Frequently asked questions about humane, in-home pet euthanasia and aftercare

Frequently asked questions about our in-home pet euthanasia service

If you want to learn a little more about Mulberry Lane In-Home Veterinary Care’s in-home euthanasia service, we’ve answered some questions. If you need further information, contact us. It’s our honour to connect with you. Our service areas include Vancouver, Burnaby, Coquitlam, Delta, New Westminster, North Vancouver, Port Coquitlam, Port Moody, Richmond, Tsawwassen/Ladner, Surrey and West Vancouver.

Questions about a Meaningful Goodbye™ with in-home pet euthanasia in Vancouver and surrounding areas

Quality of life is a compassionate and practical framework for understanding how our companion animal is coping with illness, aging, or disability. It is also useful for guiding palliative care and making end-of-life decisions.
Some families choose euthanasia as soon as visible discomfort begins, aiming for a peaceful goodbye while some good days remain. Others, with support from their family veterinarian, wait until comfort can no longer be maintained. Both paths can be acts of great love.
Take the quality-of-life assessment.
We believe that the best approach to quality-of-life assessment and palliative care is to work directly with your family veterinarian or specialist. They are best placed to support your family.
However, you can take a simple a quality-of-life assessment and learn more.
Euthanasia is the act of humanely ending an animal’s life. Most often, euthanasia is achieved by administering an anesthetic overdose that will quickly and gently end critical life functions
Euthanasia offers a peaceful, controlled transition to prevent or end suffering when quality of life is no longer sustainable. Planned euthanasia at home also offers the opportunity for all the people, human or otherwise, who have been important in your companion’s life, to be present to say goodbye.
Without intervention, companions may experience significant distress during terminal illness. Euthanasia at home, when performed with sensitivity, allows companions to pass comfortably, often in their caregiver’s arms, surrounded by familiar voices and smells.
Planned euthanasia at home offers the opportunity for all the people, human or otherwise, who have been important in your companion’s life, to be present to say goodbye. And given the deep bond we have with our companion animals, a meaningful goodbye is a beautiful way to honour your companion during an in-home euthanasia.
Our companions are important family members, and sometimes, they are the only family we have. Planning ahead offers your family the opportunity to organize a meaningful goodbye to celebrate, and honour, your companion's life.
It's a time for loved ones to come together to celebrate your companion's unique personality and significance rather than witness or mark their passing.
We are guided by you and respect your wishes. Some families do want this experience to happen as quickly as possible. Let us know during the planning process, and we’ll keep this is mind when we are supporting your family.
Absolutely. It's a time for loved ones to come together to celebrate your companion's unique personality and significance. Let us know during the planning process, and we can provide information and answer questions you may have about children and other furry siblings.
If your companion animal has visited veterinary clinics in the past, an in-home veterinary visit might be an appropriate alternative to reduce your companion’s fear, anxiety and stress.
If your companion has known sensitivities to certain veterinary procedures, please contact us. We want to ensure your companion has a low-stress, peaceful experience. Calmer pets pose fewer risks to themselves, caregivers and the veterinary team.

