When I die, I want to pass as peacefully as the pets we help pass. They pass with no fear and no pain.
This is what happens. We will arrive at your house and greet all the family members and your pet. We can discuss what the procedure will look like, and help you decide if you want to be present. Most people decide to stay by their pet, but if you are not comfortable with that, we can help your pet pass gently with us as company. Often, even children as young as 5 years old have been present, but that can be very hard for parents, who need to be able to grieve themselves without worrying about their child.
If you decide that you would like your child is to be present, our explanations will be directly to them, at their level of development. We also will help them redirect their focus by giving them clay to work with and craft a pawprint with an imprint of their fingerprint as well for a physical memory of their pet.
In short, after introductions and explanations, we will give your pet a sedative to make him or her feel floaty, and then, when everyone is calm, we will administer the final injection, which is an overdose of anesthesia, so your pet just floats away. There is no pain, and once the final injection has been given, your pet will pass within a minute or two.
After we give you time alone to say goodbye, we can help you make the pawprint in claw, and then we can either take the remains for cremation, private or group, or we can leave your pet with you to bury on your property, should your city laws allow for self-burial.
Sometimes we do need assistance carrying your pet to our vehicle, as some pets are too large to be carried alone, but we do so in a dignified manner, on a sling, gently and respectfully.
Feel free to call if you have additional questions about the procedure. We know this is a tough decision, and we are here to help.