DECISION MAKING TOOLS
How to know when the time has come
Preparing for the loss of a companion can make a meaningful difference for you and your family. Every pet and every family is unique. These tools are here to help you feel more informed, more prepared, and less alone when the time comes.
EUTHABAG
Buying your respectful pet body bag in advance and personalizing your EUTHABAG can be very soothing and can help the grieving process, especially for children.
Pain Detection
Animals do not cry or complain, but their nonverbal language speaks. To help you understand this language and detect pain in your pet, there are tools and pain scales.
BEAP Pain Scale: well illustrated and developed by Dr. Shea Cox, collaborator of CAETA.
Feline Grimace Scale: This great and simple tool was developed by a team from the University of Montreal in 2019. You will find a PDF version and there is also a mobile application available on the Feline grimace scale website!
Feline grimace scale (PDF)
Feline grimace scale (Free Application)
Recognize when the time has come
Knowing when the time has come. Various tools and questionnaires have been developed by professionals to assess your pet’s quality of life and know when it’s time to say goodbye.
Questionnaire How do I know when it’s time? by Ohio State University adapted by the Euthabag team.
Family quality of life: yours is as important as your pet’s.Your pet wants the best for you.
Online Pet Quality of life Calculator: ask yourself the good questions and talk about it with your family.
Prepare your children for the transition
Children may grieve the loss of a pet in ways that are difficult to understand or express. This article offers gentle, age-appropriate guidance to help you talk openly about death, involve your child in saying goodbye, and support them as they process their grief.
Many books adapted for them are also available on the subject.
Enlightening Texts
If It Should Be: A touching text to help owners feel less guilty when euthanizing their pet.
Stages of Grief, to understand the normal stages of grief.
The Heartbreak We Choose, by Megan Kendall in the Huffington Post. A magnificent testimony on the weight of the decision of a devoted dog owner. To read with a tissue at hand.
Aftercare Options Following Euthanasia
Deciding between cremation, aquamation, home burial, or burial in a pet cemetery? Your veterinary team can explain what cremation and aquamation involve and help you understand the options available. If you are considering a home burial, check with your municipality to confirm the regulations that apply to burial on private property.
Our guide to burying a pet explains the steps and precautions to consider. To learn why proper containment and burial regulations matter, read our article on pentobarbital toxicity.
If you choose burial in a pet cemetery, visit our Honoring your pet page for more information.
Talk about it with your family and your veterinarian, together you can choose the best options for you and your companion.