Preparing for your pet's death: a support plan to make while you still can
The kindest preparation is a short written plan: two people to call, a note ready for work, aftercare already chosen and support numbers saved in your phone. It takes an hour and spares you dozens of decisions on the worst day. Few people make one; by our estimate, only ~6%[1] of bereaved UK owners even compared cremation providers.
By the Pet Loss Grief Support Resources editorial team · Updated September 24, 2026 · 4 min read · Sources
- A one-page plan you can fill in tonight
- Work, aftercare and people sorted in advance
- What to line up for the first 48 hours
Why now
Why make a support plan before your pet dies?
Grief makes simple tasks feel impossible. On the day your pet dies you may need to choose aftercare, call work, tell family and get home safely, all while in shock. A plan made on a calm evening turns each of those into a line you just follow.
It also protects you from decisions made by default. Many owners use whatever their vet arranges without knowing the options, and information is thin: one review found only 20.6%[2] of US vet practice websites mentioned what happens to a pet's body after death. Planning ahead means your choices are yours.
Step one
Who should be on your support list?
Pick people for specific jobs, not just people who love you. It's easier to ask for something clear, and easier for them to say yes.
- The first call. Someone who'll come over or stay on the phone, no questions asked.
- The driver. If the goodbye is at a clinic, someone who can take you there and bring you home.
- The messenger. A person who'll tell the wider family and friends so you don't have to repeat it.
- The children's person, if you have kids: someone they trust who can help explain or take them out for an afternoon.
- The one who knew your pet. A friend, groomer or pet sitter who'll share memories later, when others have moved on.
Tell each of them now, in a sentence. "If the vet calls about Juno, would you be my driver?" Most people are glad to be asked. If children are involved, our guide to helping children after pet loss has words that work.
Step two
What should you arrange with work before your pet dies?
Work is where grief often catches people unprepared. In the RSPCA's pet bereavement survey, 92%[3] of employed owners said pet loss affected them at work, and 28.4%[4] couldn't take time off. Paid pet bereavement leave is rare: only 11%[5] of employers offer it, according to AbsenceSoft.
92%[3]
92% of employed respondents said pet loss affected them at work.
28.4%[4]
28.4% of RSPCA survey respondents could not take time off work after their pet died.
11%[5]
Only 11% of employers offer paid pet loss leave, according to an AbsenceSoft survey.
If your pet is seriously ill, a quiet word with your manager now helps: you may need to leave at short notice, and you'd like a day off when it happens. Check your leave policy and save a short email draft. Our article on asking for time off after a pet dies includes a template you can adapt.
How did your workplace respond when your pet died?
Tap an answer to vote and see how others answered. Anonymous.
If you work shifts or for yourself, the plan looks different: line up a colleague who can cover a shift at short notice, or block out a light week in your calendar around the likely time. Freelancers often forget to give themselves the day off that an employer might have offered.
Step three
Which aftercare decisions can you make in advance?
The big one is what happens to your pet's body: private cremation with ashes returned, communal cremation without, home burial where it's allowed, a pet cemetery or a newer option like water-based aquamation. Decide which you'd like and roughly what you want to spend, then find out who near you offers it. Our local pages explain what tends to be available by area, and the support services overview covers the grief side.
The aftercare options comparison sets the choices side by side, and the memorial budget planner adds up urns, prints and markers. Also decide whether you want a paw print or fur clipping; they can only be taken before cremation.
Free tool
Aftercare options compared
Compare private, communal and water cremation with burial on cost, timing and what comes home.
Step four
Which support numbers should you save in your phone?
Save them now, when you can think. On the night itself, searching is the last thing you'll want to do.
- Your vet's number, and the nearest 24-hour emergency clinic.
- An in-home euthanasia service, if you'd like that option.
- A pet loss helpline for your country; our support resources guide lists free ones.
- A crisis line, just in case: 988 in the US and Canada, 116 123 for Samaritans in the UK and Ireland, 13 11 14 for Lifeline in Australia, 1737 in New Zealand.
