If you have a question about pet end-of-life care, pet quality-of-life assessment, or mobile at-home euthanasia that is not answered on this page, please reach out to our team.
Deciding when to say goodbye to our pet is a tremendous responsibility, and it is understandably one of the most difficult decisions we as pet owners have to make. Often, it can feel like we are doing the wrong thing no matter what choice we make. It doesn’t help that the only advice that people typically hear is: “When it’s time, you’ll just know.” If you are looking for an answer to this question, you know that this is not always true. In fact, it rarely is.
Many factors affect your pet’s quality of life and the bond you share with them. Is your pet’s pain adequately controlled? Can they breathe normally? Are they still enjoying interactions with you, with other animals, and with their environment? Are they tolerant of supportive care? Are you equipped with the financial and physical resources to provide them with an easeful quality of life? That last question can feel very challenging to include in your deliberations, but affordability is a very real factor for most pet owners.
You can find tools and guides to help you answer these questions on our Assessing Your Pet’s Quality of Life page. If you find you are struggling to weigh the answers to these questions, you can also reach out to our team. We can walk you through every step of the at-home euthanasia process and help you decide your next steps.
Your home is where your pet feels calm and secure. It’s also where you likely feel the most calm and secure as well. During one of the most difficult times you will face as a pet owner, veterinary homecare reduces stress and discomfort for your pet, and for you as well. You won’t have to put your pet in a carrier, and your pet won’t be faced with the fear and discomfort of travel or a busy clinic waiting room. This is especially beneficial if your pet is timid or nervous, or is suffering from a condition that makes transportation more difficult.
Homecare simplifies the complex end-of-life process and allows you to focus on being with your beloved companion until the very end. You can make them comfortable — on your lap, or in a favourite spot. You can give them their favourite treats, if they are able to eat comfortably. You can surround them with their favourite toys or blankets. If you wish, you can have your family or close friends present with you. And when the time comes to say the final goodbye, you yourself are already at home, in the place you feel most comfortable.
If you would like to learn more about the what happens during a humane at-home euthanasia appointment, you can read about the entire step-by-step Lifting Stars process on our What to Expect page. You can also reach out to our team directly to ask us any questions you may have.
Understanding what will happen during your appointment can make the pet euthanasia process much less stressful, allowing you to focus on your pet, your family, and on saying goodbye in the way you wish. Read our What to Expect page for a step-by-step walkthrough of the entire at-home euthanasia process, from start to finish to aftercare. You’ll also find tips there about how to prepare, and how to reduce stress and anxiety for your pet as much as you can. If you have any further questions, reach out to our team and we’ll answer them as best we can.
You may also want to read through our Grief Resources page for additional support in coping with the loss for your pet.
Yes, you do need to make an appointment for at-home euthanasia appointments. If you can, it’s best to reach out to us with at least 1 to 3 business days’ notice so we can gather as much information as we can, including your primary veterinarian’s contact information so we can access your pet’s medical records. This ensures we’re fully prepared to provide the best care during this sensitive time. However, if your situation is urgent, don’t hesitate to get in touch. We will do our best to accommodate you and occasionally we can even make a same-day appointment.
If you would like to know more about what will happen once you make your appointment, read through our What to Expect page, or reach out to us with your questions.
Yes. All pets receive an initial injection for sedation and pain relief before the final euthanasia injection is given. This injection will help your pet relax and be as comfortable as possible, and will induce a relaxed and often sleep-like state before the final euthanasia injection is given. Our veterinarian will explain what is happening at every stage of the process, so you always know what is going on and what your pet is experiencing.
Yes, your family members, including your children, can be present during your pet’s at-home euthanasia appointment. When it comes to kids and pet euthanasia, you will be the best judge of whether or not it is best for your children to stay for the procedure. For some children, it can be an important emotional experience, and can help them understand and cope with the loss. For others, it can be frightening or stressful. You know your kids best. If you would like additional resources for this decision, the Association for Pet Loss and Bereavement has a succinct guide you can order that outlines key considerations for helping your children through the loss of a beloved pet.
Additionally, please review our own grief support resources for further guidance on the subject of children and pet euthanasia. These guides can help you decide whether your children are ready to attend the euthanasia appointment and help you prepare them if they are.
