End-of-life decision making for companion animals involves balancing quality of life assessment, owner grief, and the welfare obligation to prevent prolonged suffering.
End-of-life decisions for companion animals carry profound emotional weight, but the welfare obligation to prevent prolonged suffering is clear. Quality of life tools help owners track decline objectively, reducing the influence of grief-driven delay. Veterinarians who initiate end-of-life conversations proactively enable more prepared, welfare-centered decisions. Home euthanasia, where available, can provide peaceful final moments for animals distressed by clinic environments.