7.1.1 Client Expectations

Practitioners knowledgeable in deceased pet aftercare options, including familiarity with local regulations, will be very valuable to their clients. There are more options than ever before, and clients will have questions about the choices available to them. Companion animal clients have a growing desire to be more involved with their pet’s aftercare arrangements, including wanting to know more information about body handling, ways to memorialize, and the full scope of body transformation methods, e.g. cremation. It’s rare for veterinary companies to include aftercare information on their websites. However, doing so is helpful for clients and reduces confusion during an already overwhelming time for many (Kogan 2021). Animals in the zoo setting have very bonded caretakers, and many will want to see respect given to the deceased body in much the same way. Owners of farm animals euthanized on premises will expect the veterinary team to guide the fastest and safest removal of the animal without causing distress to other animals.

7.1.1.1 Spending Time with the Body

Following euthanasia, grieving clients may request to remain with the body for a period of time. This is acceptable and encouraged, especially for those who need time to come to terms with the permanency of death. Clients may need just a few minutes or much longer including overnight or even a few days. Veterinary teams can assist in the hospital by quieting the area and keeping the room undisturbed until the client is finished saying goodbye (Figure 7.1). A doorbell feature has gained popularity as a way to allow the client to sit alone with their pet and alert the veterinary team to return to the room when the client is ready to depart (Gardner and McVety 2017). These wireless doorbell systems can be used in hospitals and mobile settings like homes or farms.

When clients spend time with the body, especially soon after death, they may notice body movements such as small whisker twitches, mild leg kicks, reflexive breaths, and urination or defecation. If they are left alone with the animal’s body, they should be told what to expect and how normal such movements are as the body releases energy. If they are uncomfortable being alone with the body, a member of the veterinary team can remain in the area. Some families may request to keep the body for an extended period of time. The body should be protected from heat, insects, and predators until the client is ready to proceed with final aftercare.

Other animals may show interest in being close to a deceased companion (Figure 7.2). As long as the body does not harbor a contagion or spreadable disease, curious conspecifics or other species can be invited to investigate the body and vicinity. In this author’s experience, clients often ask if other animals should be allowed to see and smell the body. Informing them of the possibility is advised. If having other animals present both during and after euthanasia is important to the client, veterinary teams should try to accommodate them.

7.1.1.2 Reviewing Aftercare Choices and Memorialization

When an animal has been euthanized, whether it has been done in the hospital or external setting, preparations need to be made to ensure that the animal is handled according to the client’s wishes. Whenever possible, details should be discussed prior to the euthanasia procedure to expedite arrangements, ensuring the body can be safely and adequately managed within a reasonable time frame. Aftercare choices can be verbally described to clients or information can be provided in written form either online or through handouts.

In a 2021 study, pet owners shared that when asked about making aftercare arrangements, most want input from their veterinary team, but are capable of determining what is best for their family. Around 19% stated they typically know exactly what they want and need little input from their vet (Cooney et al. 2021). While clients may ask veterinary teams for guidance, they do not expect them to be funeral directors, knowing every option the aftercare company provides. There is an expectation however for veterinary teams to inform clients about aftercare options such as cremation type, urns, etc. Practitioners will want to tour all local facilities so they can give accurate information (see Table 7.1).

Clients may choose to keep a physical reminder of their animal, such as a clipping of hair, a feather collection, or a clay paw print, all of which are common and expected in modern times (Desmond 2016). Physical impressions and body tissue/materials need to be collected before postmortem decay sets in or a permanent change is made, e.g. the body is burned or buried. Memorial keepsakes can be created during the euthanasia appointment by veterinary staff, or afterward by the staff at the aftercare company’s facility (Figure 7.3). It is quite common for aftercare companies to make and send memorial items back to clients. If the veterinary team arranges this, they will want to make sure items are returned according to client wishes.

7.1.1.3 Respectful Body Handling

Bodies should always be treated with the utmost respect, whether the client is present or not. Treating an animal’s body kindly helps lessen professional compassion fatigue (Figley and Roop 2006), and signifies that even in death, respect is the right thing to do. Bodies should be moved in such a way as to convey this respect. Using a stretcher to carry the body rather than dragging is a clear example (Figure 7.4).

If the animal’s body will be moved to an aftercare facility, it will first need to be prepared by the veterinary staff. Following confirmation of death and privacy for the family (if requested), the body should be placed in a container for easier handling and to minimize area contamination from bodily fluids, (Figure 7.5). Ice and other cooling systems can be used to keep small bodies cold until the client is ready for final aftercare. While many veterinary services still use plastic refuse bags to transport remains of small animals, clients prefer caskets, designated body bags, and even blankets/shrouds instead of trash bags (Cooney et al. 2021). Larger animals will require blankets or tarps to wrap or cover the body and are typically moved to facilities using trailers (Figure 7.6).

