Editor, Gazette-Journal:

There is a great need for vet clinics to talk with families before their pet’s death is imminent and to offer home service when the appropriate time comes. It is the best thing for the pet, the pet’s family and the vet clinic doesn’t have to deal with a difficult pet in surroundings strange to them.Recently, my wife Brenda and I had to put our beloved 17+ year-old cat Samantha to rest. We knew the time was close, so contacted our local vet clinic and asked them to come to our home, sedate her and administer the final drug.

We wanted to comfort her as Brenda held her while she took her last breath. We did not want to traumatize her by a car trip to the vet’s office and strange surroundings.

When the difficult time came, the vet clinic we coordinated with earlier now said we must bring her in and that they couldn’t come to our home for about “three weeks.”

We felt helpless and hopeless for our special baby, knowing we had discussed this earlier with ...