Frequently Asked Questions

Making the decision to say good-bye to a pet is one of the most difficult decisions there is, often accompanied by feelings of guilt.  There is no formula or precise calculation that can determine exactly when this should be done.  The first step usually is to consult with your regular veterinarian who will evaluate your pet’s medical history, physical condition, quality of life, and prognosis.  Most pet owners know their pet so intuitively that they develop an uncanny sense to know when it is the right time for their pet, and also for themselves and/or their family.

Because dogs and cats can be very adept at hiding their ailments, some physical signs to consider which may be indicators of pain/discomfort are increased respiratory rate, increased heart rate, loss of appetite, lack of mobility, incontinence, and disinterest in the family and/or things or activities that were important previously.

Two conditions that I will always recommend either taking the pet into its regular veterinarian or an emergency clinic immediately, or making the decision to let go are 1) when the pet will no longer drink water (dehydration will only worsen their condition and dehydrated pets feel very sick), and/or 2) when the pet is having difficulty breathing, especially open mouthed breathing or abnormally heavy panting. Both of these conditions are very important to address immediately.

Please feel free to contact us if you require some guidance about making this important decision.

It is our commitment to make euthanasia as stress-free and painless as possible.  A potent sedative and pain medication is administered in a single injection.  Within 2-10 minutes (depending on route of administration and several other factors unique to each pet), the medication takes effect and the pet is relaxed and comfortable; most pets will be completely sedated and non-responsive at that point.  When the pet and their family are ready, a concentrated euthanasia solution is administered in a completely painless intravenous injection.  Within a minute or two after the euthanasia solution is given, your pet will peacefully and quietly pass away.  Most home euthanasias will range from 30-60 minutes from our entry into the home until exit.

We feel it is important to give pets and their owners as much time as they need during this very emotional and difficult time.  While occasionally we sense and respect that some owner’s preference is to complete the procedure expeditiously, we carefully evaluate the family’s comfort level at each step of this process, and are prepared to take as much time as is needed so that no one ever feels that they are rushed to say goodbye.  Please understand that we must balance the desire to allow time and space for each family, while also respecting subsequent family and pet’s need and/or urgency for their appointment as well.

All euthanasia procedures are done by a veterinarian.  In home euthansia may only be performed by a licensed veterinarian with a current DEA license.

Options include burial in a cemetery or at home, and private (individual cremation/ashes returned to the family) or communal cremation (group cremation/ashes are not returned).  We can assist you in making the right choice for your family, and will transport the remains for cremation at our facility after the euthanasia appointment.  We will discuss aftercare options when making the appointment.

We recommend that other pets in the household see the pet that has passed away, especially if they seemed to have a close relationship.  While we think it is less important for the other pets to be in attendance during the procedure, they are welcome to be there. In fact, many of our families have chosen home euthanasia in part so that other pet family members may be present.  The only time it may not be advisable for the other pet(s) to be in the room during the procedure is if they are the kind of pet that would be disruptive, but most will settle down after the initial excitement of having a new person come into their home abates.

We advise 1) giving children the chance to say goodbye to the pet, and 2) asking them if they would like to be present during the procedure. Each individual child, just like each individual adult, may have strong feelings one way or another, and there is not right or wrong answer to whether someone decides to be present or not.  The most important thing is to let them chose the option that they are most comfortable with.  We have had children of every age present during euthanasia, and because we specialize in this procedure, we intend for it to be as peaceful as possible.   Most people, adult and child, find comfort in witnessing the alleviation of the condition that necessitates euthanasia, and the peaceful way in which it proceeds.

Our service cost varies depending on service address.  If we will be assisting you with cremation, this cost will depend upon your pet’s size and type of cremation requested.  Therefore, please contact us regarding fees.  Because of the high credit card fees, we encourage cash or check, Venmo or Zelle.  However, we can accept credit and debit cards (VISA, Mastercard, Discover, American Express). Payment may be done over the phone at the time the appointment is made, online using our payment portal on the home page, or when the veterinarian arrives.

CareCredit does not finance euthanasia, so unfortunately this is not an option for our visits.

Yes, we truly are available 24/7 for in-home euthanasia.  We kindly ask that calls to us overnight during the hours of midnight to 6 am be limited to those in need of immediate, emergency euthanasia to allow our hardworking staff as much rest as possible.

Please note that due to high demand, same day appointments and our ability to accommodate some distance residences outside the Portland metro area may be limited.  Please contact us for availability.

There are 2 options for cremation arrangements for a pet who has already passed at home, both of which require an appointment: 1) We can pickup your pet at your home for a transport fee plus cremation cost, or 2) you may bring your pet to us for no additional fee other than cremation cost.  Please note that our cremation facility is not staffed 24/7 so those arrangements must be made in advance.

We cover all Portland, Salem and Vancouver areas and suburbs, including west to Forest Grove, east to Mt. Hood, south to Salem, and north to Vancouver.

Please note that due to high demand, our ability to accommodate some distance residences outside the Portland metro area may be limited.  Please contact us for availability.

Because we are aware of the difficulty in making a decision to euthanize, as well as sometimes the time-sensitivity of the physical condition of the pet, we make all efforts to accommodate the needs of each family and pet.  Please note that due to current high demand, our ability to accommodate same day and also some distance residences outside the Portland metro area may be limited.  We advise calling at least a day or two in advance, or earlier in the day if needing same day.  Our regular phone lines open at 6 am each day.