Support can be hard to find after the fact: 56.7%[6] of bereaved owners in the RSPCA survey couldn't find the help they needed. Having it saved beforehand closes most of that gap. In the US, the Tufts Pet Loss Support Helpline and Cornell's Pet Loss Support Hotline are both free; check their hours when you save the numbers.
Step five
What should the first 48 hours after the loss look like?
Plan them like you'd plan recovery from an operation. Clear the diary if you can. Put easy food in the freezer. Decide who'll stay with you the first night. Think about what to do with your pet's bed and bowls; some people want them left out, others can't face them. Neither is wrong, but deciding in advance saves a painful moment.
It can also help to plan one small ritual for that first evening, like a candle and a photo. The farewell planner can help. And if other animals live with you, expect them to search or seem unsettled for a while.
For the emotional side of the weeks before, our piece on anticipatory grief may help. If you'd like us to line up support options for your area now, tell us a little and we'll reply by email.
Reader polls
What would you choose?
Vote anonymously and see how other readers answered. The results are live counts from people who visit this site, so they show real opinions, not a scientific sample.
How did your workplace respond when your pet died?
Tap an answer to vote and see how others answered. Anonymous.
Did you take time off work after your pet died?
Tap an answer to vote and see how others answered. Anonymous.
Did your other animals seem to notice the loss?
Tap an answer to vote and see how others answered. Anonymous.
Free tools to help you plan
Aftercare options compared
Compare private, communal and water cremation with burial on cost, timing and what comes home.
Memorial budget planner
Add up cremation, urn, keepsakes and a farewell so the total holds no surprises.
Farewell & memorial service planner
Build a simple goodbye: who, where, readings, rituals and a checklist.
Questions people ask
How do I emotionally prepare for my pet dying?
Let yourself grieve a little in advance, and spend unhurried time with your pet. Practically, make a short plan: who you'll call, what you'll tell work, which aftercare you want and which support numbers you'll use. Having decisions made lets you focus on your pet, not logistics, when the time comes.
Should I tell my employer before my pet dies?
If your pet is seriously ill and you may need to leave suddenly, a brief heads-up often helps. You don't need to share details. Say your pet is very unwell, you may need a day at short notice, and you'll keep urgent work covered. Most managers respond better to a warning than a surprise.
What should I decide about aftercare before my pet dies?
Decide whether you want your pet's ashes back, which means a private cremation, or whether communal cremation, burial or aquamation suits you better. Find a provider and a rough price in advance, and decide about paw prints or fur clippings, which must be taken before cremation.
Is it morbid to plan for my pet's death?
Not at all. Planning is a caring act, much like making a will or an advance directive for a person. It spares you rushed decisions at the worst moment and lets you spend the remaining time being present with your pet instead of worrying about what comes next.
What if my pet dies suddenly before I've made a plan?
Then take it one step at a time. Keep your pet somewhere cool, call your vet or an emergency clinic to ask about options, and call one person to be with you. Aftercare decisions can usually wait several hours, and most other things can wait days.
Sources and our estimates
- [1] Only about 6% of all bereaved UK pet owners compare cremation providers before buying. Our estimate: 67% cremate x 9% compared = 6.0%. How we calculate.
- [2] Only 20.6% of reviewed US veterinary practice websites mentioned after-death body care (32% referenced euthanasia at all). Cooney, Kogan, Brooks, Ellis - Pet Owners' Expectations for Pet End-of-Life Support and After-Death Body Care, Topics in Companion Animal Medicine (2020), 2020.
- [3] 92% of employed respondents said pet loss affected them at work. RSPCA — Pet Loss Survey Results, 2026.
- [4] 28.4% of RSPCA survey respondents could not take time off work after their pet died. RSPCA — Pet Loss Survey Results, 2026.
- [5] Only 11% of employers offer paid pet loss leave, according to an AbsenceSoft survey. AbsenceSoft — Understanding Pet Bereavement Leave and Its Importance to Today's Workforce, 2025.
- [6] 56.7% of bereaved pet owners in the RSPCA survey could not find the support they needed. RSPCA — Pet Loss Survey Results, 2026.
Line up support before you need it
Tell us what you need and where you are. We'll reply by email with clear options and prices so you can decide in your own time.