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Guide · updated

Pet euthanasia cost in the UK: what the price includes and what is charged separately

How vets price euthanasia, why cremation is a separate item, what the CMA rules require practices to tell you, and the questions worth asking before the appointment.

What practices that already publish charge

Fewer than 3 practices that publish this price are on our list so far. Vet businesses with 15 or more practices or out-of-hours centres must publish it, if they offer it, on each practice's website from 23 December 2026, and smaller practices from 23 March 2027.

This is the price nobody wants to look up, and most people look it up in a hurry. If that is you today, the short version is this: euthanasia and cremation are two separate prices, the cremation is usually the bigger decision, and your practice has to tell you its options and prices in writing before you choose. The rest of this page explains why.

We don't give advice on whether or when. That is a conversation for you and your vet. We explain what you will be asked to pay for.

Euthanasia is its own item on the price list

"Euthanasia" is one of the 36 items in Schedule 1 of the CMA's Veterinary Services Market Investigation Order 2026, in the end-of-life group alongside "Cremation: communal" and "Cremation: individual". Large vet groups must publish their price lists from 23 December 2026, and smaller practices from 23 March 2027 (Art. 3 and 7).

That separation matters. The CMA found that some practices charged a single price for euthanasia and cremation together. One group told the CMA that "most practices would charge an overall fee" that often includes the cremation, the euthanasia procedure and the vet's time; other price lists showed the two separately (Final report, Part A, paragraph 13.52). A bundled price makes it hard to compare, or to choose a cheaper cremation. On the standard list, the two are separate lines.

The usual price list rules apply. The price must be what owners are typically charged and include anything essential to the service (Art. 7(2)(d)), it includes VAT (Art. 7(2)(f)), and where it depends on species or weight it is shown in six fixed bands: cat, and five dog bands from under 10 kg to 60 kg and over (Art. 7(2)(c)).

The Order does not define what the euthanasia item includes, and the CMA's indicative definitions leave it blank. So the practice decides what its typical euthanasia includes, and you should ask.

What usually happens, and what may be priced

PDSA describes a typical appointment. You will be asked to sign a consent form. Pets likely to become stressed can be given a light sedative first. The euthanasia itself is an injection, usually into a vein in a front leg. Whether you stay is up to you; some people stay for the start and leave before the procedure (PDSA, When it's time to say goodbye).

Each of those steps may or may not be in the listed price. Ask about:

Part of the appointment Why it matters for the bill
Sedation beforehand Not every pet needs it, so a practice may price it separately or include it
The vet's time and the consultation The standard item is "Euthanasia"; check whether a separate consultation fee applies
A home visit Not one of the 36 items. PDSA notes that some private vets offer home visits; expect a different price
Out of hours If a practice charges more out of hours, both prices must be on its list (Art. 7(2)(h)). If its nights are handled by another provider, that provider's own prices apply
Aftercare Cremation is priced separately. Taking your pet home is one of the options the practice must set out (Art. 20(1)(c))

The cremation decision

Most of the money is often in the aftercare, not the euthanasia. The CMA found prices for cremation ranging from about £50 for a communal cremation of a small pet to over £300 for an individual cremation of a large pet (Part A, paragraph 13.20), and concluded that owners may be paying in the order of £100 more for individual cremations than strong competition would allow (Final report summary, paragraph 56). Prices vary by practice; see the map for published prices from 23 December 2026.

From the compliance dates, every practice must:

  • offer a basic communal cremation (Art. 20(2));
  • set out the end-of-life options with equal prominence on its website: a cremation from the practice, arranging one yourself with a crematorium, or taking your pet home for burial (Art. 20(1) and (4));
  • talk you through those options before you decide, unless you would rather not (Art. 20(3)(b));
  • give you the price of each cremation option, and what each includes, in writing before you decide, unless you refuse (Art. 20(5)(a));
  • price any add-on, such as an urn or a paw print, separately (Art. 20(5)(b)).

Our pet cremation guide goes through communal and individual cremation in detail.