If having a good friend or friends at your side will be helpful and supportive for you, we welcome you to invite them. Consider ahead of time what kind of environment, atmosphere, and support network you want in your home during the euthanasia, for your sake, and for your pet’s sake. Having calm, compassionate, and loving emotional support from your friends during and after your pet’s appointment can be very helpful during a very difficult moment. Often, our friends love our pets too, and may be grateful for the chance to say goodbye. However, some people wish for quiet time alone with their pets during this experience. The choice of who, how many, or if at all is yours.
This is possible, but we strongly recommend that an outdoor euthanasia appointment take place in a private and serene space, for your sake and for your pet’s sake. This is important to help you honour the peaceful transition of your beloved companion, and to keep your pet’s stress to a minimum. Appropriate areas include your own private yard or a space where you have permission to ensure confidentiality and comfort. Our aim is to create a quiet, intimate environment away from public view or any potential disruptions for your pet and your family during this heartfelt goodbye.
We schedule up to one hour for a euthanasia or quality-of-life consultation appointment, from start to finish. We understand that sometimes a full hour is not needed, while other times a little more time is required. Our goal is to help give you, your family and your pet the time you need without feeling rushed, while also keeping our doctors on schedule for the other families we are helping each day. If you have any special timing requests or concerns, please reach out to us, and we will try to accommodate your needs as best we can.
Yes, we do offer cremation services across the Metro Vancouver area. Quality aftercare is important to pet owners, and honouring your pet is a responsibility we take seriously. We partner with Gateway Pet Memorial Services in Surrey to provide cremation and memorial services after euthanasia. You can read about more about our private and communal pet cremation services, along with your options for memorial keepsakes and urns, on our Pet Cremation page. You can find information about fees on our Pricing and Payments page
We don’t recommend the burial of pets that have been humanely euthanized by your veterinarian. The medication used for euthanasia is potentially fatal to wildlife and harmful to the environment. The medication can take several years to become benign once your pet is buried. Cremation deactivates the harmful medication immediately.
If you wish to bury your pet, it is your responsibility to check with your local municipality for up-to-date regulations on burial for euthanized pets. Please ensure that you follow these regulations. Pets can only be buried on private property that you own or have permission to use. If you are interested in arranging for the burial of your pet, please let us know in advance.
Lifting Stars Veterinary Homecare is based in Vancouver, BC, and serves clients across most of Metro Vancouver. Our service areas for humane at-home pet euthanasia include Vancouver, North Vancouver, West Vancouver, Burnaby, New Westminster, Richmond, Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, Port Moody, Surrey, and Langley. Please refer to our Pricing and Payments page for information on travel fees for your area.
Our humane at-home euthanasia appointments usually require about one hour and include a house call, a consultation with the veterinarian, and the humane euthanasia procedure. There is an additional fee for cremation, and there may be transportation fees for cities outside of Vancouver itself. The fee will increase for larger-sized pets and for clients living further away from central Vancouver. For a detailed breakdown of our service fees and information on how to pay, please visit our Pricing and Payments page, or call us at 778-840-5438 for an estimate.
There are lots of reasons you might want to cancel your at-home euthanasia appointment with our veterinarians — some logistical, some emotional, some medical. If you need to cancel, we will understand. However, we do ask for a minimum of 24-hours’ notice for cancelling or rescheduling appointments so that our doctors and support team can effectively plan and we can help all of the families who need us. There is no charge for cancellation if you contact us to cancel within more than 24 hours of your appointment. For any appointments that are cancelled or rescheduled within 24 hours there is a cancellation fee. If you have questions about how and when to schedule your appointment or how to cancel if necessary, reach out to us and we’ll be glad to answer them.
The most efficient way to book your appointment is by filling out our online Request A Visit form or to call our support specialists at 778-840-5438. Our team is available to answer your calls from Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., and weekends 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. If you call or email outside of those hours, we’ll respond to you as quickly as we can.
We can sometimes accommodate urgent requests, but to ensure that we have a veterinarian available, please make your appointment in advance if possible, though we say this with the understanding that a pet’s well-being can and often does change unexpectedly. The more time you give us to plan, the better we can assist you, but we also know that advance notice is not always possible. We will always try our best to accommodate you.
Lifting Stars Veterinary Homecare is not an emergency service. If your pet is in a state of emergency, please contact your regular veterinarian or your local veterinary emergency clinic.
Our standard doctor’s hours for at-home veterinary appointments are:
Monday to Friday: 9 am to 5 pm
Evenings and weekends: Limited availability, call for details
Statutory holidays: Limited availability, call for details
