Adelaide & South Australia only
A peaceful goodbye,at home
If you are reading this, today is probably not a good day. We are sorry. When the time comes, your pet can be helped to sleep in their own bed, in their own home, with the people they love beside them, and with no car trip and no clinic at the end of it.
We take as long as it takes. There is no next appointment waiting.
In-home euthanasia is available in Adelaide and South Australia only. If your pet is suffering right now and you cannot reach us, please contact your nearest emergency veterinary hospital.
What happens
Knowing what to expect makes the day easier
Most of the dread people carry into this is dread of the unknown. So here is exactly how it goes, in order, with nothing left out.
Allow up to an hour. Much of that is spent not doing anything at all, which is the point. You can stop us at any moment, ask any question, or change your mind about anything, including where in the house it happens.
On the day
- 1
We talk first
Before the day, we go through what will happen, where you would like it to take place, who will be there, and what you would like afterwards. Knowing the shape of it in advance takes away a lot of the fear of the unknown.
- 2
We arrive quietly and sit down
There is no rush and no clipboard. Your pet stays exactly where they are, in their bed, on the couch, on the back lawn in the sun, or on your lap. If they are asleep, we leave them asleep.
- 3
Your pet relaxes
Where it helps, we give a sedative first so your pet drifts into a deep, comfortable sleep with you beside them. Some pets take a little longer than others. We wait for as long as it takes.
- 4
The goodbye itself
The final medication is an anaesthetic given into a vein. Apart from the small sting of the needle it is painless, and the effect is almost immediate. Your pet is asleep before their heart stops.
- 5
We give you time
We step outside, or into another room, for as long as you need. When you are ready, we take care of everything that follows. Nobody is asked to sign anything while they are still crying.
Things worth deciding beforehand
It is your family's day, and small choices matter
None of these are required. They are simply the things families most often tell us afterwards that they were glad to have thought about first.
Choose the place
The favourite bed, the patch of carpet in the sun, the back verandah, the shade of the tree they always dug under. It should be somewhere that means something, and somewhere you will still be comfortable sitting afterwards.
Children are welcome
If you would like your children present, they can be, and honest, simple language helps them more than being sent away. If you would rather they were not there, that is equally fine. It is your family's decision and we will follow your lead.
Other pets can be present
Many families find it helps to let the other dog or cat come in afterwards and understand for themselves. There is no evidence it distresses them, and it is often the calmest way for the household to absorb what has happened.
Take your time afterwards
There is no queue behind you. Sit with them, take a paw print, cut a lock of fur, make a cup of tea. This part matters and it is the part a clinic room cannot give you.
If you are not sure yet
How do you know when it is time?
There is no clean answer, and anybody who gives you one is guessing. Every pet's decline looks different. Pain that can no longer be managed, an end-stage illness, or simply a pet who has lost their spark and stopped doing the things that made them who they are: all of those are worth talking through.
What we can offer is a quality-of-life assessment. That is a proper consultation, in your home, where we examine your pet, ask you what a good day and a bad day look like now, and give you an honest read of where things sit. Sometimes the answer is that there is more comfortable time left than you feared, and we can help you get it.
Nobody will push you toward a decision on that visit. Being told honestly where your pet is at is worth having, whichever way it points.
Afterwards
Cremation, arranged on your behalf
You do not have to organise anything, drive anywhere, or make phone calls in the days that follow. We handle it.
We work with Eden Hills Pet Cremation. You can choose group cremation, where ashes are scattered in a picturesque location, or private cremation, where your pet's ashes are returned to you. We take care of the arrangements from here.
Home burial is an option some families prefer, but many metropolitan councils prohibit it, so please check with your local council before settling on it.
If you are undecided on the day, that is completely fine. It is not a decision that has to be made while you are grieving.
From a family we helped
We recently had to say goodbye to our highly anxious and fear reactive dog. Channy took the time to walk us through the process of at home euthanasia in advance, ensuring our dog's needs were met. They matched our energy on the day, laughing and crying along with us. We have never seen him more settled and at peace. You made an incredibly difficult decision and process a really beautiful memory for our family.
David · Mt Waverley
Cost
What it costs, published plainly
You should not have to ring a stranger and ask this question out loud on the worst week of your year. So here it is.
At-Home Euthanasia
A peaceful goodbye in the comfort of home (Adelaide / SA).
- Euthanasia OnlyAllow up to 60 minfrom $440
- Euthanasia & CremationArranged on your behalfPrice on request
All consults are Fear Free and inclusive of GST. Out-of-hours appointments, travel, prescriptions, medications and pathology testing are quoted separately. We prefer to give you a tailored estimate for your pet's exact circumstances. Travel is charged from $135.
Cremation is quoted on request because it depends on your pet's size and the option you choose, and we pass it through rather than marking it up. Travel is charged from $135 depending on where you are in South Australia. We are a GapOnly clinic and VetPay payment plans are available if that helps. If cost is the thing standing between your pet and a peaceful goodbye at home, please tell us. We would rather have that conversation than not.
Questions
The questions people are afraid to ask
None of these are silly, and you are not the first person to wonder about any of them.
No. Apart from the small sting of a needle, pet euthanasia is a painless process. The euthanasia medication is an anaesthetic, so your pet falls gently asleep before their heart stops and they pass away.
When the medication is given into the vein, the effect is almost immediate. It anaesthetises the heart as soon as it reaches the cardiac chambers, so your pet passes peacefully within moments.
Occasionally there is brief, irregular nerve activity after passing - one last breath, a small mouth movement or a leg twitch. By this point your vet has confirmed cardiac arrest and there is no brain activity. Your pet is no longer with us, so there is no welfare concern.
There are generally three options: private burial (note that many metropolitan councils prohibit this, so check with your local council first), group cremation with ashes scattered in a picturesque location, or private cremation with your pet's ashes returned to you. We use Eden Hills Pet Cremation and can arrange everything on your behalf.
There is no single answer, because every pet's journey is different. Unmanageable pain, end-stage terminal illness, or simply a pet who has lost their spark are all signs worth talking through. If you are unsure, we can schedule a consultation and quality-of-life assessment to discuss your pet's individual circumstances with you.
When you are ready
Call and talk it through, or send an enquiry if that is easier than speaking. You do not need to have made a decision to get in touch, and you will not be pushed into one.
In-home euthanasia is available in Adelaide and South Australia only.