What kind of records does the facility keep?

How long are the records retained?

What type of system does the facility use to identify the body bags animals are received in?

How will the facility handle multiple transfers from veterinary clinics to prevent loss of an individual body’s identification tag?

Are the bodies provided with toe tags or identification collars so that they can be identified even if they become displaced from the bags in which they are transported?

Where and how are the bodies stored after receipt by the facility and before disposal?

Does the facility have refrigeration and freezer capacity to accommodate the volume?

What method is used to identify, store, and transport a patient’s individual ashes after cremation?

If the facility provides for burials, what size plot is allocated for each animal?

How many animals can be buried in a plot or grave?

What is the daily capacity of crematorium furnaces?

What is the breakdown between the number of communal cremations versus private cremations?

How does the facility ensure that ashes of individually cremated pets are only those of the pet being cremated?

What is the largest‐sized body that can be cremated on site?

Can the facility handle large breed dogs or small farm animals?

If communal cremations are provided, how many animals are cremated at one time?

Are owners or veterinarians permitted to observe the cremation or burial?

What is the standard turnaround time for receipt of a body from the veterinary practice to return the ashes to the family?

What kind of packaging is used for the ashes, and can owners open the containers and view the ashes?

What type of fuel is used in the cremation?

Do ashes contain chunks of bone or teeth, or are they sifted to remove those fragments before they are returned to the owners?

Has the facility been inspected by the state, and if so, when was the last inspection done?

Are there any fenced‐off portions of land in the cemetery area?

What is the number of pets handled annually?

Can the facility sustain its growth over the next 5–20 years?

Does the facility engage in any business other than pet disposal? For instance, does it burn medical waste?

Do the furnaces meet the EPA requirements for the location?

Small animals are much easier to manage than larger animals. If small enough, they can be carried by one to two people and transported in passenger vehicles or small trucks. Larger animals need equipment to move. While this author was able to fit a 175 kg llama in the back of a minivan, flatbed trailers are more common. Aftercare facility staff will commonly arrive to pick up deceased animals and transport them for services on request. Clients are not usually present for this transition time. However, they certainly can be, especially if they want to be part of every part of the process. Arrangements can be made to have the animal picked up and taken immediately to the crematory or cemetery for burial. This minimizes the holding time and helps ensure that the client’s wishes are carried out as quickly as possible. Some veterinary hospitals, or even the family, will bring the companion animal’s body to the aftercare location themselves, to make sure it arrives in a timely fashion. Zoos, production farms, and high volume‐euthanasia small animal practices may have aftercare facilities on site to expedite aftercare, reducing the need to transport to another location.

7.1.2 Aftercare Ordering Models

Euthanasia produces a deceased body which veterinary teams typically manage on their clients’ behalf, in an effort to ensure proper body handling and because, traditionally, it has been challenging for pet owners to access pet aftercare facilities on their own. This help, and the preplanning support clients receive, has been shown to reduce owner anxiety around death/loss and death decisions (Kogan and Erdman, 2019). As of 2025, veterinary teams routinely manage a client’s pet aftercare needs.

Aftercare companies may form business partnerships with veterinary teams as the responsible party to ask the client (the pet owner) what they want for aftercare, and relay these wishes to the pet aftercare company. The veterinary team collects money on behalf of the client for said services and pays the aftercare company directly. This arrangement is known as a Veterinary Aftercare Ordering Model (VAOM).

An alternative model to the VAOM is the Client Aftercare Ordering Model (CAOM). In this model, pet owners interact directly with an aftercare company, selecting the type of cremation and memorial items they want without the need to convey detailed information to the veterinary team. The veterinary team’s responsibility is merely to direct the client to the aftercare company before or just after the death of the pet and safely hold the deceased pet until the aftercare company picks up the body. The veterinary team may collect payment if that’s the CAOM arrangement they use, or the client pays for services to the aftercare company directly. In a 2025 study looking at the differences between these two models, veterinarians shared that they feel comfortable speaking with clients about basic aftercare options, but that overall, they want clients to have their needs met, and that working through a CAOM may be the best way to do that (Cooney and Kogan 2025).

7.1.3 Reducing Risk and Improving Accuracy

Practitioners will want to gather consent for any aftercare arrangements they or their team make on behalf of the client. When the client indicates what they want, the details are written down and the staff reviews the information for accuracy. This is an important step, and if rushed, mistakes can happen. The client gives consent by signing the agreement and paying for services. If the veterinary team is recommending an aftercare company’s services or obligating a client to work with one company over another, there is a professional call to action to ensure the aftercare company is reputable and reliable (see Table 7.2). A veterinary company may want to elect a staff member or two to be in charge of knowing the ins and outs of the aftercare services they work with, and guarantee aftercare requests are properly managed.