Helping families with their pets
As veterinary professionals, we are faced with the difficult task of helping pet owners decide to say goodbye to their beloved companions.
Euthanasia is a compassionate and ethical part of our profession, but it can be a profoundly emotional experience for both the pet owner and the veterinary team.
In recent years, mobile euthanasia options have become increasingly popular as a way to provide a more comfortable and familiar setting for pets and pet parents during this difficult time.
These services offer a personalized and compassionate approach to end-of-life care, allowing pets to pass peacefully at home surrounded by their loved ones.
Offering mobile euthanasia services provides comfort and convenience to pets and pet owners.
In-home comfort: It’s a gift to enable pets and their parents to be surrounded by friends, family, and an environment familiar to them. Knowing their pet is comfortable is critical to pet parents during their last moments. Allowing them to snuggle up in bed with their favorite blanket and the comforting scents of home around them makes for a more calming experience.
Low Stress: Often, pets become anxious and uneasy when visiting a veterinary hospital, and being able to say goodbye in the comfort of their home can help alleviate some of the anxiety and fear accompanying the process.
Flexibility: Mobile services allow pet owners to choose the time and location that best suits their needs, making the experience more personalized and meaningful.
By offering this service as an option, you can meet the needs of pet owners who may need help traveling to a clinic or prefer the privacy and comfort of their homes.
Clients are grateful for your extra care and consideration during such a difficult time.
From a business perspective…
Offering mobile euthanasia services can be a valuable addition to a veterinary practice.
Personalizing the experience: With the well-known struggle of compassion fatigue in our community, having the opportunity to provide a personalized and comfortable experience to your patients and clients can bring a sense of ease to you, too.
Trust & relationship building: Building and maintaining good relationships with your clients is paramount to a successful business.
You’ve heard the classic Maya Angelou quote:
“People will forget what you said…but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
Providing them with a service where they can grieve in the comfort and psychological safety of their homes speaks volumes about your business morals.
Incorporating mobile euthanasia into your practice's services embodies compassion and empathy, as it significantly reduces the pet's stress by allowing them to pass peacefully at home.
This service alleviates the pet's suffering and provides immense comfort to pet owners, sparing them the distress of transporting their beloved companion during a difficult time.
However, balancing this compassionate approach with practical business considerations is essential.
Offering mobile euthanasia involves additional costs, such as travel expenses, time management, and ensuring the availability of necessary equipment and medications on the go.
Carefully evaluating these factors ensures that the service remains sustainable. This allows you to continue providing empathetic care to pets and their owners while maintaining the financial health of your practice.
When structuring your pricing, make sure you consider:
Commute time and distance (gas, mileage, etc.)
Time taken away from other patients and hospital duties
Time necessary to gather and pack/unpack equipment, meds, and other necessities into the vehicle
Additional staff needed (Veterinary assistant or Nurse)
…Now, if you’re feeling a sense of guilt for adding an upcharge to these services, remember that you’re offering a service to your community that many so desperately want to be able to utilize.
By embracing this compassionate approach to care, we can comfort and support those in need during one of life's most challenging moments.
