Resting Rover

Veterinarian Dr. Alli Troutman received on odd request one day that put her well out of her comfort zone. Her friend’s dachshund was nearing the end of its life, and she wanted to know if Troutman would put the pet down in the comfort of its own home. “I knew it was something I had to offer,” she said, thinking of how much easier the passing would go for both human and animal.

“The kindest gift you can give them is the gift of rest.” Now she offers at-home pet euthanasia as a service, and she’s not the only vet in the city to do so. End-of-life care for pets has grown in recent years to offer people-quality resources: Integrative Veterinary Service in Brookfield, where Troutman practices, offers acupuncture for dogs and cats, and its variation on “hospice care” counsels owners on how to care for their pets during their last days with prescription medication, herbal remedies and other strategies.

Once your pet has died, Milwaukee’s Pet Lawn Inc. (petlawninc.com), located on the Northwest Side, offers clay paw prints as keepsakes, cremation services and, yes, a pet cemetery. Burials runs about $600, and then the owner forks over $35 a year for maintenance. Silk-lined caskets are, of course, sold separately.

‘Resting Rover’ appears in the February 2016 issue of Milwaukee Magazine.

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