How will I know when it's time?

As pet owners, we carry the responsibility of making decisions for our pets' well-being. Euthanasia may be necessary when pets face severe and untreatable pain, difficulty with basic functions, lost interest in once favorite activities, or even withdrawing from social interaction with their beloved family. Changes such as these suggest a decline in their quality of life.

Identify the top five activities your pet loved throughout their life. When your pet can no longer enjoy three or more of these activities, it may indicate a significant decline in quality of life.

Good Days vs. Bad Days.
- Pets often experience a mix of good and bad days, making it hard to gauge their overall condition. Keeping track of your pet's days can provide clarity.
- Mark good days with a check and bad days with an X on your calendar to help you recognize when your pet is having more difficult days than joyful ones.

Use tools listed on Grief Resources page.

What to Expect

Once Dr. Barber arrives at your home, a gentle assessment of your pet will be performed. After this, in the rare situation where payment and a signature has not already been obtained, it will be collected. Payment is collected before the procedure in order to allow you to focus on your pet without any other concerns or distractions.

The procedure itself can take place nearly wherever you and your pet are comfortable. Please note that with Arizona's extreme heat, an outdoor appointment may not be safe to schedule. Additionally, to ensure safety and dignity for all involved, we kindly ask that the space is accessible without the need to go up or down stairs, unless absolutely necessary (such as for entry access). We carry medical equipment and aftercare supplies, and navigating stairs while honoring your pet after passing can be both unsafe and difficult.

After confirming your wishes and comfortable proceeding, your pet will receive gentle sedative injections to help them relax and drift peacefully into a deep sleep. These medications usually take about 5 - 15 minutes to take effect. Rarely, additional medications may be necessary to administer. Once your pet is resting peacefully, a final medication will be given to gently and peacefully stop their heart and breathing. The length of time this process may take can vary depending on the method used. While we strive to make the experience as smooth as possible, adjustments or additional medication may occasionally be needed.

After the procedure, you are welcome to take time to say your final goodbyes. We will then prepare your pet for transport to the cremation care center.

If your pet is larger than 35 lbs, you will need to ensure there are enough loved ones present at time of appointment to assist with moving your pet into veterinarian's vehicle to transport.
- If unable to move pet into veterinarian's vehicle for transportation we can coordination with crematorium is needed to aide with moving/transportation.

**There is an additional fee charged by the care center for this service.

How to prepare for appointment?

Spend quality time with your pet in the days leading up to your appointment. Give them extra snuggles, offer special treats, take them on their favorite activities --- anything that still brings them joy.

When discussing the situation with children, aim for honesty while being mindful of their age and emotional maturity. For additional support in guiding your child, please explore our grief support resources.

Appointments can be scheduled online, phone call, or text message (*text preferred).

Completed booking form required in order to tell us more about your pet and their specific needs.

We request payment in advance so you can focus your attention entirely on your pet during this emotional time. We accept electronic payment or cash.

If you have other pets in the household who are calm and bring you comfort, they are welcome to stay nearby during the appointment. However, many pets become anxious or disruptive, so it’s important to consider what will be most peaceful for everyone.

General Information

This is an appointment based service. It is recommended to make an appointment at least 2-3 days in advance. We will always try to accommodate same day or urgent requests, but please understand that this is not always possible.

To ensure we provide the calm, unhurried care your pet deserves, we kindly ask for at least 3 hours' notice when scheduling appointments.

Emergency / Holiday / Extended Travel Fees may be applicable and will be discussed when scheduling

Payment is expected prior to service and can be arranged via a secure payment link over text/email or in person.

If a cremation service with remains returned is elected:
- you can pick up from the Glendale care center directly
- home delivery via USPS priority delivery with signature required and enhanced tracking for $35
- direct hand delivery pre-arranged via courier for $45

We do not provide emergency care or overnight services. If you feel that your pet needs immediate attention, please call or visit your nearest veterinary urgent care or emergency hospital. Contact information for urgent/emergency care is listed here.

Cancellation & Refund Policy

Our mission is to provide gentle and caring end of life services, and this is what keeps us motivated to provide this difficult service. We kindly request that appointments are scheduled with the intention of providing a peaceful and timely passing—ideally before your pet is in visible distress or the final stages of dying. We understand that it can be incredibly difficult to recognize when it is time, and sometimes the need becomes clear only at the last moment. We will always do our best to support you, even on short notice.

Your appointment fee reserves dedicated time with a veterinarian, travel to your location, and ensures that no other families in need are scheduled during that time. As such, we kindly request as much advance notice as possible for cancellations or changes.

Full Refunds are available for cancellations made with at least 24 business hours notice prior to the day of service. Please call AND leave a voicemail, OR send a text to notify us. Please DO NOT email as this will not reflect an acceptable cancellation.

For appointments scheduled same day and your pet passes prior to scheduled appointment:

If MORE THAN 3 hours notice is provided and you still require after life services, a $195 transportation fee will apply, plus applicable fees for after care services selected.
If 3 hours OR LESS notice is given and you still require after life services, the full appointment fee applies and is non-refundable.
If you do not require aftercare services and your pet passes when a same day appointment is scheduled, full appointment fee applies and is non-refundable.

If the veterinarian arrives and evaluates your pet and determines that euthanasia is not the best treatment for a variety of reasons, you will be charged the $295 consultation fee and add on fees that may apply.

Cancellations include appointments where (i) no one is at the given address within the confines of the appointment time, (ii) not responding to text or phone calls at the contact number provided within the appointment time (30 minutes), (iii) the doctor contacts you when en route and/or arrives and gets no response or communication. It is your responsibility to provide Forever Loved Veterinary Services your correct address/location information.

**After hours fees and extended travel fees are non-refundable regardless when notice is provided, as they reflect the additional resources required to honor your scheduled time and location.

**There is a $100 fee if you reverse the charges on your credit card.

**These policies are in place to ensure fairness and allow us to continue offering compassionate, timely care to all families in need. These fee policies will be strictly adhered to. Thank you for your understanding.

How will I know when it's time?

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What to Expect

How to prepare for appointment?

General Information