More Pets, but Not People, Dying at Home

Yesterday's Washington Post included a story about the growth of pet euthanasia at home.  "Back in the day, of course, it was common for family animals to die at home, whether from natural causes, a shot from the family rifle or a needle from the bag of a vet who routinely traveled from house to house and farm to farm. But the rise of clinic-based animal care meant that the most common scene of a pet's demise shifted to an office setting."

Now it's "shifting back," according to the InHome Pet Euthanasia Directory.  More vets are making end-of-life house calls for those who want more for their pets' last moments than a frightened scrabble on a cold steel exam table.  These vets put animals to sleep in "favorite spots" ranging from front porches to under trees, even on the couches and cushions that might have been forbidden them in life.  Now, if we can only expand hospice to allow more human beings the same option to die where they say (in poll after poll) they want to.