When the time comes, be brave and stay with your pet- they need you there

I stayed with my lovely cat when he was put to sleep at the vets. Yes it was very sad but I am so glad I was there at the end to stroke his head and speak gently to him . It was the most gentle and calm procedure , he just went to ' sleep' I was dreading being there at the end but it was not the dreadful experience I had anticipated. So please if you are in that situation with a much loved pet please do this last thing for him / her.
It is not as traumatic as you might imagine - they need us !

That made me cry Pammiel lovely poem and so true. We had to make this decision twice in quick succession and it was so hard. We stayed with our boys throughout, the vet was very good about it despite Covid regulations. ?

I wouldn't dream of leaving a pet at the vets to be put down. We've always stayed with our cats stroking and talking soothingly to them as they slip away. It's the least we could do they were all much loved family members to us.

I would be very surprised if 90% of pet owners in the UK just dumped their pets to be put to sleep, but we are a nation of animal lovers. France doesn't surprise me. People we know there don't get their pets sterilised and just leave kittens on the roadside or kill a litter of puppies so their farm dog can continue with its duties.
We have a vet in the family, currently practising, so I will ask him for a figure this weekend.

What a lovely poem Pammiel.

Josianne, this is very often the case in this country- and many other countries. Our current Vet is Slovenian-Italian, in France- he said he was so happy to come to our home, and that many just leave the pet at the desk at the surgery. He has visited 4 times since we moved here, 3 dogs and 1 cat- Same for our vet friends and DD1 in the UK.

All the articles I've just painstakingly read refer to the 90% figure being in South Africa. And the plea appears to be from a vet in that country.

We have never been to the vet for the final goodbye- always had the vet come to our home to avoid un-necessary stress.

One of our good friends was our vet in UK and our other DD worked for him throughout her 6th Form- and they said this was very common- just handing over the pet case or lead and walk out.

I've always done this, except 1 cat who my mum put to sleep without giving me a chance to say goodbye first at least. It broke my heart

I don’t know of anybody who would desert their pet in their hour of utmost need.

Is the OP from a country where it’s not usual for owners to remain with their pet?

I can only add to this. We stayed with two much loved lady cats - sisters who lived to age 21 and 22 and so glad we did, because they do focus on their owners at the end. A very painful loss was my beloved tom cat who died at the age of 13 after an 18 month battle with Lymphoma. The lovely vet who treated him, gave him 15 good months of life with us that he wouldn’t have had without the treatment - thankfully he was insured - and at the end I was cuddling him as the end came. He was reassured and peaceful, and the vet echoed what’s being said here - it’s sad when owners can’t face the end with their pets, as they do look for them. There was a poem on the wall of the University small animal hospital where my Bruce was treated and eventually ended his life. I’ve written it in its’ entirety below, as I think it says it all.

The Last Battle

If it should be that I grow frail and weak
And pain should keep me from my sleep,
Then will you do what must be done
For this - the last battle- can't be won.
You will be sad I understand,
But don't let grief then stay your hand,

For on this day, more than the rest,
Your love and friendship must stand the test.
We have had so many happy years,
You wouldn't want me to suffer so.
When the time comes, please, let me go.

Take me to where to my needs they'll tend,
Only, stay with me until the end
And hold me firm and speak to me
Until my eyes no longer see.
I know in time you will agree
It is a kindness you do to me.

Although my tail its last has waved,
From pain and suffering I have been saved.
Don't grieve that it must be you
Who has to decide this thing to do;
We've been so close - we two - these years,
Don't let your heart hold any tears.

Weeping as I write.

My goodness, I couldn’t possibly leave him if the time comes that he has to be killed.

I held our last little terrier who had complete faith in me, which made it doubly hard, but sometimes you aren’t the important one.

Oh yes, we cried - and cried some more, but felt 'better' that we were there all the way.

I posted this today as DD2 posted it on FB- and it truly touched me. She couldn't look at her beloved dog after a big change in her life, and we adopted him. He was 14, and we nursed him when he got diabetes and went blind- and after he had a stroke we called her to ask permission for him to 'go' and the vet came early the next morning and I held him tight for her, stroked his head and talked to him about her and how she loved him- just as we have done with all our pets in our 50.5 years of mariage.

We were able to be with our darling cat in June 2020, in the middle of lockdown. She was in the vets' "quiet room" - she put her head on DH's hand and snuggled down as I stroked and kissed her. It was peaceful but we sobbed for ages; the vets were really kind to us and let us stay with her as long as we wanted. So glad we were able to give her a pain-free end.

This breaks my heart.
Covid robbed me of staying with my two cats and beautiful young-ish dog this summer.

I stayed with our old dog Seamus, the vet came up to our house to do it,he was more my sons dog than mine,my son could not bear it but I was there stroking his head crying. My son has said he will never have another dog because of this and it’s five years ago this happened… and it’s brought tears to my eyes even writing this..

I did stay with both cats as they were put down the vet let me hold them while he did what had to be done, bawled my eyes out.

Stayed with each of our dogs. Sobbed but they needed us there.

I stayed with my very old cat when he was put down. I stood near him with my hand on his head and cried like a baby.