top of page

IN-HOME EUTHANASIA

In-Home Pet Euthanasia

Imagine being able to say goodbye to your beloved pet in the safety and comfort of their very own home.

There are many reasons to consider our in-home euthanasia service.

  • Avoid the stressful car ride to your local veterinary clinic in their final moments. 
     

  • We will listen to you. We want you to feel supported. We want you to feel confident that this is the right choice for you and your pet. If you are unsure, we do offer a quality of life telehealth consultation. 
     

  • Surround your pet with the family and friends that they love. There is no limit to who can be there to say goodbye. It is your home, afterall. 
     

  • We provide tailored end-of-life care. Peaceful Crossings wants to help in any way possible to create the perfect goodbye. This service can be provided indoors or outdoors, weather permitting.
     

  • Leave the after-care to us. We offer a variety of after-care options after your appointment such as cremation and burial services. 

  • There is no rush. Do you have a poem you’d like to read? A story you’d like to share?  We want to take our time and make sure that you get to say the farewell that you want. The farewell your pet deserves. (Plus we LOVE hearing about the amazing adventures your pet has gone through!)
     

  • No need to stress about notifying everyone. We will notify your local veterinarian, groomer, or whomever you wish about the passing of your pet. 
     

  • Want to let the world know how great your pet truly was? We’ve got that covered! We have a memorial page dedicated to your pet’s story. This will also be shared on Peaceful Crossing’s social media accounts, with your permission of-course. (optional)

Euthanasia is kind.

Most owners want their pets to pass peacefully in their sleep. That sounds great, right? Unfortunately, most pets do not go peacefully on their own terms. Dogs and cats do not show pain like us humans. They often suffer in silence. By the time they do show outward signs of pain, they have already been suffering for far too long. The truth of a “natural death” is that it is not pretty and not without suffering. 

 

We are here to give the gift of a dignified death. 

One with no suffering and no pain. 

Samantha Sellers Waves Texture.png

What to expect for in-home euthanasia experience

Once Dr. Sellers arrives at your home, she will talk with you about your pet, go over any paperwork, and answer any lingering questions. This gives your pet time to acclimate to the doctor’s presence while in their home.

 

Dr. Sellers will then give an injection of anesthesia/pain medication under the skin, like how a vaccine is administered. It takes approximately anywhere from 5-15 minutes for your pet to relax and welcome their sleep. This is a good time to tell us all about your pet’s adventures. We love hearing about their quirks and what makes them so special. If you would prefer to have time alone with your pet while they fall asleep, the doctor does not mind stepping out to give you and your family privacy.

 

When your pet is ready, Dr. Sellers will administer the euthanasia solution through an indwelling intravenous catheter. The doctor will confirm death by auscultating your pet’s chest and checking their blink reflex. Every pet is different. Some will pass away immediately while others take a little longer. This is completely normal. We will walk you through everything as it happens.

 

It is important to note that you do not have to stay for the entire process. You can choose to stay for the anesthesia and then step out for the actual euthanasia. You can also choose to not be present in the room for any of it. This is a very personal decision. Some owners want to be there for their pet’s last moments. Other owners do not want that to be their last memory of their pet. There is no right or wrong decision. Please let Dr. Sellers know, at any point, if you change your mind about being present for the euthanasia.

 

We do provide complimentary paw prints via PawPals. These imprints help memorialize your pet and contain a place for your pet's photo.

 

If you choose cremation, Dr. Sellers will transport your pet to the crematorium after the appointment. If you opt to receive ashes back, those ashes will be delivered to your home or to your local veterinary office for pick up.

 

Depending on how big your pet is, the doctor may need help with getting your pet into the vehicle for transportation. Please let us know ahead of time if this is not possible.

Pricing for Services:

​​

  • Cremation: Please call/text for an estimate. Prices are based on your pet’s weight.

​

  • After-Hours appointments are an additional $100 and are completely based on the doctor's availability. (Please note that these appointments need to be scheduled in advance and are not available on an emergency basis). 

Meet Dr. Samantha Sellers

Hi there! My name is Samantha Sellers and I am a veterinarian specializing in end-of-life care. One of the reasons that I started Peaceful Crossings is because I truly care about your pet’s last moments. Saying goodbye is never easy. Even for a veterinarian. Nothing prepares you for the inevitable farewell. It is my belief that your pet is a family member. They deserve to be treated with the love and dignity that our human family members receive in their final moments.

