George

A few weeks back we made the difficult decision to send our beloved old man George, an apricot Poodle who we adopted in 2010, to the big kennel in the sky.

Friends had given me the card for Our Pets Goodbye almost 2 years ago and we could delay no longer. I phoned the number, left a message and my call was returned that same morning. The conversation that followed was patient and informative and we booked an appointment for 10am on Sunday. On Saturday morning I woke and panicked that I was doing it all to soon. Simply put - I got the gentlest response, was offered a refund and told to take all the time we needed.

That night I stayed awake most of the night with George and realised it was time. I phoned just after 8am and we agreed on 11.30am that day.

Nic arrived on time in an immaculate uniform. She explained the process again and agreed we would take all the time needed. She was also very mindful to explain what she was doing and why. She even showed Harry, the bossy Scnoodle, what she was doing and allowed him to sniff inquisitively around her professionally packed veterinary kit of supplies. While Nic was fully present in our conversation (as George snoozed blissfully on my lap), she conscientiously and consistently checked the time to ensure we were on track. George did not flinch when the final injection came and despite my grief, I was grateful for such a peaceful send off.

Once all his fellow pet companions had said goodbye, we wrapped George in a towel and walked down to the car. Even in this difficult stage of finally letting go of him, I was unexpectedly comforted as when she opened the boot there was the cosiest dog bed waiting for him.

In terms of a professional service this was immaculate. In terms of genuine empathy, understanding and compassion this has earned my heartfelt respect and gratitude.

If you are in the situation where you need to help a furry companion, I can with the utmost confidence encourage you to get in touch with Our Pets Goodbye.

- Ann-Marie