End of Life Care: Anima Care for Veterinarians and Pet Owners

Anima Care is a resource center entirely dedicated to end-of-life care for pets. Founded in April 2018 by veterinarian Vincent Dattée (Alfort, 1991), it offers tools and services designed for both veterinary practitioners and their clients to help them cope as best as possible with the aftermath and the loss. The founding team brings together individuals and veterinarians who are passionate about this cause and offers a range of resources to support families facing the impending death of their pet, including knowledge-sharing and informational materials.   Over the course of his twenty years of veterinary practice, the founder of Anima Care has supported numerous pet owners through the various stages of their relationships with their pets, particularly the final stage: end-of-life care. He now shares this experience with his colleagues and pet families through Anima Care, which promotes a more holistic approach to end-of-life care for family dogs, cats, and exotic pets . The initiative aims to facilitate the veterinary team’s support during this final stage of the veterinarian-animal-owner relationship. Thus, during this very special time, the welcome lantern, the box and sympathy cards, and the decision-making guide for pet owners are all tools that help reinforce empathy and the veterinarian’s positive professional image. These services should be utilized throughout the animal’s end-of-life care journey at the veterinary clinic, right up until its death. The goal is also to make it easier for pet owners to return to the veterinary practice after the loss of a pet. After the animal’s death, other products are available. Whether the cremation is group or individual, an incinerable body bag (Euthabag®) replaces the current plastic bag used to store the body—a bag that could not be shown to clients and was difficult to discuss with them. This solution helps owners grieve more peacefully and allows for more dignified handling of the body by veterinary staff, who are also confronted with the psychosocial risks inherent in this practice. This more presentable bag also enables the creation of a new veterinary act for the preparation and preservation of the body, in line with the changing role of animals in society and within households. ” The communication tools and training offered by Anima Care help each clinic express its professional identity as it develops personalized, high-value-added end-of-life services. Distributed by French veterinary purchasing cooperatives, these tools enable a modern, dignified approach that respects the emotional bonds between families and their pets , ” emphasizes Vincent Dattée. For more information: www.anima-care.fr