Vet Who Euthanizes Dogs Without Their Owners Has Heartbreaking Realization

A vet who often has to euthanize pets without their owner present has left the internet in tears with her realization about “the hardest part” of her job.

Lauren McNamara has been a veterinarian for four years, and during that time she’s helped countless animals make a full recovery and get back to their usual selves. But sadly, that isn’t always the case, and one of the most difficult aspects of her work is having to euthanize pets.

McNamara, 26, told Newsweek that she often has to euthanize dogs without their owners in the room, which can be really challenging both for the dog and for her. It happened frequently during the Covid pandemic because owners weren’t allowed in close contact, but it still occurs now when owners don’t feel like they’re capable of watching that heartbreaking moment unfold.

“Most of the time they are unwell or in pain, which means they’re stressed and scared,” McNamara said. “During the pandemic (because of lockdown rules), owners weren’t allowed to be present. I had to wear a mask, take the dog away from their owner, and even though I wanted to hold them and cuddle them, it would stress them out even more.”

Thankfully, McNamara, of Australia, is regularly joined at work by her rescue dog, Nala. She’s an 8-year-old Staffordshire bull terrier and Kelpie mix, and she brings so much comfort to her owner.

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