“Thank you for all the years of love you’ve shown Dozer.”<\/p>\n
Experts say it is important people do step back where possible and make the most of their time with a sick or dying pet.<\/p>\n
‘Take the time to grieve’<\/p>\n
Emergency veterinarian Lucy Freshwater, from Kabi Kabi lands on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, says there are many options available to owners to make the most of this time.<\/p>\n
“Vet care is essential and, in some cases, we don’t have a choice but to admit them to hospital for more aggressive, supportive care,” she says.<\/p>\n
![\"Nagi](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/02a749a2564ad47560f5126eac0fc351.jpeg\")
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Nagi Maehashi has shared online that she is taking time off to spend with 14-year-old Dozer in the “final chapter” of his life. (RecipeTin Eats)<\/p>\n
“[But] if it’s possible, it’s nice to see them get home and spend their final moments at home where they’re comfortable.<\/p>\n
“Eating their favourite foods or going to the beach that one last time, or even just sitting in the sun in their favourite spot.”<\/p>\n
She says veterinary teams will help owners take time to grieve and come to the point where “they’re ready to say goodbye to their pets”.<\/p>\n
“So as best we can during the palliative process, we [supply] pain relief at home and try and make [the animal] as comfortable as they can be,” she says.<\/p>\n
‘You could tell he appreciated it so much’<\/p>\n
When Matthew Herbert and his partner Aaron realised their beloved 17-year-old border collie Rufus was coming to the end of his life just before Christmas, they and their two children dedicated time to make his final days memorable.<\/p>\n
“We tried to make his last day extra special by having a nice beach day and then a family night around the Christmas tree,” says Matthew, an Australian, living in Waikato, New Zealand.<\/p>\n
![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/85a4d63c0e98680d1b242393c73cb60f.jpeg\")
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Matthew Herbert says he and his young family made their dog Rufus’s last days “special” by filling them with what he loved doing most. (Supplied: Matthew Herbert)<\/p>\n
The 35-year-old says the family also found a place on a harbour that was quiet and peaceful for Rufus to enjoy a final swim.<\/p>\n
“He spent so long in the water just paddling around, you could tell he appreciated it so much,” he says.<\/p>\n
“That night we had a lovely time around the Christmas tree and opened a few presents early and took lots of photos.<\/p>\n
“The next morning, we went to the vet and he went to sleep having lived his very best life.”<\/p>\n
Dr Freshwater says it is equally important for the pets to know that their loved ones are nearby in those final stages of life.<\/p>\n
“It means a lot to the pet for them to be spending their final hours or days or weeks with their owners by their side,” she says.<\/p>\n
“I certainly think that pets, they’re like our children nowadays.<\/p>\n
“So, I think it’s important take the time to spend it with them.”<\/p>\n
Have you been able to take time off with a pet at the end of their life? Share with us here<\/a>.<\/p>\n How to ask an employer for time off for a pet<\/p>\n Organisational psychologist Amanda Ferguson, based in Sydney\/Gadigal lands, says if people don’t take the time they need to grieve a sick or dying pet, it can be detrimental to their mental health.<\/p>\n
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