What to Do When Your Dog or Cat Dies: A Gentle Checklist

When your dog or cat dies, the first step is to call your vet, who can confirm the death, care for your pet's body and help you arrange cremation or burial. After that, there is no rush. Take a moment to say goodbye, collect any keepsakes you would like, and update their microchip details when you feel able.

We are so sorry you are reading this. Below is a gentle checklist for what to do when your dog dies or your cat dies, written for people in Australia. Do what you can, skip what you can't, and ask for help with the rest.

1. Call your vet

Whether your pet died at home or at the clinic, your vet is the best first call. They can:

• confirm that your pet has passed, if you are unsure
• keep your pet's body in their care while you decide what to do
• arrange cremation through a pet crematorium they work with
• help with paperwork and, in some states, update the microchip record for you

If it is after hours, an emergency vet clinic can usually help, or can tell you how to keep your pet comfortable until your own vet opens.

2. If your pet died at home

Take a breath. You don't need to do everything at once.

• Lay your pet on their side on a towel or blanket, ideally in their bed, with their legs gently tucked in.
• Place them in a cool spot, out of the sun.
• Let other pets in the house see and sniff them if they want to. Some people find it helps the animals understand.
• Call your vet or a pet cremation service. Many will collect from home if travelling is too hard.

3. If your pet died at the vet

If your pet was put to sleep or passed at the clinic, you can usually take your time. Most vets will give you a quiet room to sit with them. You can choose to take your pet home for burial or leave them in the vet's care for cremation. It is fine to ask for a day to think it over.

4. Choose cremation or burial

Cremation

Pet crematoriums generally offer two kinds of service:

• Communal cremation: several pets are cremated together. It costs less, and ashes are usually not returned.
• Individual cremation: your pet is cremated on their own and their ashes come back to you, often in an urn or box.

Names and inclusions vary between providers, so ask your vet or the crematorium exactly what each option includes before you choose.

Home burial

Many families want their pet close by. Rules for burying a pet on your property differ across Australia, and some councils don't allow it at all. Burial is generally not an option in a rental or a public park. Check with your local council before you dig.

There is also a safety point that surprises many people. If your pet was euthanised, the drugs used can stay in their body for years and may poison wildlife or other animals that dig up the remains. A University of Queensland veterinary pathologist and RSPCA Queensland explain this in an ABC News report on backyard burials, which suggests burying at least one metre deep in a box if burial is your choice. Your vet can talk you through the safest option for your pet.

5. Take keepsakes before cremation

This is the step people most often wish they had known about. Once your pet has been cremated, some keepsakes can no longer be made, so it is worth thinking about them early. Ask your vet or crematorium if they can hold your pet for a day while you gather what you'd like.

• A nose print. Every nose has its own pattern of ridges. A clear close-up photo or a light print with non-toxic, water-based ink is enough. Our guides on how to take a dog nose print and how to take a cat nose print walk you through it gently.
• A paw print. In ink or clay. Many vets and crematoriums will make one if you ask.
• A fur clipping. A small lock from somewhere soft, like behind the ears, kept in an envelope or small jar.
• Their collar and tag. Ask for these back before your pet leaves your care.
• Photos. Paws, ears, the nose, their markings. You may not want to look at them for a while, but you'll have them when you do.

Later on, a nose print can become something you keep close. We engrave pet memorial jewellery from a photo or ink print, and old photos are welcome too. That can wait as long as you need.

6. Update the microchip registry

Updating your pet's microchip record stops renewal notices and reminders arriving, which can be painful to open. How you do it depends on your state:

• NSW: pets are recorded on the NSW Pet Registry. You can mark your pet as deceased online, and the NSW Office of Local Government notes that vets can update a pet's status to deceased on an owner's behalf.
• South Australia: dogs and cats are recorded on Dogs and Cats Online. The Dog and Cat Management Board's guides explain how to set your pet's status to deceased, or you can tell your local council.
• Other states and territories: your pet's chip may be on one of several registries. Your vet can scan the chip or check your records and tell you which one to contact. It is also worth letting your council know if your pet was registered with them.

If this feels like too much right now, ask your vet or a friend to help. It doesn't need to happen today.

7. Look after your other pets

Dogs and cats can notice when a companion is gone. They may search the house, call out, eat less or seem flat. Keep their meals, walks and play at the usual times, and give them a little extra attention. If changes in appetite or behaviour last more than a couple of weeks, check in with your vet.

8. Look after yourself

Losing a pet is a real loss. You may feel heartbroken, guilty, numb or even relieved after a long illness, and all of these are normal.

• Leave their bowls and bed where they are until you are ready.
• Tell someone kind what happened.
• Eat something, drink water and get some fresh air.
• If grief feels too heavy, speak to your GP, ask your vet about pet loss support, or call Lifeline on 13 11 14 at any time.

Our guide to coping with pet loss has more on the days and weeks ahead. Be gentle with yourself. You loved them well.