Our pets give us so much throughout their lives, from their playful youth to their final breaths. For most pet parents, there comes a time when we must consider giving our beloved pets the gift of a peaceful death that offers them the love and dignity they deserve.
While we all wish that financial cost wasn’t a concern with pet euthanasia, your veterinarian knows that it’s still something you’ll have to consider. Here, you will learn about the cost of cat and dog euthanasia and what options can help lower the monetary burden of saying goodbye.
Key Takeaways
- Pet euthanasia is the gift of ending your pet’s pain by allowing your pet to pass away peacefully.
- The average cost of dog euthanasia in a clinic is around $120–$130, but the cost ranges from just under $100 to closer to $250.
- If you are looking for low-cost pet euthanasia, your best option may be to speak with your local animal shelter or humane society. Low-cost clinics will also offer low-cost euthanasia.
What Is Pet Euthanasia?
Pet euthanasia is the gift of ending your pet’s pain by allowing your pet to pass away peacefully. Translated from Greek, euthanasia means “good death.”
In most cases, pet euthanasia is done with sedatives to help your pet relax, followed by an overdose of an anesthetic drug, allowing the pet to gently pass away while unconscious.
Pet euthanasia can be done in a veterinary office or at home with the help of a traveling veterinarian.
When euthanasia is done for a pet having a medical emergency, such as a cat or dog who has been hit by a car or who is in respiratory distress, it’s usually done at a clinic.
However, if your pet is declining because of something like cancer or severe arthritis, you may be able to schedule the euthanasia in the comfort of your home with the help of an at-home pet euthanasia service.
In either scenario, your veterinarian will help to end your pet’s pain. The drugs they give help to reduce anxiety and allow your pet to rest as they pass away.
How To Know It’s Time
One of the hardest parts of dog or cat euthanasia is knowing when it’s time.
We encourage you to work with your veterinarian to make this difficult decision. Your veterinarian will discuss various issues with you, such as your pet’s appetite, energy level, pain level, and overall mood.
Questions to consider include:
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Is your pet able to eat, drink, eliminate, sleep, and move around normally?
Remember that it comes down to quality rather than quantity of life. The veterinarian can help you do a quality-of-life evaluation that will give you a more objective way of deciding if euthanasia should be considered.
What Are the Costs of Euthanizing a Pet?
According to CareCredit, the average cost of dog euthanasia in a clinic is around $120–$130, but the cost ranges from just under $100 to closer to $250. The cost of euthanizing a pet will usually be a bit higher at an emergency clinic.
At-home euthanasia for dogs has a higher cost, with an average cost of around $450 and a range of $350–$900. The range for cat euthanasia is about the same, though a cat euthanasia will cost slightly less than a large dog euthanasia due to the smaller patient size and lower drug doses needed.
Various factors play into the cost of pet euthanasia, including:
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Type of facility: Having euthanasia done by an animal shelter or humane society is going to be the most affordable option. In some cases, the procedure may be free. A private practice will be more affordable than an emergency clinic. At-home euthanasia is the most expensive option and will include travel fees for the veterinarian.
Additional Costs of Euthanizing a Pet
In addition to the euthanasia itself, there are costs related to body care and memorialization of your pet.
When it comes to body care, the following are options:
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Individual or private cremation: Your pet is cremated on their own or near other pets, and ashes will be returned to you. This costs more than group cremation, with the price starting at $100. Often, your pet’s ashes will be returned to you in an urn.
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At-home burial: If you choose to bury your pet at home, make sure to check local regulations. Some jurisdictions may not allow at-home burial of pets, and others will have specific rules about the depth of burial and other requirements.
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Plot burial/pet cemetery: The cost to bury your pet in a pet cemetery will depend on several factors, such as the size of your pet, plot size, caskets, whether you choose a headstone, and your location. This is a more costly option, with the price tag ranging from several hundred to a couple thousand dollars.
Memorialization of your pet comes in so many forms, and it’s a deeply personal decision how you choose to keep your pet’s memory alive.
Some of the common options include selecting a special urn (potentially included with private cremation), headstones for pets who are buried, commissioned artwork or jewelry, and clay or ink pet pawprints. In some cases, your veterinary clinic may include pawprints in the cost of euthanasia.
Affordable Options for Pet Euthanasia
If you are looking for low-cost pet euthanasia, your best option may be to speak with your local animal shelter or humane society. Low-cost clinics will also offer low-cost euthanasia.
If you have financial restrictions, some of these clinics will help you at least partially cover the cost of euthanasia through grants or other funding sources.
If financial assistance is needed, you should expect that you will take your pet’s body home for burial or that the pet’s body will undergo group cremation. However, some of these clinics may offer discounted body care options.
Some pet insurance policies will also cover the cost of pet euthanasia. Make sure you know the specifics of your pet’s policy regarding end-of-life care. Some policies only cover euthanasia if it’s specifically recommended by the veterinarian for a covered health concern. Post-euthanasia body care may or may not be covered.
Note that most pet insurance companies require you to pay the veterinarian up front and then submit information to the insurance company for reimbursement.
CareCredit credit cards might also be an option for qualifying pet parents. If you are relying on this option, make sure you take your pet to a veterinarian who accepts CareCredit.
Remember that regardless of your financial situation, your pet deserves to pass with dignity.
Veterinarians are held to a high standard of patient care, and you should rest easy knowing that regardless of whether your pet is euthanized in a shelter, in an emergency clinic, or in your home, the veterinarian will take the steps necessary to reduce pain and distress as much as possible.
Speak with your veterinarian about your pet’s options and how you can work together to make this transition as peaceful as possible for your pet.
