End of life decisions and after-care for companion animals are welfare considerations that extend to the final moments of a pet's life.
End of life animal welfare begins with recognising when treatment prolongs suffering rather than life quality. Quality of life assessment tools help owners evaluate when the welfare balance has shifted toward euthanasia being the kindest choice. The decision itself, and the circumstances of euthanasia, are welfare variables: a calm in-home death with familiar people present is profoundly different from a distressed clinic death. After death, owner grief needs recognition — the strength of the human-animal bond means bereavement support is a genuine welfare downstream consideration.