Our goal at Tranquil Transitions is to provide peaceful and compassionate in-home euthanasia, allowing your beloved pet to pass away surrounded by the comfort and familiarity of their own environment.

The Inspiration Behind Tranquil Transitions

The decision to help our dog, Brickley, pass peacefully at home in 2024 highlighted the immense privilege of having veterinary colleagues come to us. This allowed Brickley to transition serenely in a familiar setting.

Months later, when a close friend asked for similar assistance with their own dog, I was heartbroken to realize that legal restrictions prevented me from offering the same tranquil experience we provided for Brickley. Our pets are cherished family members, providing daily love and joy. Their comfort during this difficult time, and the family’s ability to grieve privately in a familiar environment, are paramount.


This experience led me to create Tranquil Transitions. My goal is to provide the same compassionate end-of-life care that I would choose for my own pets.

Our current focus is on pets in Marblehead, Swampscott, or Salem who have been diagnosed with a non-urgent, late-stage, or painful disease, or are in the end-of-life transition. Please note that we may not be able to accommodate urgent or time-sensitive euthanasia requests at this time.

If you think you are ready to start the end of life journey for your pet please email your request or inquiries to Dr.Lindsey@Tranquil-Transitions.net.  Allow 24 hours for a response during the week and 48 hours over the weekend. 

The Process

If you are ready to move forward, we will schedule a phone consultation to discuss your questions, explain what to expect, and arrange an appointment. Before our conversation, you'll receive an email with helpful guides and resources. At this time, we'll also request your permission to collect records from your veterinarian. Following our call, we'll finalize your in-person appointment. Please feel free to make any special requests to ensure the most comfortable experience for you and your pet. To minimize distractions during your goodbyes, charges will be sent and can be collected before our appointment. The consent form can also be completed in advance. Full refunds will be issued if circumstances change.

On the day of the appointment, we will arrive via the most convenient entrance. We'll introduce ourselves to your pet and set up in a chosen location, such as outdoors, on the couch, or on their favorite bed. When you are ready, we will administer a small sedative injection into the back leg muscle. If you opted for pre-appointment oral sedatives, you will be instructed to give them one hour before the appointment. After the intramuscular injection, your pet will gently fall asleep. Once we confirm they are calm, relaxed, and comfortable, and you are ready, a euthanasia solution will be injected into a vein on the front leg. Once the euthanasia solution is injected, your animal will pass quickly without feeling any pain, stress, or discomfort. Animals may take a deep breath after the injection, stretch, urinate or defecate, or keep their eyes open. These are natural bodily responses and not signs of pain or discomfort. The doctor will confirm your pet’s passing and allow you time to grieve.

If you would like us to arrange aftercare, we will carry your pet to the car when you are ready. We will manage your chosen aftercare plans and return your pet's ashes if requested. Please ask if you have questions at any point during this process. We advise against backyard burial of euthanized pets due to environmental risks.

Pricing

Our comprehensive service fee covers a compassionate and personalized experience during a difficult time. This includes an initial telephone consultation to discuss your needs and answer any questions you may have, followed by a respectful in-home appointment for the euthanasia procedure.

Our prices include:

  • A phone consultation

  • The in-home appointment

  • Coordination and transport for cremation services

  • Communal cremation

  • A memorial keep sake, including a lock of hair, paw print, and a picture of your pet

Please note: The cost of private cremation or additional memorial products are not included.

Pricing by pet weight:

  • Cat or small dog (<30lbs) = $575

  • Medium dog (30-80 lbs) = $600

  • Large dog (80+ lbs) = $625

In memory of

Resources

The loss of a pet is an extremely emotional event.  Often it can even be more painful than the loss of a human family member.  This intense feeling is normal and you are not alone.  While navigating this journey of grief it is important to process this change and take care of yourself and your family. 

Support can be found by reading books or articles on pet loss, talking to others going through the same situation, speaking to a counselor or looking for ideas on how to memorialize and remember your pet. The below websites provide wonderful resources on pet loss and can provide a little bit of comfort and support in this difficult time.  We encourage you to explore, share and take the time you need during this most difficult time.

If you are still in the process of determining whether or not it is time, the following resources can be helpful to guide you through the decision and to track your pet’s quality of life.

Determining when it’s time:

Pet Loss:

Websites

  • Pet Loss Resources from UCDavis Veterinary School

    • https://www.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/index.php/hospital/pet-loss-support

  • Association for Pet Loss and Bereavement

    • https://www.aplb.org/

Books and articles

  • Helping Children Cope 

    •  https://www.funeralwise.com/pet-loss/how-to-cope/children/

  • NPR:The Dog Isn't Sleeping: How To Talk With Children About Death

    • https://www.npr.org/2019/03/04/698309351/the-dog-isnt-sleeping-how-to-talk-with-children-about-death

  • Books for Children:

    • Dog Heaven by Cynthia Rylant

    • Cat Heaven by Cynthia Rylant

    • Being Brave for Bailey by Corey Gut, DVM

    • The Fall of Freddie the Leaf by Leo Buscaglia

    • The Tenth Good Thing About Barney  by Judith Viorst

    • My Pet Died: A Coloring Book for Grieving Children  by Alan D. Wolfel

  • Books for Adults:

    • Preparing for the Loss of Your Pet by Myrna Milani, DVM

    • Oh, Where Has My Pet Gone? A Pet Loss Memory Book by Sally Sibbit

    • Soul Comfort for Cat Lovers: Coping Wisdom for Heart and Soul After the Loss of a Beloved Feline  by Liz Eastwood

    • Pet Loss Meditations by Lorise Weil

    • When a Family Pet Dies  by JoAnn Tuzeo Jarolmen

    • Good-bye My Friend  by Mary and Herb Montgomery

Support groups

  • BirthBark Foundation

    • https://www.birchbarkfoundation.org/griefsupport

  • Rainbow Bridge

    • https://www.rainbowsbridge.com/Grief_Support_Center/Grief_Support_Home.htm

  • Chances Spot

    • https://chancesspot.org/pet-loss-support/index.php

  • The Pet Loss Support Page

    • https://www.pet-loss.net/

  • Pet Cloud

    • https://petcloud.pet/

  • Massachusetts Pet Loss Resources

    • https://www.pet-loss.net/resources/MA.shtml

Support hotlines: