End of Life Resources

“Losing a pet is one of the hardest days to face. Having Angel come to our house was such a blessing. She spoke so kind about our dog, reassured us in our decision, and explained the process from start to end. She was so patient and gentle with our little dog giving us the space to grieve and spend the last few minutes with him. We are so thankful that Angel was able to provide this service in the comfort of our home.”

“I’ve been lucky enough to have Emily come and do at-home euthanasia and it was such a good experience. She brought such a calm, gentle and comforting presence to the whole process. You can tell she cares about your pet and what both your pet and you are going through. Upon arrival, Emily explains the process, the first of which is to sedate your pet. You’re able to have your pet wherever you’d like, so they can be in their most comfortable, favorite spot. After sedation, Emily gives you plenty of time to love on and say goodbye to your pet. When you’re ready, she gives them the medication, with you by your pet’s side the whole time.

Saying goodbye to a pet is such a difficult thing but being able to do it from the comfort of my home has been such a gift. It’s such a relief knowing that my pet is able to have their last moments in familiar surroundings with as little anxiety as possible, and it was a great comfort to me to be able to say goodbye in the privacy of my own space.

I’m so grateful to the service that Emily provided, and her comfort to my pet during the whole process and to me at my time of loss.”

“My animals are my children with fur, especially my dog Charlie. He was there for me at many different points in my life, both good and bad. So, when at the age of 17 Charlie developed a brain tumor with concurrent seizures, I was heartbroken. I could not handle the loss. I was very thankful to Oakview, as their team member Angel, assisted my wife through the process of the euthanasia when I could not. Charlie’s last moments were in the sun next to the water with my wife. I could not be more thankful for Oakview. They made this end-of-life experience a positive memory for all involved, they were supportive and truly understood the many ways of grieving. Oakview definitely has an angel on their team.” – Mark.

“Oakview Veterinary Medical Center has assisted me with in home euthanasia for one of my fur babies. My elderly cat Rudy had kidney failure and there was nothing medically left to do. It was time to say goodbye to her. The idea of having her last moments on a cold clinic table seemed wrong. I felt she deserved more. I was put in contact with Angel, a CVT at Oakview. She was supportive, compassionate and after listening to what I wanted for my kitty of 15 years, she gave me options. I opted to have the euthanasia in my home the next day as I wanted to have one last night with her. When Angel arrived, she took the time to check in with all who gathered. She was kind, respectful and made sure I was ready to proceed before starting the procedure. During the procedure she checked in with me to make sure I understood what she was doing and if I was ready for the next step. Once the procedure was finished she assisted me in making paw prints for keepsakes and made sure I was okay and at peace before she left the home.”

“I cannot express enough how much I have appreciated the option of euthanizing my pets at home. I have had to euthanize two cats in the last 5 years. Being able to have my cats euthanized at home made the process a lot less stressful for my cats. I did not have the heartbreak in putting my cats in carriers once last time, which they hated, and driving to the vet, where there was a lot of noises and unfamiliar smells.

At home I was able to create a quiet space where my cats and I could be more comfortable. This allowed Poopy and then later Painten their last minutes of life to be in familiar surroundings, and me the opportunity to grieve in peace and privacy. I was able to cry in the comfort of my own home, instead of in a public place, where there were other people around.”

Dear Dr. Curtis,

Friday, June 15 – the day we said goodbye to our sweet, old Joey. A day that filled us with overwhelming grief and sadness, but also gave us the privilege of experiencing amazing compassion, care, thoughtfulness, and gentleness. 

We cannot thank you enough for assisting to make Joey’s last moments with us peaceful and dignified. We will forever be grateful for the grace you possess that allowed us to have a positive memory of such a difficult time in our lives.

With sincere gratitude,

Joey’s humans