Planning Your Pet’s Last Day

When you know your pet’s last day is coming, it’s natural to want to make it perfect. We see a lot of families put pressure on themselves to make the day big and memorable, with a long bucket list, a trip somewhere special, or a day packed with all of their dog or cat’s favorite things.

Those things can be wonderful, and if your pet is up for them, we love hearing about them. But a perfect day isn’t required. Some of the most peaceful last days we see are spent at home, sitting on the floor next to a favorite bed, with nothing planned at all.

This guide offers ideas for your pet’s last day, from a last walk to a favorite meal to having the people who love them over to say goodbye. Please don’t feel you need to do all of them, or any of them. Choose what feels right for you, your family, and your pet.

Before we get to those ideas, though, we want to start with the one thing that matters more than any of them.

That one thing is simply being with them. If you do nothing else on your pet’s last day, sit with them, talk to them, rest a hand on them. In our experience, that is what brings both pets and their people the most peace.

Research on how pets respond to their people points the same way. In one study, dogs whose owners stayed in the room during a routine vet exam showed fewer signs of fear than dogs who were examined without them¹. Another found that when owners gently petted and talked to their dog during an exam, the dog was calmer and its heart rate rose less than when the owner stood by without interacting².

You don’t even have to do anything. In a study of dogs that had just arrived at a shelter, half an hour with a person who simply sat quietly with them lowered the dogs’ stress hormone about as much as petting or playing did³. Other research has found that dogs feel more secure with their person close by, even when that person sits silently⁴. And cats aren’t as aloof as their reputation suggests: using the same tests researchers use with human infants, one study found that about two thirds of cats were securely attached to their person⁵.

None of these studies looked at pets at the end of life, so we can’t tell you exactly what your pet experiences on their last day. But they line up with what we see in homes every week: pets settle when their people are close. Your presence matters more than any plan.

So it’s no surprise that when families look back on the last day, the things they’re most glad they did are almost all about being together. The same few come up again and again, and they match what researchers heard from 143 families in a 2026 study: much of their lasting comfort came from small, intentional things, like favorite foods, family, familiar routines, and a peaceful setting⁶.

The thing we hear most often is that they took a day or two off work. It’s also the thing we see people hesitate over the most.

A lot of people plan to work the morning of the appointment, or to go back that same afternoon. We understand why. Work doesn’t stop, and it can feel strange to ask for time off for a pet. But this day is usually much harder than people expect, and trying to schedule a goodbye around meetings and shifts adds stress to a day that already has plenty of it. The families who do take the time are almost always grateful they did.

That shouldn’t come as a surprise. Grief after losing a pet is real grief. One study comparing people who had lost a pet with people who had lost a person found that the difference in how hard they grieved was small, and that how close they had been to the one they lost mattered far more than whether it was a pet or a person⁷.

Things to consider:

• Take the day after, too – Many people find they aren’t ready to go straight back to work the next morning.
• Don’t squeeze it in – Try not to fit the appointment into a lunch break or between meetings. Give yourself time before and after.
• Let your pet set the timing – Waiting for a slower week at work can mean your pet waits longer than they should. Our page on choosing the right time talks more about this.
• Keep it simple with work – You don’t owe anyone a long explanation. “I have a family matter and need to take a personal day” is enough.

Once the day is cleared, many families spend part of it going through old photos and videos, often with their pet right there on the couch beside them. It’s a chance to remember the puppy or kitten years, the moves, the trips, and all the ordinary days in between, and to tell your pet out loud what they’ve meant to you.

Those memories are often even better shared, which brings us to the third thing families mention most: inviting the people in their pet’s life to stop by. That might be family, friends, neighbors, or the kids next door. These visits do two things. They give everyone who loved your pet a chance to spend time with them and say goodbye, and they surround you with support on a hard day.

Some families turn it into a gathering, sometimes called a living funeral or a celebration of life, where people share stories while the pet is still with them. These can be big. We’ve arrived to find as many as 20 people gathered. Once the doctor arrived, some people chose to stay for the appointment, while others said their goodbyes and headed home. Both are completely okay.

Things to consider:

• Let people know the plan – Tell guests when the doctor is expected, and whether you’d like them to stay or say goodbye beforehand.
• Watch your pet’s energy – A full house can be tiring for a pet who is very sick. Give them a quiet room or a break if they need one.
• Decide ahead of time who stays – It’s okay to want only your closest family in the room for the appointment. Our guide to preparing for an in-home euthanasia has more on choosing who will be present.
• Children and other pets – See our articles on talking to children about pet death and whether your other pets should be there.

Whether the day includes a house full of visitors or just your family, it helps to plan around how your pet is feeling. The best last day is one that fits who your pet is right now, not who they were a few years ago. A dog who used to hike for hours might be happiest today with a slow lap around the yard and a nap in the sun. A cat who once ruled the house might just want a warm lap.

Veterinary end-of-life guidelines recommend keeping a sick pet’s routine as normal as possible and avoiding unnecessary stress⁸. A few things to keep in mind:

• Energy – Pets near the end of life tire quickly. Pick one or two things rather than a full schedule, and leave time to rest in between.
• Mobility – If walking is hard, a wagon, a stroller or being carried can still get them outside. Many pets are happy just lying in the grass.
• Appetite – Some pets still love their food on the last day, and some don’t want much. Follow their lead.
• Time of day – If you’re planning an outing, earlier in the day is usually better, so your pet has time to rest before the appointment.
• Weather – If your plan is outdoors, have a backup. In a Wisconsin winter, that might mean a drive to see the lake instead of a walk on the beach.

