This is not an easy topic to talk about, but it’s an important one. Over the years, Inwoof has compiled lists of dog walkers, veterinarians, boarding places, etc., but we’ve never provided our community with information about what to do when our beloved pets pass away.

Below, please find some resources that may be helpful to you at a time when the last thing you want to do is hit Google to figure out who you need to call. We suggest that you bookmark this post somewhere so that you can find it easily should you need it (hopefully that won’t be for a long time).

The Days/Weeks Before

Much like when we lose a beloved relative or friend, we all hope to see the end coming well in advance for our pets so we can prepare ourselves—and them—for the inevitable. Here are some services that that may help Inwood pet lovers and their aging/ailing pets.

In-home veterinary services.

If your pet starts to have trouble walking, or it’s too uncomfortable for them to leave the home and travel to a vet, you can contact one of these veterinary service providers to have a doggie doc come to your home instead.

Inwood Animal Clinic - Inwood Animal Clinic will send a vet to your home by appointment to provide veterinary care for pets that can’t easily travel. Several Inwoof members had very positive things to say about their experience with in-home care form IAC.
At Home Veterinary: Dr. Johnathan Leshanski – Dr. Leshanski actually does all of his business in the form of house calls, and comes highly recommended by several members of the Inwoof community.
Visiting Vet of NY. This veterinarian also comes recommended by an Inwoof member, and offers a wide range of in-home veterinary services.

Other.

Christine Sang, animal communicator. Christine uses a combination of physical body language and spiritual techniques to help you communicate more effectively with your pet. A close friend of mine recently lost their pet and used Christine to communicate in the final hours, and had nothing but good things to say about how much the experience meant to both the pet and the owners.
Larissa Flint, pet artist and photographer. You have a lifetime of memories with your pet, and you may want to find ways to immortalize those memories. Larissa provides pet photography and pet painting services upon request.

At the End

Hopefully you’ll have time to prepare, but even if the worst happens suddenly, some of these resources may help you in your time of need.

In-home euthanasia.

Because our pets don’t always understand what’s happening, sometimes it’s easiest for them if they can have their final moments at home. All three in-home vets listed above also offer in-home euthanasia services.

Pet cemeteries.

Once your pet has passed on, it’s hard to focus and figure out what happens next. The following businesses can help you with burial or cremation services.

Hartsdale Pet Cemetery. Located in the Bronx, Hartsdale is the closest pet cemetery to Inwood. They offer both burial and cremation services for your pet, and will also pick up your pet from your home and provide transport once it has passed away.
Regency Forest Pet Memorial Park. Regency is out on Long Island, but offers similar services to Hartsdale in terms of burial, cremation, and transportation. They also offer funeral packages if you wish to hold a service for your pet.
Pet Rest in Peace. Pet Rest in Peace comes by personal recommendation from an Inwoof member, and is located in Secaucus, N.J. You’ll need to provide your own transportation, but the person who recommended them says they may be a more affordable option than some of the places in the city.

Grief counseling.

The death of a pet is often something family or friends don’t fully understand. They don’t always fathom the connections we make with our pets throughout their lifetime. If you don’t have a good support network around you to help you deal with your loss, there are a few places you can go.

1. Association for Pet Loss and Bereavement. APLB offers lists of grief counselors and support groups for pet owners who have lost their best friend. They can also connect you with pet-issue legal counselors if necessary.

2. ASPCA. The ASPCA has a grief hotline for your use after the loss of a pet. 1-877-GRIEF-10.

We here at Inwoof hope you find this information helpful should you ever need it. But we also hope that you won’t need it for a long time. Please give your pet a hug and a kiss from us.

Do you have additional services you'd like to recommend? Please let us know in the comments.

Disclaimer: While Inwoof members recommended the businesses listed in this post based on personal experiences, Inwoof does not officially endorse any pet-related service provider.

Jason McDowell

holds a BS in English from the University of Wisconsin-Superior and an MFA in Creative Writing from The New School. He works as a freelance writer and business journalist who enjoys the privilege of working in his home office all day with his dogs, Boomer and Willow. If you're interested in hiring Jason as a pet blogger (or for other writing gigs), please contact him through his website.