23/09/2026
A new article from veterinary nurse Paula Kirk, our Pet Bereavement Counsellor, is up on the blog. For anyone who has had to go through Behavioural Euthanasia, this might shine some light on this difficult time.
We think it's worth a read for everyone — the more we understand about Behavioural Euthanasia, the more compassion we can bring to those who are navigating it. And if you're one of the people currently facing this decision, we hope Paula's words offer some comfort and understanding right now.
"Today I’m going to touch on Behavioural Euthanasia (BE), often a taboo subject. This type of euthanasia can be one of the most heartbreaking decisions you’ll ever make.
BE is when the decision to euthanise a pet has to be made because of their behaviour. This could be because they have attacked or bitten someone or something, killed other animals, stock, or even other family pets they live with. Or even if they have not yet done anything wrong but from certain triggers or small things you’ve seen, you know they have that potential. There can be many reasons they do this...
The guilt that comes with this can be unbearable and quite traumatising, often worse than the grief of losing a pet through illness or old age. These pets can be young or changed with old age and it’s not fair either way as we still love them the same – they are family. Many families who have had to make this decision end up grieving alone because it’s so hard to share. They don’t want to be judged by people who don’t understand."
Read the full article on our blog: https://www.npvet.co.nz/news/behavioural-euthanasia/