Paying, estimates and the bill

PDSA notes that practices often discuss cremation and payment before the appointment, and that most people prefer to have those conversations beforehand. The CMA found that practices handle this in different ways: some discuss and take payment for cremation and euthanasia together, others keep the two conversations apart, and all allow some flexibility on timing. One group's internal guide said clients who are unsure should be given a day to consider their options (Part A, paragraph 13.25 and footnote 1453).

Two further rules come in later:

  • Written estimates. From 23 June 2027 at large groups and 23 September 2027 at smaller ones, a practice must give a written estimate where a course of treatment is likely to cost £500 or more including VAT, and more than £100 of it (a fifth of the £500 threshold) is for costs still to come (Art. 3, 2 and 11). The Order counts euthanasia and cremation that are reasonably likely in the next 12 months as part of a treatment pathway (Art. 2). You can say you don't want an estimate (Art. 11(3)); the CMA gives euthanasia as an example of when an owner might find one distressing (Explanatory Note, paragraph 115).
  • Itemised bills. From the same dates, bills must be itemised. For euthanasia and cremation, a practice may give a shorter bill if it reasonably thinks the full detail would cause distress, but add-ons must always be shown and you can ask for the full breakdown (Art. 12(6)).

If cost is a worry

The RCVS, which regulates vets, says in its guidance to vets that where a client is not eligible for charitable help and no other financial help is available, "euthanasia may have to be considered on economic grounds" (RCVS supporting guidance, chapter 9, paragraphs 9.16 to 9.18; the quote is from 9.18). That is a sentence nobody wants to read. The same passage points to charitable help for clients who are eligible for it. If money is tight, ask your practice early about payment options and whether any charity scheme could help, before you reach that point.

Questions to ask the practice

  • What does your euthanasia price include: sedation, the consultation, handling afterwards?
  • Is the price different for my pet's size band, or out of hours?
  • Do you offer home visits, and what do they cost?
  • What are your communal and individual cremation prices, and which crematorium do you use?
  • Can I take my pet home instead, and is there any charge for that?
  • When do you take payment?

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to put a dog or cat to sleep?

The box at the top of this page shows the range once three practices that publish list it, and the median once five do. It is a sample, not a UK average. The CMA did not publish a national euthanasia price. From 23 December 2026, large vet groups must show "Euthanasia" on each practice's price list if the practice offers it, and smaller practices from 23 March 2027. Prices vary by practice; see the map for published prices from 23 December 2026, and our euthanasia price page.

Is cremation included in the euthanasia price?

Not on the standard list. "Euthanasia", "Cremation: communal" and "Cremation: individual" are three separate items, each with its own price.

Can euthanasia be done at home?

PDSA says some private vets can offer home visits for euthanasia. A home visit is not one of the 36 standard items, so ask the practice for its price.

Do I have to decide about cremation on the day?

You can take your pet home and decide on a cremation later, or arrange one yourself with a crematorium (Art. 20(1)). Your practice must give you its cremation prices in writing before you decide (Art. 20(5)(a)).

Can I be with my pet?

PDSA says this is "completely up to you". Some people stay for the start and leave during the procedure.

Related reading

Sources

Prices mentioned in this guide

How to compare vet prices in the UKA practical checklist for comparing vet price lists fairly, from consultation minutes and vaccine bundles to out-of-hours cover and cremation.Pet cremation cost in the UK: communal vs individual, ashes, and what vets must now tell youThe difference between communal and individual cremation, what the CMA found pet owners were paying, and the new rules that make vets show cremation prices and options from December 2026.Out-of-hours and emergency vet costs in the UK: why nights cost more and what you can checkWhy emergency vet care outside normal hours costs more, who usually provides it, and the new CMA rules that make practices show out-of-hours prices and providers in advance.What the CMA vet price rules mean for pet ownersFrom 23 December 2026 big vet groups must publish a standard price list. Here is what changes, when, and what you can do with it.Vet consultation fees in the UK: first, repeat, nurse and out-of-hours appointmentsHow much a vet consultation costs, what the CMA found, why first and repeat appointments are priced differently, and why the appointment length now sits next to the price.How to complain about a vet bill or a price in the UKThe steps that work for a disputed vet bill or price: the practice's own complaints process, free mediation through the VCMS, what the RCVS can and cannot do, and what the CMA Order changes from 23 March 2027.