Vet’s touching letter to owners who can’t stay with their pets during euthanasia is moving everyone to tears

Sometimes, people are not strong enough or cannot afford to see their beloved canine in that condition.

PUBLISHED 2 HOURS AGO

(L) Woman reading a letter, (R) Old dog in animal hospital. (Representative Cover Image Source: Getty Images | (L) Kathrin Ziegler, (R) Chalabala)

Not staying in the same room when a pet is being put down is a guilt many owners struggle to live with. They are often labeled as inconsiderate or cruel, but a vet is shifting perspectives with an open letter to pet owners, acknowledging how difficult the moment can be for them, too. The message of reassurance emphasizes that no matter what the owners may decide, to be or not to be with their dying pet, the vet is always there to ensure the animals are treated with love and dignity in their final moments. The tear-jerker of a letter was shared on Reddit (r/UnsentLetters) in a now-deleted post with 18,000 votes.

A family with their dying dog. (Representative Image Source: Getty Images | Justin Paget)

“To the people who don’t stay with your pets during euthanasia,” the post was titled. The veterinarian, attuned to the feelings of many people who dropped off their pets at her clinic, reassured them that it’s not always cruelty disguised as pain. “It’s okay. I stay. I hold them from the moment they come in until the moment their heart stops beating. I tell them that you loved them so [sic] much and that they were the best dog/cat,” the message read. Sometimes, people are not strong enough or cannot afford to see their beloved canine in that condition, she noted.

Veterinarian giving an injection to cat.(Representative Image Source: Getty Images | Nadzeya Haroshka)

In that moment, the vet rises to the challenge and offers every ounce of love to the pets to be euthanized, all of which they deserve. The vet, who remains unidentified, articulated, “I cradle them in my arms and rub their head. Sometimes you are devastated leaving, and sometimes you act like you couldn't [sic] care less. But I care, and they deserve to have someone at the end.” She stressed the love that does remain, as pet owners and their families send handwritten cards, the pets’ favorite toys, and other special artefacts to be sent to the crematorium. The animals always get a dignified ending under her care.

A sad-looking owner with her pet dog. (Representative Cover Image Source: Getty Images | Eugenio Marongiu)

She shared a heartbreaking moment with a cat that was set to be put down. The feline had the vet “holding back tears” as she read out the cards written by the children of the owner. “I held him in my lap and read those cards to him while I waited for the sedation to take effect.” Concluding her letter, the vet comforted the owners by saying that their pets were never alone in their final moments on Earth. “If you can’t stay, I will.”

The open letter struck a chord with several on the internet. u/celeryi penned, “I watched my dog's life drain from her eyes, they glazed over slowly, and I couldn't stop shaking. One of the worst days of my life, but there was a lovely vet who comforted me more than anything.” “You’re amazing. I’m so happy I was able to stay with my cat while the sedation took effect. Hardest moment of my life, I loved that one-eyed chubby cat so much,” thanked a fellow pet owner (u/clarkrex). “You are truly a wonderful person,” marked u/Meergefluester.