  • How do I know when it’s time?
    There isn’t a black and white answer to this question, unfortunately. There are many resources online with quality of life assessments but there isn’t one cookie-cutter approach to answering the ever looming question “Is it time?”. If you have a trusted local veterinarian that you have been taking your beloved pet to over the years, they can assess your pet and give recommendations based on their findings. Many times, owners know when it is time - they just need someone to let them know that it is the right decision for their pet.. We also offer a quality of life telehealth consultation to help answer this question. Please do not hesitate to give us a call if you would like to consult with Dr. Sellers on your individual pet’s condition. Please note that telehealth is not a replacement for an in-person examination. If Dr. Sellers has not seen your pet in person, she is not legally allowed to "diagnose" or "prescribe," but will provide general guidance any way that she can. If you have medical records that you would like Dr. Sellers to review, please email them to info@peacefulcrossings.com at least 24 hours prior to your scheduled telehealth appointment.
  • Do you offer payment plans?
    We do offer Affirm! If interested, we will send you a link to apply for a loan through Affirm. Once approved for the amount due, Affirm gives you a virtual credit card in which you can either pay on your phone with a click to pay option or call us to pay over the phone. It is important to note that once approved for the loan, you have 24 hours to use the total approved.
  • What forms of payment do you take and when is payment due?
    We accept all major credit/debit cards, affirm, and cash. There is a 4% convenience fee if using a credit, debit card, or affirm. If paying with cash, we will take payment at the beginning of your appointment. Payment is due at time of booking. This is for the benefit of your family and your pet. We want to have all of the focus entirely on your pet from start to finish. No one wants to worry about payment directly after the loss of their pet.
  • Do you have any suggestions for aftercare?
    You have 3 options when it comes to aftercare: a private cremation, general cremation, or burial. For crematory services, we go through Friends Of The Family. We take care of the transportation of your pet for cremation services. If you opt for general cremation, your pet’s ashes will be respectfully placed, along with those of other pets, in their rock-walled scatter garden. You can visit at any time. If you opt for private cremation, you will receive your pet’s ashes back in a personalized wooden box within 7-10 business days. If you would like a different type of urn for your pet, please contact Friends Of The Family at (417) 883-0076. If you would like burial in a pet cemetery, this can be accommodated with Friends Of The Family, as well, in their carefully tended 10-acre memorial gardens in northwest Springfield. Many people want to keep their pets close and choose at home burial. There are laws when it comes to home burial that you do need to be familiar with prior to burial. Here is a link to on-site burial guidelines: Dead Animal Disposal Laws in Missouri, WQ216 | MU Extension
  • Is it okay for children to be present during the euthanasia?
    Absolutely. Most parents fear that their children will not be able to handle the death of a pet. Most actually do very well. Just be honest and keep it simple. We want to avoid euphemisms such as “going to sleep”. You could describe euthanasia in the following way: “The doctor is going to give medicine to help Buster go into a deep sleep. Once asleep, the doctor will give medication that will help him die. These medications are ONLY for animals and are never given to people.” - paraphrased from Dr. Kathleen Cooney’s CAETA If you struggle with how to describe death and would like additional resources, please take a look at the list of books for children in the question below.
  • Do you have any pet loss support resources?
    Absolutely! Pet Loss Support: Association for Pet Loss and Bereavement – Free pet loss & grief support (aplb.org) VetVine - Pet Health Information - VetVine® Virtual Pet Loss Support Services Pet Loss Support Hotline | Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine (tufts.edu) Books-Adult When Your Pet Dies: A Guide to Mourning, Remembering and Healing by Alan Wolfelt Pet Loss: A thoughtful Guide for Adults and Children by Herbert Neiburg and Arlene Fischer Goodbye My Friend: Grieving the Loss of a Pet by Mary and Herb Montgomery The Loss of a Pet by Wallace Sife Saying Goodbye to the Pet You Love by Lorri Greene The Grief Recovery Handbook for Pet Loss by Russell Friedman Coping With Sorrow on the Loss of Your Pet by Moira Anderson Allen Coping With the Loss of Your Pet by Christine Lemieux My Personal Pet Remembrance Journal by Enid Samuel Traisman Pet Parents: A Journey Through Unconditional Love and Grief by Coleen Ellis Books-Children When a Pet Dies by Fred Rogers The Tenth Good Thing About Barney by Judith Viorst Dog Heaven by Cynthia Rylant Cat Heaven by Cynthia Rylant I’ll Always Love You by Hans Wilhelm Healing Your Grieving Heart for Kids by Alan Wolfeldt Saying Goodbye to Lulu by Corinne Demas Goodbye Mousie by Robbie Harris The Fall of Freddie the Leaf by Leo Buscaglia
  • Do you offer refunds?
    If you are faced with the unfortunate circumstance in that your pet passed away before your scheduled appointment, we will absolutely refund your money in full.
  • I have more questions, how can I get in touch?
    Please call or text (417) 830-3521. You can also email us at info@peacefulcrossings.com. Text is our preferred method of communication when it comes to brief questions, but do not hesitate to call if you would like to speak to someone directly. We will return all missed calls, texts, and emails within 24 hours (but normally by end of day). If we do not respond immediately, we are likely helping another family say goodbye to their best friend.
bottom of page