When the time comes, Bethany and Gary Hsia plan to say goodbye to their dog Motsuki at home like many of CodaPet's clients. Photo courtesy of Kassy Walter Photography

It is said that all good things must come to an end. Three local veterinarians are making sure that one of the most sorrowful endings is a peaceful blessing rather than a stressful, anxiety-inducing experience.

Founded in 2022, CodaPet is a network of compassionate veterinarians who provide in-home pet euthanasia for sick and aging pets. Founded by Fresno veterinarians Karen Whala, along with Bethany and Gary Hsia, CodaPet now operates in 18 cities nationwide, with hopes to continue expanding as veterinarians become aware of the opportunity.

Whala, who offered in-home euthanasia services prior to co-founding CodaPet, said the service is not only a much-needed option for pet owners, but also for aging and potentially ailing pets.

“Pets, like you going to the dentist, they hate going to the vet when they’re feeling fine and it’s just for a checkup,” Whala said, emphasizing the difference in atmosphere between the comfort of home and the foreign feel of a sterilized veterinarian office.

Add to that mobility challenges for older pets and the in-office euthanasia practice is often more stressful than necessary for pets and pet owners.

“You can think of a large dog who is unable to walk around very well on his own; getting that pet into a car is another travel stress,” co-founder Bethany Hsia said. “When you come to what the whole service is — that the veterinarian is coming to peacefully and compassionately stop the disease process that is killing this pet, putting an end to the dying process — that’s obviously a much bigger, important moment for having comfort.”

CodaPet aims to make the process as simple as possible for both the pet and pet owner. A waiver is signed verifying that the pet belongs to their owner, and whether or not they have scratched or bitten anyone in the last 10 days — a standard exam question for euthanasia both at in-home and in-office procedures to ensure the pet did not have rabies.

After that, the pet is sedated for comfort and the euthanasia takes place.

CodaPet began offering services in Oklahoma City last year – the first of 17 additional cities the service has expanded to include. The veterinarian community, while small, is quite close knit, according to Hsia; most of the cities CodaPet expanded into did so after discovering their services via word of mouth.

“We just gave the opportunity,” Hsia said. “It has been a positive impact in our lives because it’s something that we can do that helps animals and it helps their people and we feel good doing it in that it is actually benefiting people.”

Hsia, who said goodbye to her dog prior to co-founding CodaPet, said that’s when she learned from experience the importance of the option of at-home euthanasia.

“That’s when it really clicked for me: that I could do something for myself that other people couldn’t do,” she said.

Hsia and Whala both said that the process gives the emotionally challenging experience a more “natural” feeling, allowing the pet to peacefully pass at home and the owners an opportunity to grieve without the stresses of walking through a busy office.

Hsia also said that the practice gives her peace of mind in that her clients will not put themselves at risk during their trip home from a veterinarian’s office.

“I worry about people sometimes driving home after such an emotional experience,” she said. “It gives me a little bit more peace of mind knowing that folks are able to take the time that they need and that they’re not trying to navigate getting home in an emotional state.”

The forgotten piece to the emotional puzzle is the veterinarian themselves, who in general practice, often are required to go from euthanasia services directly back into general practice and wellness checks for otherwise perfectly healthy pets.

“Vets have a hard time going in, feeling like they’re severing that connection between a pet and their owner during this critical time, and in the next few minutes you’re going to have to switch from delivering a compassionate euthanasia experience to switching to a new pet exam in the next 15 minutes,” she said. “It’s a really difficult thing emotionally to achieve in the clinic setting.”

CodaPet’s services start at around $300, and $75 for aftercare and cremation services, but may vary depending on location and size of pet. Veterinarians maintain a flexible schedule and support clients’ end-of-life rituals and ceremonies.

CodaPet operates with six licensed veterinarians in the Fresno area.

In addition to at-home euthanasia services, CodaPet also offers post-euthanasia services and counsel, including cremation services. Clients are also given the option to handle remains on their own, but recommends checking into state, city and local regulations regarding disposal of remains.