Time to Say Goodbye

Do I have to do anything beforehand?

You will be asked to read and sign a consent form at the start of the appointment, if we are coming to your home the nurse will bring one with them.

Do I have to bring my pet in?

You can bring your pet in or we do offer a home visit service. There are no criteria to meet in order to receive a home visit. We understand that sometimes there are difficulties bringing pets in and that it can be distressing or uncomfortable for pets and owners.

Booking the appointment?

You can book the appointment for anytime in our consulting hours, if you would prefer a start or end of surgery appointment please let the receptionist know and we will best try accommodate. Home visits are normally between surgery times; we endeavour to do this at a time to suit yourselves however sometimes the vet may only be available at certain times.

Does it hurt?

The process itself is relatively pain free, an overdose of anaesthetic is injected into a vein in the front leg. If your pet is uncomfortable or nervous it might be less stressful to put a catheter into the vein instead. At most the only discomfort your pet would feel is the scratch of the needle.

Can I stay with my pet?

Absolutely, it can give your pet a lot of comfort whilst the vet injects the anaesthetic. The process whilst simple can be distressing and emotional as you share final moments together. We understand and respect that this can be too hard for some people, in this case one of our nurses will hold and cuddle your pet.

What if I change my mind about the appointment?

It’s a big decision however if you want to change your mind that is totally your choice! We only ask that the sooner you know and are able to let us know the better as we allow longer timeslots for these appointments.

What happens to my pet after?

There are a couple of options once you have said goodbye to your pet:

Home Burial: You can take your pet home with you straight away.

Individual Cremation: The nurses will prepare them for the move from the practice to the pet crematorium. Individual cremation is when you receive the ashes back. Ashes normally take up to 1-2 weeks to arrive back at the practice, when they come back in the nurse will call to notify you. There are a variety of boxes your pet’s ashes can be kept in, which the nurse can go through with you. There is also the option for a scatter box, should you wish to return your pet to their favourite place.

Group Cremation: The nurses will prepare them for the move from the practice to the pet crematorium. Group cremation is when you do not receive the ashes back.

We now also keep paw impression boxes, if you would like to have a keepsake as well as or instead of cremation/ home burial.