RIGBY One of the hardest things a pet owner must do is put them to sleep, and a new company in east Idaho is trying to make the procedure kinder and less stressful for both people and their cherished animals.
Better Home Goodbyes is a mobile veterinary service that offers in-home pet euthanasia. It was started by Dr. Dustin Clark, a local veterinarian and native of east Idaho. Katie Straw, a veterinary technician and practice manager, works alongside him.
Instead of grieving at a clinic, Better Home Goodbyes gives pet owners and families the choice to say goodbye to their animals in the privacy of their own homes.
Located in Rigby, Better Home Goodbyes will travel up to three hours from Idaho Falls in any direction to assist pet owners and their families during this trying time by providing end-of-life care.
According to Clark, the inspiration came from his years of experience working in conventional clinics, when he frequently saw pet owners and their animals struggle during end-of-life visits.
According to Clark, when pets enter a clinic, they are already ill, anxious, and stressed. It is difficult and uncomfortable for the owners and other staff members when they leave the clinic crying because they are emotional people. Then, without their pet, they must drive home in a distressed state.
“We want to offer in-home euthanasia as an alternative to the clinic,” Straw continued. Pets can go through a serene environment where they are surrounded by comforting smells, devoted owners, and the quiet they are entitled to. Although the majority of families prefer to sleep with their pets at home, we have also complied with requests at locations that seem like home for them and their pet, such as Palisades Reservoir, neighborhood parks, or backyards.
Clark contacted colleagues from St. Anthony to Pocatello to determine the need for this kind of care and to evaluate their level of support in order to make sure the service will enhance rather than compete with already-existing veterinary clinics.
According to Clark, this is a means of cooperating with our colleagues in conventional methods rather than competing with them. Due to the very excellent feedback they provided, Better Home Goodbyes is now directly referred by nearby clinics.
Numerous animals, such as dogs, cats, horses, cows, goats, pigs, exotic pets, and pocket pets, are accepted by the mobile service. Pet owners have the option of having their pets buried at home or using the company to have small animals cremated.
In order to commemorate the life of their pet, collect a history, and make sure the choice is the right one, Clark and Straw speak with families prior to any procedures. They also give attention to kids who might be having a hard time dealing with the loss.
Better Home Goodbyes is open twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, and provides on-call care for pets that have been hit by a car or hurt in some other way.
Since there isn’t a physical office, calling Straw directly at 208-821-1606 is the easiest approach to make an appointment.
“I always have my phone on,” Straw stated. Making this type of call can be quite emotional, so sometimes it’s better for folks to text. No matter the time of day, I always take calls.
This is what we think. The business will take care of itself if you practice good medicine, according to one of my mentors. Clark came to the conclusion that this is the finest way to say farewell to a pet.
More details are available on their Facebook page or atbettrhomegoodbyes.com.
