Better Together Animal Alliance’s Lovingly Letting Go program provides pet owners with the opportunity to say goodbye to their beloved pets in a humane, personal way.
It’s never easy to say goodbye to a family pet, be it due to old age or illness. It can be more challenging for families who may not have access to the resources needed to have their pet humanely euthanized by a veterinarian. Thanks to a special donor, Better Together Animal Alliance (BTAA) offers a program called Lovingly Letting Go, which provides humane euthanasia services for free and keeps people and pets together through the process.
“I heard a story of a woman who needed to have her senior dog euthanized due to declining quality of life,” said the BTAA donor who started the Lovingly Letting Go fund (she asked to remain anonymous). “She asked another shelter for help but was told she would need to surrender the dog to the shelter for that to happen. I couldn’t imagine having to make such a decision. Luckily BTAA was able to provide the support she needed for her elderly dog. This story called to me and I wanted to make sure everyone who is in need of end-of-life care for their pet has access to it.”
Lovingly Letting Go exists to keep people and pets together until the end of a pet’s life, and BTAA’s animal care center has a designated room for people and pets to say goodbye. When another long-time BTAA supporter, Mike Green, heard about the room, he commissioned a mural by local artist Savannah Pitts to make the room a celebration of the human-animal bond.
“My hope is that the mural will serve as a comforting and calming presence for pets and their loved ones, as well as a tribute to the preciousness of life,” Green said.
“To have the opportunity to help someone ease their emotional and financial stress by allowing the end-of-life decision for their pet to be done with love and compassion is what this program is about,” the Lovingly Letting Go founder said. “If the program can provide a comfortable environment to keep owners and their pets together during the final stage of life, it has fulfilled its purpose.”
If you or someone you know may benefit from Lovingly Letting Go, or another one of BTAA’s community programs, contact the BTAA Helpline at (208) 217-4453 or email [email protected].