I'm ready to schedule

General questions about the in-home pet euthanasia service

Although you can’t start planning too soon, we do encourage families to plan at least three days ahead. Pre-planning allows families to make decisions together with more clarity, and in a more relaxed environment. In addition, planning ahead also means other important loved ones can be in attendance.
All that said, we can sometimes support families the next day or same day depending on availability. Give us a call or send us an email to enquire about our availability.
To schedule your meaningful goodbye with in-home euthanasia, please kindly contact us by calling 604 329 0686, sending an email, or complete this form.
It’s a personal decision and really based on how you’d like to create a meaningful goodbye. And given the deep bond we have with our companion animals, a meaningful goodbye is a beautiful way to honour your companion during an in-home euthanasia.
It's a time for loved ones to come together to celebrate your companion's unique personality and significance rather than witness or mark their passing. We also have more information about a meaningful goodbye.
In addition, if your companion feels fear anxiety or stress, please let us know because we’d like to ensure your companion’s final moments feel safe and peaceful.
It is about one hour long and the first 15 minutes or so is an opportunity to speak to our veterinarian. It’s a short discussion with quality-of-life assessment. The rest of the time is focused on your companion, and your family. Our goal is to make your companion’s final moments as peaceful and comfortable as possible while surrounded by loved ones.
Some families prefer to pay before your meaningful goodbye. In this instance, we only accept Interac e-transfers. Alternatively, we accept Debit, Visa and Mastercard and can process payment at your home. Please let us know which you'd prefer.
We do not charge families service fees for paying by credit card.
We do not charge families an additional fee on weekends or statutory holidays (where available). We are closed on Sundays.
We require 48 hours’ notice for any changes or cancellations to avoid a fee. Missed bookings or cancellations with insufficient notice are subject to a $150.00 fee which must be paid upon cancellation.
We currently serve Vancouver, Burnaby, Coquitlam, New Westminster, North Vancouver, Port Coquitlam, Port Moody, Richmond, Tsawwassen/Ladner, Surrey and West Vancouver.
We are not an on-call in-home euthanasia service. We are open Monday to Friday from 09:00 – 18:00 and Saturday from 10:00 – 16:00. Please contact your family veterinarian, or emergency vet hospital for urgent care. Emergency hospital phone numbers can be found at the end of this page.
We offer an initial consultation over the phone. During the appointment, the consultation includes a quality-of-life assessment.
Mulberry Lane does not offer separate quality-of-life consultations. There can be situations where further diagnostic evaluations or treatments for your companion can be pursued that cannot be offered in a home setting. We would then refer you back to your family veterinarian or specialist for support.
Working with your family veterinarian is usually the most cost-effective and time efficient way of pursuing quality-of-life consultations because they know you and your companion the best.
We do provide information about quality of life and you can take our quality-of-life assessments to help guide you in your decision making.
We understand that cost may be a consideration in your decision-making process.
Costs will depend on your companion’s size, aftercare (communal or private cremation) and where you live. The in-home euthanasia appointment with communal aftercare starts at $650 + taxes. Contact us for an estimate.
Our service includes: humane, in-home pet euthanasia, review of medical records, veterinary consultation that includes a quality-of-life assessment, medical procedure, transport of companion, cremation service, coordinating with your clinic, and the pet memorial centre, to ensure transfer of medical records, updating of medical file, and delivery of any memorial products, as well as grief resources and access to 24/7 grief support services.

Learn more about our service

Questions about aftercare, urns, and keepsakes

Following your meaningful goodbye, we understand how important it is that your companion is treated with great respect and care during this part of their journey. These last acts of kindness are entrusted to us and Gateway Pet Memorial, and it is our honour to support your family.
In addition to the in-home euthanasia procedure, we organize the aftercare for your family. We transport your companion to Gateway for their aftercare. There are two options available: communal and private. Learn more about aftercare options.
We work with you to navigate the aftercare process for your companion. We organize the aftercare on your family's behalf, and can provide guidance on specific memorial wishes.
In partnership with Gateway Pet Memorial, the leading and most trusted pet aftercare provider in Canada, aftercare services are provided with dignity and respect. Your companion's aftercare is handled with great compassion and sensitivity, helping you find a lasting sense of peace and comfort. Gateway's modern facility and gold-standard tracking process ensures your companion is safe throughout this part of their journey. Along with your companion’s urn and ashes, you’ll receive a card of authenticity.
Some families are interested in a private viewing at Gateway Pet Memorial. If this is of interest to your family, please let us know and we can make arrangements for your family.
Yes. If you’d like to bring your companion to the pet memorial centre, we make arrangements with the pet memorial centre on your family’s behalf.
We arrange for delivery of your companion's urns and keepsakes on your behalf to your primary vet. If you prefer to pick up memorial item and keepsakes at the pet memorial centre in Surrey, we can arrange this for your family.
We generally encourage families to cremate their companions because the medications we use for euthanasia are harmful to wildlife and to the environment.
If you wish to bury your companion on private property, please let us know during our initial discussion.
It is your responsibility to check with your local municipality and city by-laws related to burials for euthanized pets.

Urns, paw prints and keepsakes

Questions about grief and loss

We have dedicated information about grief and loss, and have a resources page for additional support. We know how difficult this experience is for families and want to ensure you feel supported.