putting a pet to sleep

Oh, that must have been so sad. I hate it when our pets die. It is just like somebody in the family is gone. We are always there becuse our pets are like family.

I was there when my cat had to be put to sleep. He had been suffering. It was good to see the calm that came over him when he past. I am glad that I was there even though it hard for for me.. So I did not have the last memory of him, was him suffering.

Yes, it bothered me. But I would do it again!

Oh thats sad Dawn & yes i have been there,our pets are our family.
Sometimes even more than some of the people!

I've had to put a few of my pets to sleep over the years also. I always wanted to be there with them but when it came time to do it, I just couldn't do it in the end. My husband always stays with them, It's too hard on me.

I honestly don't think I could be there. I remember when my dog was put to sleep a few years ago and I was devestated by it, I think I'd have felt a lot worse if I'd actually been there when it happened. I do feel guilty that I didn't go with him though:(

I'm so so sorry you dear Tiger went to the Rainbow Bridge. I know just how you feel. Our Rainbow Angel Baffy went to the Bridge because of kidney failure. She died in my roommate's arms on the way to the vet. I am always with our cats when they leave. I think they need me there. I only missed being with Divot; he died at the ER before I could get back. And, yes, it bothers me, but it's necessary.

I have been with every Pet of mine that had to be put to sleep, the way I see it they have spent most of their Life's with me and they will leave the World with me being there to hold them, yes it is hard, yes it breaks your Heart but they where not alone, my last one was our Labrador Max, as much as it tore me apart I will always do it again
Even our Chinchilla that we had to have put down 6 years ago, because she had Cancer, I held her to

Hi dawnald, My avatar, is my baby cat 'Gipsy', I say my baby cat because we have a Human daughter she is 24, and Gipsy was 21, both are our daughters. When we had to let Gipsy go, Thanks God we were in Dominican Republic, things here work a bit different, her doctor came home and every thing was done at her bed, with her in my arms, The hardest thing! Now she is resting in her yard. I know in the US things are different from State to State, we also live in Miami Florida and I believe her doctor will have tried to help us in every aspect, but the State has its regulations, and I know not every thing would have been my way.
The pain is the same, but over time the circumstances of the moment make things feel different, when you have been there for them, there is no room for, What if?
We have another cat she is my daughter's, of course we love her very dear, she is 15, so I know in a not so distant future, we will have to go thru the process again. I can only ask for the possibility of re-doing things exactly the same!

hmmm... i cannot se my pet die... so wont go there

its one of the saddest times, to make the decision to have a beloved pet put to sleep. but i have to be with them. i know a lot of people who have said to me they cant be there and i can understand and sympathise with their reluctance. but i have to be there and give my pet comfort. i cannot think of anything worse than to just leave them with someone else and just walk away. Many many years ago, one of my in laws took my little dog to the vets and had it put to sleep as my husband had said he couldnt deal with it. when my husband realised what had happened and how upset i was, he went straight down to the vets to bring the dog back but he was too late. so ever since then i have always made the decision to take any suffering animals to the vets myself. the most recent one was about 2 years ago. my mother in laws 20 year old poodle. she had died when he was 12 and we 'inherited' him. my vet took one look at him and said he had gone through old age and out the other side! but she knew him well and had treated him through all sorts of ailments. the time had come to give him peace. but the vet was wonderful. she gave him a sedative to calm him and he literally just fell asleep. i cuddled him all the way through and was there at the very end when he took his last breath.