In-home euthanasia, hospice care, and palliative medicine are transforming companion animal end-of-life welfare by allowing animals to die in familiar environments with reduced stress.
End-of-life welfare for companion animals has improved substantially through the development of in-home services and palliative medicine. Animals dying in familiar environments with their family present experience less stress than those in clinical settings. In-home euthanasia eliminates transport stress, waiting room anxiety, and the fear response many animals have to veterinary environments. Veterinary hospice creates a bridge between curative care and euthanasia that allows death with dignity and comfort. These services represent genuine welfare advances that are becoming accessible to more owners as the profession invests in end-of-life specialty care.