This is one of the most painful decisions any pet owner will ever have to make. We know this because we are pet owners too.
This decision may have been a long time coming or it may have come upon you in an instant. It may be an accident or a just detected terminal illness or maybe its just time to peacefully end the suffering of a long loved friend.
Our team at Portsmouth Hospital understand the difficult decision you must make and we will be beside you to help you through it. This is a very difficult and personal decision that you must make after weighing all the information you have been given and the circumstances of your family life. No one should make this decision for you.
You can choose to bring your pet to our hospital where you can than decide if you wish to be with your pet to comfort him or her until the end. If this is your decision, we will quietly and with great respect, take your pet to the treatment room to place a catheter in a vein in his or her leg.
We will then bring your pet back to the exam room where you are waiting and place him or her in your arms or on the table with a soft blanket for comfort and your last goodbyes. When you are ready, a painless injection will peacefully end his or her life on Earth. We will leave you alone for final moments together. If there are other clients and patients in the lobby, if you desire, we will offer to escort you through an alternative exit for complete privacy.
You can also decide that your reaction and grief may cause undo stress to either your pet or you and you may prefer to stay away. You can be assured that your pet will be handled in a gentle, respectful manner according to your wishes.
We can help with the arrangements of a private cremation of your pet's with ashes returned to you or a communal cremation where your pet will be cremated with other pets.
We have had to make these tough decisions many times and still we adopt another pet because we know the many years of joy our pets bring us far outweigh the days of extreme sadness.