Pricing and Payment Information
Review our pricing and payment methods for compassionate in-home pet care during challenging times.
Gentle Journey Pricing and Payment Information
In-Home Veterinary Hospice and Palliative Care Consultation
If the pet can be kept comfortable and their quality-of-life can be sustained with management tools and medication, then the family may be able to extend the time they have with their sweet companion. Hospice care allows the pet to enjoy the last phase of life at home with their loved ones close at hand, and it allows the family to have more time with their pet and prepare for their loss. Our services address care and pain management from the comfort of your home with our experienced, compassionate veterinarians.
Hospice and palliative care visits are designed to help provide comfort and increase quality-of-life for your pet, as well as guidance and clarity for you. Our hospice visits with a veterinarian include a physical examination of your pet and their environment, a review of the current medications and modalities being utilized, an evaluation of your pet’s current health problems, an assessment of your pet’s quality of life, and a custom treatment plan to help you care for your pet and monitor their condition. We have other professionals in the area to whom we can refer you for ancillary care such as rehabilitation services, therapeutic laser, PEMF therapy, photomodulation, acupuncture, massage, pet sitters, pet resorts with geriatric suites, technicians who can provide in-home care, and more.
Hospice appointments are usually our first appointment of the day, except on Fridays. We ask that you provide medical records from the past year from any veterinary services who have helped your pet and that you fill out an assessment form to help guide the appointment. Once we have those materials, we can schedule the appointment. If you do not think your pet is stable enough to wait for a hospice appointment, please visit your regular veterinarian or emergency service for supportive care until all family members you wish to be present can be there for euthanasia.
- Hospice Consultation Pricing: $390
Euthanasia
Compassionate care is at the core of what we do. When pet parents choose euthanasia services with Gentle Journey, they are choosing a loving, gentle, beautiful, and graceful goodbye for their pet. We will help you navigate the end-of-life journey with compassion and grace.
Although we mostly see dogs and cats, our Veterinarians can assist you with other species such as guinea pigs, rabbits, ferrets, and other small mammals and possibly assist you with chickens, and goats under 100 lbs. We do not provide care for any other hobby farm pets, exotic birds, fish, or reptiles.
Included Services & Keepsakes:
- Sedation to support a peaceful passing
- Gentle euthanasia
- Pawprint keepsake
- Lock of fur in container
- Pet loss support materials
- Aftercare services, if needed
When it is time to say goodbye, we try to make the last day the best it can be, whether that means staying at home snuggling on the couch, curling up in a loved one’s lap, or heading outdoors if that’s their happy place. Gentle Journey helps families let their pets move on with dignity, grace, and peace to a place that holds no tears — only beautiful memories.
If you decide you would rather not be at home for the euthanasia, but also do not want to go into a veterinary hospital, we have several other options. We can help your pet in a favorite spot outdoors, such as your backyard, a local lake, or a public park. We also have an option for a home-away-from-home space at our cremation service office in Apex, where your family and your pet can use a a living room-like area for your appointment.
You may personalize the visit as you wish. We will provide a clay pawprint and a clipping of fur if you would like. You are welcome to invite other family members, friends, or children if you and they wish. Other pets may also be present if they can be respectful of the companion we are helping. Since we are usually at your home, family members can leave the room at any point and come back as they feel comfortable. Some families may wish to be at home but not present for the entire appointment. We can sedate your pet in your home, and then, after they fall asleep, you can go to another part of the home as they receive the final medicine. This is often a good choice as well for children who are not sure they want to be there for the entire appointment — it gives them the option to come and go as they please at any point during our visit within the safety and comfort of their home.
Please think about what would make this process most comforting, such as special foods and treats for your pet, a special blanket, bed, or toy. You can personalize the goodbye as you wish: music and candles indoors or outside by the fire pit, a verse, poem, or prayer you would like to read, maintaining a peaceful space of honor, or telling stories of your pet’s life and giving all of the treats! You may want to have ink pads and paper on hand to make ink paw prints, nose prints, or anything else to make this goodbye more meaningful. We will also do a clay pawprint and take a clipping of fur if you would like. We will take your beloved pet with us after the euthanasia if you elect for us to handle aftercare. We have baskets and stretchers with blankets to carefully transport them in a loving manner.
- Euthanasia: $290
Gentle Journey’s Pet Memorial Pawprints and Fur Clipping
Private Cremation — Standard Choice Urns
- Private Cremation for pets up to 90 pounds: $250
- Private Cremation for pets 90 pounds and up: $350
For private cremation, there are 4 standard urns:
- Scattering Pouch
- Cherry MDF Urn with Engraving
- The Tree of Life Urn with Engraving
- Biodegradable Urn & Tree Sapling
Scattering Pouch
Cherry MDF Urn
Tree of Life Urn
Biodegradable Urn & Tree Sapling
Private Cremation — Special Order Urns
- Private Cremation up to 60 pounds: $300
- Private Cremation for pets 61 – 90 pounds: $320
- Private Cremation for pets 91 – 200 pounds: $420 (includes transport assistance)
There are 3 types of special order urns:
- Bamboo Engraved Urn
- Cherry MDF Engraved with Photo Slot Urn
- Dark Cherry MDF Engraved with Photo Slot Urn
Please specify which shade of urn you wish. The crematory will contact you about the sizing, direction, and placement of the urn for engraving purposes.
Dark Cherry MDF Photo Urn
Bamboo Urn
Cherry MDF Photo Urn
Communal Cremation
For families who do not wish to have their pet’s ashes returned, nor wish to bury them at home. Pets will be respectfully cremated with other pets, and the ashes will be scattered on the Pamlico River.
- Private Cremation for pets up to 90 pounds: $250
- Private Cremation for pets 91 – 200 pounds: $350 (includes transport assistance)
Additional Charges for Extenuating Circumstances:
There is an additional charge for aggressive pets without an effective pre-sedation plan, as well as for pets 35 – 90 lbs. that require aftercare and additional assistance carrying but nobody is at home to assist. This charge also applies to all pets over 90 lbs. requiring aftercare. There is an additional charge for Priority Mailing or Hand Delivery of Urns.
We also are honored to assist families in our Extended Service Area:
There is generally a $80-$200 driving fee for other towns outside the greater Triangle area and the farther reaches surrounding, including up to the Virginia border, down to Harnett County, West to Burlington, and East to Spring Hope. Please refer to the Service Area Map.
Beyond Extended Service Area:
With enough notice, we can also travel to areas beyond for an additional fee. This includes south to Moore and Cumberland County as well as out toward Coastal North Carolina, depending on availability. If you don’t see your area on the map, please call us.
If we cannot help you, we want to help you find someone who can. We are very congenial with all the mobile doctors in the greater Triangle area, and we share a referral list that we all have access to! Please call for more information.
Evenings, Weekends, & Holidays:
For evening (outside weekday business hours of 9 am – 5 pm), weekend, and holiday appointments, an additional $100-150 fee per situation will apply. These fees are cumulative.
Cancellations of Appointments:
If you do not notify us of your cancellation by 10 am the day before your appointment, you will incur a $100 cancellation fee unless your pet has already been helped by another service provider, such as an emergency hospital overnight.
Payment Information
You can pay with check, cash, or credit card. We do not accept CareCredit. If you prefer, we can take credit card information ahead of the appointment. Otherwise, we can address payment during our time with you. To make the experience as peaceful as possible, please make out a check to “Gentle Journey” ahead of time. You can also pay by cash or card at the appointment.
Most pet insurance companies cover Gentle Journey services. We are happy to help complete any paperwork needed to submit for reimbursement.