Your last sentence is so, so true.

Have to say I would not let my dog/cat go without me being there - it may be heartbreaking but the mere fact you are doing the last kindness and releasing them from pain/discomfort/old age and letting them go is the ultimate act of kindness. Not something to dwell on just enjoy the days.
It is not nice but it is a kindness.
I have always thought better a day to soon than a moment too late.

I have always wanted to be there, and have been for all the small furries, but just bad circumstances have meant I couldn't be there for the dogs. Ellie was staying overnight at the vets, but I don't feel too bad about that because she was sedated and asleep, and I was holding her paw as the sedative was injected, so she had no 'Mama-less' time.

I don't understand why you wouldn't want to be with your pet, to do anything you could to make things a little better, but I know some people don't get that. My stepmum, on being told her cat had come around from the anaesthetic for a scan and was fine, but had inoperable cancer, told the vet to put her down. Didn't go and say goodbye, didn't want the body. I have a complete blank inability to understand that. Her reasoning was that she didn't want to get upset. (The cat BTW an 18 yr old much loved family member).

Sorry for rambling a little, I'm just glad other people feel as I do.

I've always stayed with my dogs. I couldn't not, they trust me and for most of them I've seen them into the world and must see them out. I try to be calm when it is happening but cry buckets after. Then we put them in the car for their final journey to the pet crem.

Until recently I have always been with all my dogs when they died including in the days years ago when I was allowed to stay with them in the vets during operations.
The exceptions were Tilly who died more recently on the operating table and Millie the 9 month old puppy.

Millie had been at the vets for two days and was on a drip. I was asked by the vet who was in tears if I would like them to disconnect the drip and bring her too me, or as she was peaceful sleeping in the kennel put her to sleep there.
I had to force myself through gritted teeth to say leave her where she was and do it there. I was so desperate to give her one last cuddle but knew in this instance it was not the best for her. I think maybe they gave her sedation through the drip and she was left undisturbed.

No matter how painful I found it I have always managed to stay calm and to smile when the deed was carried out even when uncontrollable tears were pouring down my face .

I hope there is someone there to hold me when I am dying, it is the last thing you can ever do for those you love....

I have always been with my dogs for that final cuddle and I know that if Pereg was very sick or in pain I will be with her.

My one fear however is if she goes into status and I cannot get her out of it. There is no way I could get her to the surgery in that case and by the time my Vet could get here she would have suffered irreversible brain damage but still be seizing.

And she would not know that I was with her.

I have always been there for my dogs and cats when they are pts . I am totally incapable of any sort of speech and if I tried to soothe them and talk to them I would fall apart but I am there and they know it and I know it . It's the only way for me . My husband has always offered to be there instead of me but he doesn't love them the way I do so I go alone . During their lives it's mostly just them and me and that's the way it is at the end too . Writing this has me in tears at the very thought of it

This is so true. I have been there for all of my animals at the end apart from Tyr, who was PTS on the operating table. I still feel terrible that I wasn't there for him and didn't get to say goodbye properly.

I had a packet of prawns in the fridge that I'd bought for me and him to share (before he needed to be rushed to the vets) and I couldn't look at them afterwards, I had to ask Jon to get rid of them. I used to love prawns, but I haven't bought them since.

I just have to be there as I would not trust anyone else. And all except 1 was so peaceful that I found this a help at such a dreadful time.

We are all different, but in your heart I'm sure you know what is best for your beloved dogs & will make the right decision when the time comes.

We were with Jack when he was pts. He'd had a stroke and looking at him, you could tell he was ready. He was nearly 15 and had a stroke the year before but there was no way he was going to come round. We were proud of ourselves the way we handled it and held it together for Jack, until we got in the car afterwards and broken down bawling for half an hour. We were devastated but knew we had done right for Jack.