Pet owners unprepared for one of the hardest decisions they may face, new research reveals

For many British pet owners, the difficult decision to euthanise a beloved pet is one they are likely to encounter. Yet new research reveals that many are reaching that moment without knowing about the options available to them. 

A nationwide survey by pet euthanasia and aftercare provider Vets at Home, conducted in conjunction with Pet Database, has exposed a major information gap around end-of-life care for pets amongst UK pet parents. 

Of those surveyed, only half recognised how common the decision to euthanise a pet is, despite Royal Veterinary College-led VetCompass research on euthanasia as a method of death in UK companion animals reporting that 92% of dog deaths1 and 84% of cat deaths2 recorded in UK veterinary practices involved euthanasia. 

What’s more, four in ten (40%) who had experienced pet loss did not know that saying goodbye at home was possible before their own experience. 

The findings come as families across the UK remember the animals they have lost amidst Dog Remembrance Month and ahead of National Pet Memorial Day on Sunday 13 September.

The survey also highlighted how differently many pet parents who have already experienced loss would have managed their pet’s end-of-life care if they’d had a better understanding of the options available to them and the decisions they’d have to make beforehand.

Almost three quarters (74%) said they would definitely or possibly use a service that allowed them to record their preferences for their pet’s end-of-life care in advance, showing clear demand for a simple way to plan before a crisis.

Of those who had already lost a pet, fewer than a quarter (23%) said goodbye at home, but seven in ten (72%) said they would prefer at-home euthanasia if they faced the decision again. 

Among those whose goodbye happened at a veterinary practice, two thirds (64%) would choose home next time. Of those who had said goodbye at home, 98% would choose it again. 

Jennie Johnson MBE, co-founder and CEO of Vets at Home, said: "When you bring home a puppy, kitten or rescue, you naturally think about the life ahead, not how it may end. Yet as their family, you may one day be involved in difficult decisions about your pet's end-of-life care. 

"At Vets at Home, we believe that if more pet parents understood how likely they are to face these decisions, more would make a plan. This does not mean choosing a date or making a decision before it is needed. It means understanding the options, thinking about what matters to your family and your pet, and being better prepared if their health changes quickly.

“There is no single right way to say goodbye, but having thought about it beforehand can mean more choice and less pressure when the time comes - and sometimes the time can come a lot more suddenly than expected. A pet's health or quality of life can deteriorate rapidly, turning an anticipated future decision into an immediate one.”

Among pet parents surveyed whose goodbye did not happen at home, the most common reason was that their pet's condition declined too quickly or became an emergency (39%). 

A third (27%) said a home goodbye was never offered by their vet, while a quarter (25%) did not know it was possible.

Dr Rebecca Goodwin BVetMed MRCVS said: "When a pet's condition deteriorates unexpectedly, families may have to absorb difficult information and make decisions very quickly. 

“Talking about end-of-life wishes before a crisis does not mean deciding when to say goodbye. It means understanding the options before they are urgently needed.”

Dr Goodwin added that euthanasia is not about giving up. “When a pet's quality of life has deteriorated and treatment cannot give them an acceptable level of comfort, it can be the final act of kindness that prevents further suffering."

Other findings exposed the emotional toll of choosing to say goodbye to a pet. More than half (53%) of those surveyed said they felt guilt after their pet died. 

Even among those who were confident the timing was right, almost half (47%) still felt guilty, whilst a quarter (25%) had regrets about how things were handled.

Paul faced the decision after his dog Zeus, a German Shepherd and Pyrenean Mountain Dog cross, had beaten cancer twice. When the cancer returned, Zeus was initially given three months to live but survived for six. A later deterioration left the family facing the prospect that he could die in agony within 72 hours.

"We chose to have Zeus's life ended at home. I knew it was the right decision, but you still feel guilty,” he explained. “What if the vet got it wrong? What if there was something more we could have done to extend his life?"

For Annette, the decision to euthanise her dog Frankie was followed by weeks of deep introspection, examining her actions closely. She said she’d ask herself whether she had been the right person to make that decision, and if she’d taken the easier route out. 

“Would I have acted in his interests more honourably if I had persisted with the treatment? Or had I really done ‘the kindest thing’, as was the vet’s final, parting words to me,” she continued.”

"Guilt after euthanasia is not proof that the decision was wrong. Families can know it was the kindest option and still question themselves afterwards,” commented Dr Goodwin. “Having someone to talk to and knowing where to find support can make a real difference."

In response to the survey findings, Vets at Home has created The Good Life Plan, a free planning tool to help pet parents consider and record their wishes in advance. It is available here vetsathome.com/glp001 , along with a free downloadable eBook, The Last Kindness – a guide to letting go, and quality of life assessment tool for your pet.