Dog owners told not to feel pressured at euthanasia’s hardest moment
A dog owner should not be guilted into staying for a pet’s final moments, a veterinary surgeon has said. Dr Kiah Weeks-Bell, who works at Medivet & Partners Swanland in East Yorkshire, says social media videos are pushing a false idea that being present is the only compassionate choice. She says the reality is more personal than that, and the decision should be made with care, not pressure.
Why the pressure around dog euthanasia is growing
Weeks-Bell says she keeps seeing a video that claims 90% of dog owners will not be there at the end, and she rejects that figure outright. She says the number “has been pulled out of a large animal’s rectum, ” and adds that, in her experience, most people do choose to stay. Even so, she says no owner should feel they must do it to prove their love.
Her message is aimed at the emotional pull of online content, which she says can leave people feeling judged before they have even made a decision. In her view, the central point is simple: some owners want to stay, some want the procedure explained first, and others know they cannot be there. She says all of those responses are valid.
What vets want owners to understand
Weeks-Bell says vets rarely judge owners, and the only time she would is in cases of abuse or deliberate neglect. When she asks whether someone wants to be present, she says she sees a full range of reactions, from immediate certainty to hesitation to refusal. For her, the goal is to make the procedure as smooth and as least traumatic as possible for both the owner and the pet.
She also stresses that a pet should receive a “good death, ” which she says is what euthanasia means. That, she says, is the difficult but honest part of the conversation. The owner’s choice, she adds, should be guided by what they can handle emotionally, not by outside expectations.
How one veterinary practice frames the final goodbye
Weeks-Bell says many of the thank-you cards in her practice are from people whose pets have died peacefully, not only from those whose animals were saved. That, she says, reflects how deeply owners value a calm and humane end. The cards on the walls, she adds, are a reminder that this work is also about supporting people through grief.
She says some owners feel able to comfort their pet during the procedure, while others simply cannot. In her view, that difference matters. The decision should depend on the individual, the animal, and the circumstances, not on what looks right online or what other owners might think.
What happens next for grieving owners
The broader message from Weeks-Bell is that dog owners need honesty, not shame, when facing euthanasia. She wants the conversation to stay focused on compassion and practical support, rather than social media pressure. For anyone making that choice now, her advice is clear: do what is right for you and your dog, and do not let guilt decide the moment.
