At-home euthanasia for pets offers owners solace
Sep. 5—Boomer, a 14-year-old beagle mix, rested his head on Deborah Fret's lap as she sat beneath the pear trees that line the driveway of her Honesdale home.
Fret, her daughter and husband gently petted their beloved canine as veterinarian Dr. Victoria Sverduk, owner of Buffalo & Beyond Veterinary Services in Lake Ariel, prepared to inject medications that would first sedate him, then stop his heart.
Boomer suffered severe joint pain and had become lethargic. It was a heartbreaking decision, but the family took solace knowing he would pass at one of his favorite places.
"It was very peaceful," Fret said, recalling that day in June. "He just laid down under the tree. ... It was the send-off he deserved."
Fret, 62, is among a growing number of pet owners who chose at-home euthanasia, which can provide a more intimate, private setting than the traditional ritual performed inside a veterinarian's office.
"Pet owners really see the benefits of the home environment, such as decreased stress level for their pets," said Dr. Kathleen Cooney, a Colorado-based veterinarian who founded inhomepeteuthanasia.com, a website that provides a national list of veterinarians who offer at-home euthanasia "They've got the comforts of home ... where they can grieve in private."
Locally, Sverduk is one of at least two veterinary clinics that offer at-home euthanasia. DeNaples Equine Services in Moscow also provides the service.
Sverduk specializes in caring for farm animals, including cattle, goats and sheep. For small animals, her practice is dedicated to at-home euthanasia and hospice care. That side of her practice has grown significantly as word about the benefits of the service spreads.
"These pets aren't just pets to their owners. They're a part of the family, " she said. "Any time we can keep them home and stress-free, it's a much better experience for everyone."
Hospice care services focus on improving the pet's life, including increasing their mobility and managing advanced diseases while also preparing the owners as the end approaches.
"When the time comes that we really can't improve that quality of life any more ... we talk them through it and let them know that it's OK," she said. "Sometimes they just need that confirmation."
The cost is generally higher than euthanasia services performed in an office setting, she said. She declined to provide specifics because fees vary greatly, depending on how far she travels and the time spent with families.
Fret paid $650 for Boomer's services, which included the euthanasia, private cremation and the urn. She said the cost was well worth it and praised Sverduk for the kindness and compassion she showed.
Boomer had survived a bout with cancer several years ago. When he started to falter, the family was torn over what to do. Sverduk helped them come to terms with their decision.
"She's so gentle and calms everyone with her demeanor," Fret said. "It's like she was born to do this."
And she will forever cherish that final memory of Boomer trotting to the pear trees that he so loved to lay beneath — a far better ending than laying on a cold steel table in a veterinary office, she said.
"Keeping him in his surroundings where he's comfortable and not afraid meant everything," she said. "He went with dignity at his own home."
Contact the writer: tbesecker@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9137; @tmbeseckerTT on Twitter.
