The First Few Hours: What to Do When Your Pet Passes at Home or at a Vet Clinic

It’s the one scenario every pet parent dreads. Whether it happens suddenly or after a long, difficult decline, when your pet actually takes their final breath, the world sort of stops. I know exactly how overwhelming that sudden panic of ‘what do I do?’ can be.

If you are in that exact moment reading this, the very first thing I want you to do is take a deep breath. There is absolutely no rush.

Give Yourself Time. Nature gives us a window of time. You have a few hours to just sit with them, cry, and let the other pets in the house sniff them so they understand what has happened.

Place a towel or a pee pad underneath them, as their muscles will completely relax and some discharge is absolutely normal. Move them to a cool, quiet room out of direct sunlight, and wrap them in their favourite blanket. When you are able, place an ice pack or some frozen ziplock bags on top of and below their torso to keep them cool, but not frozen. Take your time.

When you are ready, give us a call or arrange their care online at: https://www.aquafare.co.nz/arrange-care

Our Gentle Collection Process. You don't have to carry the heavy logistics of figuring out how to transport them. We will come to you.

We handle the collection of your pet with the utmost care, treating them exactly how we would want for our own. Because we are local, we can come to you on any day during the week, or the very first business day after the weekend. We cover all areas in Wellington, from Karori and Island Bay, to Petone, Lower Hutt, Stokes Valley, Upper Hutt, Porirua, and up to Kapiti.

We arrive quietly and gently bring them into our care.

If You Are at the Vet. If you are reading this while sitting in a vet clinic, just let the veterinary team know that Aquafare will be taking care of them. We will coordinate directly with your vet to collect from the clinic on your behalf.

You don't have to navigate the logistics of your hardest day alone. Let us walk gently beside you, to ease the weight of the practical details.