At some point you may need to make the very difficult decision to arrange end of life care for your pet. Below are the options we offer and some information to help prepare you for this process.
Please call us if you have made the decision to euthanize and we will make every effort to get you an appointment that same day, if you wish. Throughout the process our goal is for your pet to pass peacefully in a loving and compassionate environment. Your family will be placed in a private exam room as quickly as possible when you arrive. If you want to discuss anything with the veterinarian prior to making your final decision just let our receptionist know and they will arrange it. Otherwise, a team member will assist you with a consent form and payment for services. The doctor will administer a sedative for your pet’s comfort and you and your family will have 10-15 minutes alone with him/her while the sedative takes effect. At that time, a technician will bring your pet to our treatment area for about 10 minutes to safely place an intravenous catheter. The doctor and technician will return to your room with your pet and when you are ready they will administer the euthanasia drug directly into the bloodstream via the catheter. Please feel comfortable to express whatever sentiments or emotion you are feeling to your pet during this process as we completely understand how difficult this moment can be. When he/she has passed (typically within a few minutes of the injection) the doctor will confirm this and let you know. You will also have time privately with your pet after the procedure if you wish.
Sunrise Pet Clinic offers Aquamation services thru Cholla Afterlife. Aquamation is an environmentally friendly, gentle and natural alternative to flame-based pet cremation. It is a water-based process known scientifically as Alkaline Hydrolysis. This process is essentially an accelerated version of what takes place during natural decomposition in the soil. A combination of gentle water flow, warm temperature, and alkalinity are used to accelerate the natural process of tissue breakdown.
If you choose to have your pet’s remains returned to you, we use a stainless steel identification tag to track your beloved pet until their remains and the tag are returned to you. Your pet is gently placed into its own separate cradle in the Aquamation machine and is not co-mingled with other pets. Aquamation will result in approximately 20% more remains on average than flame cremation. The remains are a sand-like powder instead of ash. You will receive the remains in a decorative wooden urn. We will notify you when we receive the remains from Cholla Afterlife (usually within 2 weeks of the euthanasia) and you will pick them up at our office.
If you choose Aquamation without the remains returned to you, the remains will be scattered by Cholla Afterlife staff on a private ranch in Tucson.
You can learn more about Aquamation on Cholla Afterlife’s website.
Alternatively, if you wish to bury or have your pet cremated, you can choose to have Sunrise Pet Clinic only provide euthanasia services and take your pet’s body with you. If you would like cremation, we recommend using the Pet Cemetery of Tucson.
Please know we are here to support you during this time and welcome any questions or concerns you have.