What to Do When Your Pet Dies
The moments after losing a pet can feel overwhelming. This gentle, step-by-step guide will help you navigate the practical decisions while you grieve.
Take a Breath First
Before any decisions, give yourself a moment. There is no rush in the first hours. It is okay to sit with your pet, to cry, and to say goodbye in your own time. The practical steps below can wait until you feel ready to take them.
If Your Pet Has Just Passed at Home
Confirm and gently care for them
If you are unsure, contact your veterinarian or an emergency clinic. When you are ready, you can wrap your pet in a soft blanket or towel in a quiet, cool place.
Decide on timing
If you plan to use a cremation or burial service, it helps to contact them within a day. Keeping your pet in a cool room in the meantime is perfectly fine.
Include the family
Give other family members, and even other pets, a chance to say goodbye if that feels right for your household.
If Your Pet Passed at the Vet
Your veterinary team will walk you through your options with care. You can usually choose to take your pet home, arrange a private or communal cremation, or use a burial service. Ask any questions you need to, including about paw-print keepsakes or fur clippings, which many clinics offer.
Aftercare Options
Cremation
A private cremation returns your pet's ashes to you, often in an urn you choose. Communal cremation is a lower-cost option where ashes are not returned.
Home or Pet-Cemetery Burial
Burial can offer a physical place to visit. Check local regulations for home burial, or choose a dedicated pet cemetery for a lasting resting place.
Keepsakes
Paw prints, fur clippings, custom jewelry, or a framed photo can become treasured reminders of your companion.
An Online Memorial
A lasting tribute you can return to anytime and share with loved ones. See our guide to creating a pet memorial.
Be Gentle With Yourself
Once the practical steps are handled, grief often follows in waves. That is completely normal. Our guide on coping with pet loss offers compassionate support, and if children are grieving too, see helping children cope with the loss of a pet.
ASPCA Pet Loss Hotline: (877) 474-3310
Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741
Create a Lasting Tribute
When you feel ready, an online memorial gives you a peaceful place to remember your pet and share their story with the people who loved them.