Saying goodbye to a beloved pet is one of the most heart-wrenching decisions a pet owner can make. For Nicole Lahaie and her family from Guelph, Ontario, this difficult moment arrived when their 18-year-old dog, Simon, a gentle Italian Greyhound, was no longer able to enjoy the quality of life he once had. Faced with the decision to euthanize their cherished companion, the family sought out a peaceful and loving way to say goodbye, avoiding the anxiety of a traditional vet visit.
In 2015, Dr. Susan Dailley founded Peaceful Passing, a mobile veterinary service that offers in-home euthanasia, quality of life assessments, and memorialization services for pets. The service’s goal is to help pets pass peacefully in the comfort of their own home, surrounded by family and loved ones. This compassionate approach provides pet owners with the opportunity to ensure their pets’ final moments are peaceful and dignified, without the stress of a busy vet clinic.
Dr. Dailley, who had worked in general practice for seven years, realized that the most rewarding part of her job was helping families during their pets’ final moments. She envisioned a service where pets could stay at home, surrounded by the people they loved, as they peacefully passed on. After hearing about mobile in-home care at a veterinary conference, she was inspired to launch Peaceful Passing, despite skepticism from others.
For pet owners like Lahaie, this service offers a more personal and less stressful experience. “It would have been a negative experience for Simon and for us to go to the vet’s office,” Lahaie said. “We wanted him to pass without anxiety, in a place where he felt safe and loved.”
Peaceful Passing provides a full spectrum of end-of-life services, including cremation, aquamation, and pet loss support, and it operates seven days a week, covering areas like Guelph, Kitchener-Waterloo, and surrounding regions. This service is also available for a wide range of pets, from dogs and cats to smaller animals like rabbits and hamsters.
The Lahaie family was able to spend precious moments with Simon before his passing. “He was curled up on my lap, eating chicken and snuggling. He didn’t even feel anything. He just snuggled me,” Lahaie recalled. “Then he fell asleep on his couch, with his family, under his favorite blanket. And he knew nothing of pain.”
Dr. Dailley’s dedication and compassionate care have made a significant impact on families facing the difficult decision of saying goodbye to their pets. By providing a peaceful, loving environment, Peaceful Passing helps pet owners ensure that their pets’ final moments are filled with dignity and love.