The decision to give a pet any pre-sedative medications in preparation for a home euthanasia is best made by your pet’s regular veterinarian who knows their medical history, diagnosis, and condition and can best advise on type of medication, dosage and administration.  Our service does not provide prescriptions prior to an appointment.

We would recommend talking with your regular veterinarian to see if they would advise an oral sedative in preparation for the home euthanasia visit.  Our service does not provide prescriptions prior to an appointment.

Unfortunately, we do not have a facility that is open to the public for the purpose of euthanasia.  We recommend that you contact your regular veterinarian for euthanasia within their clinic.

Please note that while we are available for in-home euthanasia 24/7, our cremation facility is not staffed around the clock.

If your pet has passed at home, you may make an appointment to bring your pet in to us for cremation at the crematory number 503.379.1292, or arrange home pick up for an additional fee.

We understand that this is an excruciating decision, and also that the condition of a pet many change quickly.  For those reasons, and to help ensure that we can be available to other families that need our assistance we ask the following:

Please contact us as soon as reasonably possible so that our appointment times are available to other families that may need us.  If you are contacting us less than four (4) hours from the earlier end of the arrival window, this may incur at least a $75 cancellation fee (the fee may be more if for an appointment after 8 pm and/or for a distance outside of our regular service area.  This fee can be explained in detail when making the appointment).  If the appointment is cancelled after the doctor is on her way to your home, the cancellation fee of at least $75 will apply.

Out of respect for other families with pets that require our assistance, some urgently, the doctor regrettably will be unable to wait for other attendees that are not present when she arrives to begin the appointment.

Our appointments are typically made in two-hour arrival windows, as traffic and previous appointments will affect the doctor’s schedule.  So for example if an appointment is for a 2-4 pm arrival window, the doctor may arrive as early as 2, as late as 4 or anytime in between.  The appointment should be made with the consideration that all attendees can be present during this arrival window.  If the doctor arrives and the family is not ready, a cancellation fee of at least $75 will apply (see cancellation policy above), and the family may choose to reschedule the appointment if needed.

Our doctors may elect to wear a mask during the appointment. Families have the option to wear masks or not. We respectfully request that anyone in your family who may have a communicable illness to either not be present or to wear a mask in the doctor’s presence. In the event that there is a communicable illness within the household, we reserve the right to decline service on a case by case basis. Thank you for your consideration and understanding to help keep our doctors, and subsequent families that they may visit healthy.

We will contact you within 14 days of euthanasia (or within 14 days after we receive your pet for those who bring their pet to us after it has passed) to let you know you may pick up their cremains.  Our standard method to contact is by email; arrangements may be made for alternative contact method if needed.

We have two facilities to serve you: 808 Molalla Ave, Oregon City, OR 97045 and 4852 NE Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Portland, OR 97211.  Please note hours are different for each:

Please note that while we are available for in-home euthanasia 24/7, our cremation facility is not staffed around the clock.

NE Portland:

4852 NE Martin Luther King Jr Blvd (MLK)
Portland, OR 97211

Cremains pickup hours at MLK are Sats 10 am to 2 pm, and Tues-Fri 12 pm to 4 pm 

Pet cremation is available at MLK 7 days a week by appointment

Oregon City (OC):

808 Molalla Ave.
Oregon City, OR 97045

Cremains pickup and pet cremation at OC are available Thursday by appointment only

Crematory phone: 503.379.1292

We hold cremains left in our care for ONE year after date of death. ~ Thank you so much for your understanding ~

Please contact us at our crematory phone 503.379.1292 if you need to make arrangements to pick up your pet’s cremains at a different time and we will be happy to accommodate that.  We are unfortunately unable to offer mailing or delivery service of cremains.

We are unfortunately unable to offer mailing or delivery service of cremains.  Uber Connect provides a service to pick up and deliver packages which may be an option – please note that the family must make those arrangements, contact us with ample time for us to make sure we can accommodate the transfer, and assume responsibility for the handling and delivery through that service.

Our standard return container is a biodegradable pressed natural fiber box made from sustainably harvested mulberry bark.  The cremains are contained within a biodegradable bag inside making it suitable for burying, and it is also sturdy enough to keep indefinitely in normal home conditions.  Note this is NOT a wood box.

For in-home euthanasia appointments: We make every effort to assist families when they need us. The determination of whether our doctors can drive to an appointment is made based on the road and weather conditions along the route that the doctor must travel at that particular time. Please understand that road and weather conditions may change significantly in a short amount of time. Because the safety of our doctors is paramount, we may in rare instances make the difficult decision to change or cancel appointments based upon these factors, and we will always give as much notice as we possibly can. In situations where there are inclement weather conditions either currently, expected or predicted, our team will discuss these possibilities and options when an appointment is made.

For the crematory: If you may need to come to our crematory during regular business hours but are unsure whether we are open based upon road conditions, please contact our crematory directly at 503.379.1292.

Unfortunately we do not have the ability to accommodate visits at our cremation facilities.  We recommend keeping your pet at the home until you are ready for us to care for it.