euthanasia, but admits she is not a business-oriented person.
“I didn’t really know how to start,” Struble said. “CodaPet handles all of that, and you just have to be a doctor. I love that.”
Started in July 2022, the company has quickly grown and is in more than a dozen states. CodaPet is named for the musical term that brings a piece to an end.
Dr. Bethany Hsia co-founded CodaPet
along with her husband, Dr. Gary Hsia, and Dr. Karen Whala. The platform provides resources for independent contractors, including marketing, scheduling and payment.
Pet owners can schedule their at-home pet euthanasia appointment with a local licensed vet online through codapet.com. Appointments average one hour in the privacy of the home.
The service starts at $315 with price variations based on driving distance, pet size and aftercare and cremation options.
“The experience with Dr. Struble was honestly all I hoped it would be,” Grainger said. “She let us have as much time as we wanted to say goodbye and was so gentle with Nala, which I was so grateful for.”
While it’s never easy, Struble said she is glad to be able to help ease the transition for pets in the Hampton Roads area.
“In-home euthanasia is one of those things that is nice, as terrible as that sounds, because it’s so much more relaxing and comforting for the family and the pets,” Struble said.
Grainger said she would recommend the service.
“They get to cross the rainbow bridge at their favorite place on Earth,” she said. “And for most, it’s the only place they know.”