The Mental Toll of Economic Euthanasia

Both pet owners and veterinarians anguish over putting down a pet solely for financial reasons.

We all know that pets hold a special place in the hearts of their owners; in fact, they’re often considered family members. That’s in part because pets boost our mental health by offering essential companionship, affection, and the deep satisfaction of caring for a living creature, giving us as pet owners a sense of purpose and an improved quality of life. 

However, when pet health problems arise, financial constraints often force owners into making the heart-wrenching decision to euthanize a beloved pet. This phenomenon, known as economic euthanasia, is devastating for pets and their owners — but it also casts a long shadow over the mental health of veterinarians who perform these procedures.

Having just wrapped up Mental Health Awareness Month, it’s the perfect time to illuminate the ways to avoid the heartbreaking loss of a beloved pet due to financially motivated euthanasia. Below is what every pet owner needs to know — and what you can do if budget constraints are causing you to feel you’re running out of options for saving your pet.

The work of the FACE Foundation is equally important for the animals we save; for the mental health of the veterinarians who treat them; and for the individuals and families spared the heartbreak of losing their best friend. Your tax-deductible donation funds life-saving veterinary care for beloved family pets in need.

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What is Economic Euthanasia?

Economic euthanasia occurs when a pet is euthanized, not because of untreatable health issues, but because of the pet owner’s inability to pay for the necessary medical treatments. Although many owners feel they have no other choice, more and more options now exist to combat financially motivated euthanasia — especially for pets that have a good prognosis for living a happy, healthy life for years to come once their problem is treated.

Facts About Economic Euthanasia

Here are some things to know about the troubling, all too common phenomenon of economic euthanasia:

• Psychological impact. The decision to euthanize a pet for economic reasons can lead to acute feelings of shame and guilt among pet owners, complicating their mourning process and potentially leading to long-term emotional distress.
  
  For veterinarians, euthanizing a pet that has a good prognosis is a source of profound distress, as they have to deal both with the grief of the pet owner as well as their own moral dilemma: being capable of treating a critically ill pet and at the same time being unable to provide those services based on the pet owner’s inability to afford the treatment. Many veterinarians say that this can lead to burnout and compassion fatigue, and it may also be one factor in explaining the disturbing statistic that veterinarians are between two to four times more likely to die by suicide than the general population according to a 2019 study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

• Prevalence. Studies indicate that economic euthanasia is a common occurrence in veterinary practices across the country. It primarily impacts lower-income families who, despite desperation to save their pet, cannot afford the high cost of emergency veterinary care. This includes about one third of all pet-owning American families and households, making the issue of pet euthanasia a widespread problem in the U.S.
  
• Cost factor. In recent years, veterinary care costs have outpaced inflation, making general pet medical care less and less affordable even for middle-class households. This often means fewer vet visits and delayed treatments, which can ultimately worsen pet health outcomes — and lead to even costlier treatment options — at which point pet owners are left with little choice other than euthanasia. Veterinary care costs can escalate even more quickly where chronic conditions or severe problems are involved. 

What Pet Owners Can Do to Help Prevent Economic Euthanasia

If you are a current or aspiring pet owner, you can take steps to help minimize the risk of experiencing heartbreak of economic euthanasia later on.

Preventively:

• Purchase pet insurance, which can help cover an array of costs, from routine exams and lab tests to sudden illnesses or emergencies.
  
  
• Research the realistic costs of pet ownership and determine how much you will need to budget each month. If possible, create a rainy-day savings account for unexpected medical emergencies, and contribute to it as much as you can.

• Educate yourself about preventive care, hazards for your pet, and proper pet care and diet. There are a lot of resources across the web, and your local veterinarian can also provide information about some of the dos and don’ts when it comes to your pet’s health and well-being.
  
  
• Visit your vet as soon as you notice something wrong. In addition to routine wellness exams, it is important to catch potential medical issues early on, before treatment options become limited and potentially much more expensive.
  
  
• Always be aware of your pet’s environment to avoid related emergencies, such as overheating in a parked car, walking towards broken glass on a sidewalk, or ingestion of toxins within their reach.

In an Emergency:

• Speak first with your veterinarian to gain an understanding of the severity of your pet’s condition as well as all options and costs involved.
  
  
• Seek help from nonprofit organizations, such as FACE, or look into other programs and resources such as these, that offer an array of services and/or financial assistance that may help you save your pet.
  
  
• Seek help from friends and family.
  
  
• Consider a Go-Fund-Me, Facebook or other type of online fundraiser.
  
  
• Apply for a short-term, low-interest loan from CareCredit or other financial institution.

By minimizing the causes of economic euthanasia, we can better safeguard the mental health of pet owners and veterinarians alike. Doing so will help to ensure that the bond between pets and their owners—and the ability of veterinarians to care for both—remains unbroken by financial circumstances.

What FACE is Doing to Reduce the Rate of Economic Euthanasia

Our vision is to create a world where no family pet dies due to financial hardship. To that end, in addition to our Save-A-Life program, we provide the following:

• Community Outreach. FACE’s Community Outreach Program focuses on connecting underserved pet owners with resources to veterinary care and pet supplies. Since 2016, FACE has partnered with 14 different organizations to serve over 13,500 pet owners in San Diego County, many of whom are experiencing homelessness.

• Educational Initiatives. Many pet owners unconsciously envision the cost of pet ownership as being limited to basic necessities like food, toys, treats, and occasional vaccinations; they may not have a plan in place for when their pet gets sick or injured. Increasing owner awareness about the real costs of pet ownership and the ways to budget for them, and educating pet owners about the many financial resources available to them can help to prevent budgetary crises before they arise.
  
  The ”E” in FACE stands for Education, and we strive to teach and inform current and would-be pet owners about a wide variety of pet care issues. These proactive educational efforts endeavor to create awareness and a knowledge base that will help many pet owners avoid the tragedy of economic euthanasia.

• Resources. There are many organizations that provide one type of assistance or another to pet owners, particularly those who are experiencing financial hardship. FACE maintains a list of resources on its website with names of organizations that can help with free or low-cost veterinary services, preventive health care tips, pet insurance, discounted pet food and exams, affordable spay/neuter services, and more.

About the FACE Foundation

Established in 2006 by a group of veterinarians and concerned community members, the Foundation for Animal Care and Education (FACE) is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) public charity that provides financial grants for animal owners who are unable to afford the cost of their pet’s emergency or critical care. Originating in San Diego, California, FACE has since expanded its lifesaving work to Oahu, Hawaii.

Each year, many animals are brought to their veterinarian with life-threatening conditions. Sadly, many owners—especially those facing high costs of living in cities like San Diego and Oahu—cannot afford the critical care their beloved pets need to survive. They are left with one choice: euthanasia. As a result, thousands of treatable pets are euthanized in veterinary hospitals annually, which can be traumatic for their owners and deeply demoralizing for their veterinarians.  

FACE’s Save-A-Life Program was created to address the tragedy of economic euthanasia. FACE grantees are typically low-income families, senior citizens, veterans, military families, students, disabled individuals, or hard-working families and individuals who struggle to survive paycheck to paycheck.

Help save a life today!