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Death of a Pet

Staff reference for what to do when a dog dies in our care, from owner instructions to incident documentation.

Purpose

A dog dying while in our care is one of the hardest things this job asks of us, and the owner's wishes should guide almost every decision after it happens. This SOP separates a death from age or a medical condition from a death caused by an accident or injury at the facility, because the second scenario needs documentation the first does not.

At a Glance

  • Note the time and position the dog was found in, and who found them.
  • Cover the dog with a blanket, and move them somewhere other dogs cannot see if they are not already in a private suite.
  • Check the dog's file for owner instructions on what to do if their dog dies in our care.
  • If the owner cannot be reached, the working assumption is cremation with the remains returned.

Immediate Actions

  1. If a dog passes away overnight from age or a medical condition, record the time found, the dog's position, and who found them.
  2. Cover the dog with a blanket. If they are not already in a private suite, move them to an enclosure where other dogs will not see them.
  3. Check the dog's file for any owner instructions on file for this situation, and follow those instructions if they exist.
  4. Contact the pet parent to tell them what happened and to get their instructions if none are on file. Ask whether they want a necropsy done to determine cause of death.
  5. Contact the veterinarian on call or the dog's personal veterinarian to let them know you are bringing the dog in, and bring along whatever instructions you have on hand, a necropsy request, holding the dog for the owner, burial, or cremation.

Follow-Up Steps

For a death caused by an accident or injury at the facility:

  • Write detailed notes on the incident, including who witnessed the fight or accident.
  • Have each person involved write down what they saw and how it happened.
  • Pull the relevant security camera footage and review it.
  • Follow the same contact steps above for the owner and the veterinarian, reaching out to the emergency contact if the owner cannot be reached.

Who to Ask

The dog's owner drives almost every decision here, which is why the file check comes before the phone call: it may already say what they want. If the owner cannot be reached, try their emergency contact, and the working assumption becomes cremation with the remains returned. The veterinarian on call, or the dog's own veterinarian, is who you notify that you are bringing the dog in.

What changes when the death came from an accident at the facility?

The contact steps stay identical. What gets added is documentation: detailed incident notes, a written account from every person involved, and a review of the relevant security camera footage.

Take all of it with you to the vet, whatever instructions you have, so the necropsy request, the hold-for-the-owner instruction, the burial or the cremation is on record with them rather than only with us.