My only experience of a pet being PTS was a difficult one, however not due to the vets.
BenJay was pts due to aggression problems  My mum booked him in at another vet as it was cheaper than our own, despite me trying to find him a rescue place/new home. We were quietly taken into a room and began preparation at which point my mum jumped asking for him to be weighed first as she thought he was the cheaper weight based on price. He was to her relief, meanwhile im breaking my heart at how well he was behaved and the injust of it all. I felt as though I totlly betrayed his trust as he followed my lure onto the scales, sat and stayed like the good boy he was with me.

As he was being PTS because of aggression problems he had to wear a muzzle despite being perfectly behaved. I was asked to restrain him, instead I gave him a big cuddle. He passed in my arms. We were allowed to be left with the body, I just wanted to be by myself with him but my mum stayed. I was given his collar and lead. We were asked what we wanted to do with the remains at which point my mum said “to just keep him”

I will still never forgive her for that day and she knows it. She is still my mum and I love her but I will never believe what happened that day was right.

I become very emotional when I see a leg shaved because it takes me back to that day but I have had to learn to get over it with my work experience placements.

Should also note when ive witnessed euthenasia on work experience and the owners have not been in attendance has still been carried out with the utmost respect of the animals.

The last dog I had to have PTS was Jess about ten years ago. I rang the vets beforehand so they knew why I was going but I still had to wait in the reception for about half an hour, by which time I was in quite a state.

To be honest, that was one of the reasons I eventually changed vets.

I had a cat put down a few years before that and the sedative didn't take effect and she tried to crawl up my front in terror. That was awful and it upsets me even now when I think about it.

I just know that I would get better treatment at my current vets.

We took my old boy to the vets in his bed The vet refused to come out and advised me to give my dog a paracetomal, he said he could just be stiff from lying down, I knew it was more than that though He couldn't walk, or even get up himself.

We took the vets advise and got the dog into a standing position, he kept falling over In the end, we let everyone say goodbye then we made the journey to the vets, it was 6.50pm a the vets closed at 7pm. The vet did come out and help my husband carry the dog bed from the car into the surgery.

He was given a pre-med, and left for a few minutes, then the vet came back and put him to sleep. It was calm, no rushing us, etc......

We were never offered anything else, I would have like for him to be cremated, but at the time I was so upset, the vet helped my husband put the dog bed back in the car. When we got home we couldn't bring ourselves to bury him, so he was left in the shed in his bed covered over for the night, next day we buried him with his toys, bowls, and lead

I did feel the vet could have done more for us, like I said, he refused to come out to us, but when I first phoned and asked it was about 5pm, it was nearly 2 hours later when we made the decision to take him to the vet, rather than keeping my old boy alive another night

Our family have been using the same vets since before my father was even a twinkle in his fathers eye, so we all trust them. Everytime we've had to have an animal pts, whether at home or in surgery, has been conducted with the upmost respect, the kindest and most compassionate yet proffesional manner, always gone in and paid the next day. Been offered various after services in regards to the body, and have chosen different ones each time. Super vets, really super.

Thank you all for your comments and thoughts - I really appreciate you sharing such an emotional experience with me.

My own dogs are always euthanised at work, this is because they have all grown up coming to work with me and love the surgeries and everyone there, so 'going to the vet' isn't anything scary for them, like it is for many animals.

We have now lost 5 dogs - 2 to old age, 2 to cancer at 7y and 9y and another to joint disease at 9y. All of the dogs, bar one had a textbook euthanasia, peaceful, gentle, quiet etc, sadly Bobby's ending was very traumatic, badly dealt with by the vet and the whole thing was just upsetting and sad and I'll never forget it.

Thank you all again.

Just wanting to say thank you for this thread xxx The last dog i had euthanised was when I was young and my father just took her to the vets and wouldn't allow me to go. Now, because of Zeke's cancer i often have questions, most of which you have all answered. I'm so sorry for your losses xxx

We've talked about when it's Zeke's time and we would like to have him pts at home, in his bed, with Keisha and us by his side. I would like his oncologist from Liverpool small animal hospital who treated him for 6 months through his cancer to do it, whether that's possible I'm not sure. I would like to bury him with his favourite teddy and plant a wild cherry tree at his spot with a memorial stone - a very low key one, simply a small rock which will blend in with the garden but have his details engraved on, forever with us.

Awww Akitagirl I'm so sorry you are going through this with Zeke, it's so hard, isn't it. Sending you big (((hugs))) - any questions feel free to ask. Thinking of you xx

This thread made me could only manage the first page.

I've asked our vet if he will come to the house when it's Rocky's time to go and he's said yes so long as we give him enough time and so long as it's not on one of the days he's away.

We're also going to get him cremated - I wish thinking of taking him there myself, waiting (ie. actually seeing him go in _by-himself_) and collecting his ashes. I'm sure it's nothing to worry about but it will always niggle in the back of my mind whether they are actually Rocky's ashes or not - the way businesses cut corners so much these days.

I have even considered doing it myself in the back of our garden near the river - we've had lots of bonfires there (whilst doing this house up) and Rocky used to love them as they were always a social gathering with our neighbours. Least this way I will know they are his ashes, and in a way - we'll be able to say a proper goodbye, as we'll stay with him until the fire has gone. Does anyone know if it's legal?

Sorry for going off-topic a bit.

Azz no idea if its legal but not something I would want to do personally. I totally understand the feeling though of wanting no one to touch them but you and for you to complete the process but I think this may be a step to far; it would be for me.