With your pet’s energy in mind, here are some other things we often see families do. Take what fits and leave the rest.

A last walk around the block, an hour at the park, a trip to the beach, or a quiet spot in the woods. Go slowly and let them sniff as long as they want. For cats, an outing might be a sunny window, a little supervised time on the grass, or a spot on the porch where they can watch the birds.

If a long walk is too much, or your dog simply loves the car, a last drive with the windows down can be a highlight of the day. Some families stop at a drive-through along the way for a plain burger or a cup of ice cream.

Whether it comes from a drive-through or your own kitchen, this is the day to give them whatever they love. Steak, a cheeseburger, and ice cream are some of the favorites we see. For cats, it might be tuna, a little salmon, or plain chicken. There’s no need to worry about their usual diet today, and you don’t need to hold back before the appointment.

If your pet only manages a bite or two, or just a lick, that’s okay. Many pets don’t have much of an appetite near the end. Offering their favorite food is still a kind thing to do.

Along with looking back at old photos, many families take new ones: everyone together on the couch, a close-up of the paws you know so well, your pet in their favorite spot. Your phone is plenty. If you’d like a professional photographer, The Tilly Project keeps a directory of photographers who offer end-of-life pet sessions, searchable by state. Each photographer sets their own price, and some offer free or reduced-cost sessions.

Photos aren’t the only thing families like to keep. Some also want a paw print or a clipping of fur. These can be made at home ahead of time, or at the appointment, like the paw prints and heartbeat keepsakes we offer.

Finally, if the appointment is in the morning, remember that the night before is part of the goodbye too. Many families let their pet sleep in the bed one more time, or bring blankets and pillows down and sleep on the floor next to them. It’s a simple way to spend those last hours close together.

With so many ideas to choose from, you might be wondering whether you should be working through a bucket list. Bucket lists can be a lovely way to spend the weeks or months after a diagnosis, while your pet still has the energy to enjoy them. Our guide to creating an end-of-life care plan has ideas for making one.

But by the last day, most pets don’t have the energy for a long list, and they don’t need one. They don’t know what’s on it. What they know is that you’re there. If there are one or two things your pet would truly enjoy, do them. If not, a quiet day together at home is not a lesser goodbye.

That’s especially true when time is short. Maybe you’re reading this the night before. If so, please know that you haven’t run out of time to give your pet a good last day. You don’t need a plan. These simple things are enough:

• If you can, take tomorrow off – Give yourself the morning with your pet and the rest of the day to grieve.
• Have their favorite dinner tonight – Whatever they’ll eat.
• Let them sleep wherever they like – In your bed, on the couch, or with you on the floor.
• Spend the morning slowly – A little time outside, their favorite spot, your hand on them.
• Tell them what they mean to you – Out loud, if you can.
• Put your phone down – Let the people who need to know what’s happening, then set it aside.

When the appointment itself comes, many people wonder whether they should stay in the room. It’s okay if you can’t be there for the whole euthanasia. Some people find that part too hard to watch, and no one should be made to feel guilty about that⁸.

What we do encourage, if at all possible, is staying for the first injection, the sedative, and while your pet drifts off to sleep. It’s the same comfort we talked about at the start of this guide. Your pet takes so much peace from having you close, and when their people aren’t there, we often see pets become worried and start looking for them. Staying for those few minutes ensures that your pet’s last memories are ones full of love, surrounded by those who meant the most to them. May we all be so lucky.

Once your pet is fully sedated, they’re in a deep sleep, as deep as anesthesia for surgery. From there, if you need to step out, that’s okay.

And if you’re worried that staying will make your grief harder, research has found that being present for a pet’s euthanasia was not linked to more complicated grief or trauma afterward⁹.

If your pet’s appointment is at home, the day can stay calm right to the end, in their favorite spot, with the people they love around them. You can read more in What Happens During In-Home Euthanasia and in our guide to preparing for an in-home euthanasia.

However you spend it, planning your pet’s last day can be a way of saying thank you, and there are so many lovely ways to do it. But please don’t measure the day by how much you fit into it.

In our experience, the biggest thing that brings families peace is simply being present with their pet. Take the time off if you can. Sit with them. Let the people who love them come by. Whatever else you do or don’t do, that is a good last day.

→ What Happens During In-Home Euthanasia
A step-by-step guide to the process, what to expect, and how to prepare for a peaceful goodbye.

→ Should Your Other Pets Be There When You Say Goodbye?
Understanding pet grief and whether your other animals should witness the goodbye.

→ Creating an End-of-Life Care Plan for Your Pet
How thinking through your preferences now makes the hardest day easier, and what decisions to consider in advance.

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6. Kogan, L. R., Currin-McCulloch, J., Jafarian, S., Klein, E., & Cooney, K. (2026). “Learning to live without him in my home when a piece of my heart went with him”: End-of-life decision-making experiences of companion animal caregivers. Animals, 16(18), 2890. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani16182890
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