Supporting Pet Families Before and After Euthanasia
Find practical materials to help your team support families before, during, and after a pet’s euthanasia. Share brochures, guides, and other resources at the right time to help them prepare, create a meaningful goodbye, and navigate the early stages of grief.
Preparing for Euthanasia
Helping Families Make the Decision
Direct families to pain-assessment and quality-of-life tools, including our online calculator, to support conversations about when euthanasia may be the most compassionate option.
Printable Brochures for Pet Families
These brochures answer common questions about pet end-of-life care, explain what to expect during euthanasia, and help families consider the decisions they may need to make. Share them before the appointment so families can review the information at their own pace.
Helping Children Through Pet Loss
This brochure helps parents talk with children about a pet’s illness, euthanasia, and death. It offers age-appropriate guidance for answering their questions and helping them take part in saying goodbye.
Saying Goodbye
Personalizing the EUTHABAG
This handout presents personalizing the EUTHABAG as a goodbye ritual families can take part in. Messages and drawings offer a way to honor their pet and make one final meaningful gesture.
Share it before or during the euthanasia appointment so families know this option is available.
Creating a Paw or Nose Print
A paw or nose print can become a treasured keepsake after a pet’s death. Learn how to prepare the paw or nose and create a clear print.
After the loss
Understanding Aftercare Options
Help families understand the options available, including cremation, aquamation, home burial, and burial in a pet cemetery. When home burial is chosen, explain the importance of proper containment and burial to help prevent secondary poisoning in pets and wildlife, and share the appropriate guidance.
Sympathy Cards
Sending a card after a pet’s death is a thoughtful way to acknowledge the loss and show that the pet and family are remembered. Find suggestions for writing a warm, personal message.
Grief Support Resources
Extend your support beyond the appointment by directing families to professional counselors, pet loss support groups, and other trusted resources.
Pet Family Hub
From quality-of-life guidance and euthanasia preparation to grief support and memorial ideas, our Pet Family Hub brings together trusted information for every stage. Direct families there to find answers, decision-making tools, and resources they can explore at their own pace.