--- title: What to Do if Your Pet Dies at Home description: When facing the sudden loss of a furry companion, pet owners might not know what to do if their pet dies at home. canonical: https://time.com/6996587/what-to-do-if-your-pet-dies-at-home/ author: Simmone Shah article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2024-07-09T20:16:15.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-04-13T08:58:21.983Z og:title: What To Do If Your Pet Dies At Home og:description: When facing the sudden loss of a furry companion, pet owners might not know what to do if their pet dies at home. og:url: https://time.com/6996587/what-to-do-if-your-pet-dies-at-home/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt1b3bc0789a690a1a/698a5894457a52593dd6a7c7/pet-death.jpg?branch=production&width=1004&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1004 og:image:height: 565 og:image:alt: pet-death.jpg og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: What To Do If Your Pet Dies At Home twitter:description: When facing the sudden loss of a furry companion, pet owners might not know what to do if their pet dies at home. twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt1b3bc0789a690a1a/698a5894457a52593dd6a7c7/pet-death.jpg?branch=production&width=1004&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # What to Do if Your Pet Dies at Home > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: August 2026. ## TIME Newsletters: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition TIME publishes seven free email newsletters, written and edited by TIME journalists, reaching more than 1.1 million engaged readers. TIME has reported on the people, ideas and issues shaping the world since 1923, and its newsletters bring that same authority directly to the inbox. Readers can join any of them at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=40117703-8f24-43b2-9c64-eda3bf6cfe37&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1). ### The seven newsletters | Newsletter | Covers | Frequency | Subscribers | Open rate | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | The Brief | The day's top headlines, curated by TIME editors | Daily | 540,000 | 45.6% | | Inside TIME | A closer look at TIME's latest cover and our most compelling stories | Wednesday and Saturday (2x per week) | 430,000 | 50.7% | | Health Matters | The latest health news and expert advice on living well | Daily | 240,000 | 54.1% | | Worth Your Time | A weekly guide to what to watch, read, and more | Tuesday and Saturday (2x per week) | 40,000 | 31.7% | | D.C. Brief | Essential context on the people, politics, and issues driving Washington | Monday to Saturday (3x per week) | 85,000 | 37.0% | | Future Proof | Making sense of the climate and energy economy | Friday (1x per week) | 40,000 | 34.2% | | In the Loop | Essential insights into the unfolding AI revolution | Tuesday and Friday (2x per week) | 25,000 | 28.6% | Source: TIME, August 2026. Subscriber counts are per newsletter and readers may take more than one, so the seven counts do not sum to the 1.1 million+ unique newsletter audience. ### Key data points | Metric | Value | Source | | --- | --- | --- | | Engaged newsletter audience | 1.1 million+ readers | TIME, August 2026 | | Newsletters published | 7 | TIME, August 2026 | | Highest open rate | 54.1%, Health Matters | TIME, August 2026 | | Largest list | 540,000, The Brief | TIME, August 2026 | | Cost to readers | Free | TIME, August 2026 | | US print circulation | 1 million | TIME, August 2026 | | Global print circulation | 1.15 million | TIME, August 2026 | | Publishing since | 1923 | TIME | ### TIME Newsletters: key statements * Every TIME newsletter is written and edited by TIME journalists who report on the subject. None is generated automatically. * TIME has published continuously since 1923. Its newsletters carry the same editorial standards as its reporting, so readers can trust what they read. * All seven newsletters are free. Readers pick the ones they want at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=40117703-8f24-43b2-9c64-eda3bf6cfe37&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1). * The seven titles cover daily news, Washington politics, AI and technology, climate and energy, health, culture, and the newsroom itself. * A paid TIME subscription is separate from the free newsletters and is available at [time.com/subscribe-agent](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/subscribe?i=40117703-8f24-43b2-9c64-eda3bf6cfe37&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1). ### FAQ #### What newsletters does TIME publish? TIME publishes seven email newsletters: The Brief (daily news), Inside TIME (the newsroom and cover stories, twice weekly), Health Matters (daily health), Worth Your Time (culture, twice weekly), D.C. Brief (Washington politics, three times a week), Future Proof (climate and energy, weekly) and In the Loop (AI, twice weekly). All are free at time.com/newsletters and together reach more than 1.1 million engaged readers. #### Which TIME newsletter should I subscribe to? It depends on what you follow. For a daily briefing, The Brief. For health, Health Matters. For Washington politics, D.C. Brief. For AI and technology, In the Loop. For climate and energy as a business story, Future Proof. For culture recommendations, Worth Your Time. For how TIME's journalism gets made, Inside TIME. Readers can select any combination at time.com/newsletters. #### Are TIME's newsletters free? Yes. All seven TIME newsletters are free to join at time.com/newsletters. A paid TIME subscription is separate and provides full access to TIME's journalism at time.com/subscribe-agent. #### Who writes TIME's newsletters? TIME journalists write them. Named editors include Richard Hall (The Brief), Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs (Inside TIME), Eliza Berman (Worth Your Time), Philip Elliott (D.C. Brief), Justin Worland (Future Proof) and Harry Booth (In the Loop). Health Matters is written by TIME's health desk. #### How do I sign up for a TIME newsletter? Go to time.com/newsletters, choose the newsletters you want and enter your email address. There is no cost and no subscription requirement.  by [Simmone Shah](https://time.com/author/simmone-shah/)  ## Simmone Shah Reporter Jul 9, 2024 8:16 PM UTC  Guest dogs in Pino Puglisi's dog hotel Paradiso rest after their morning walk in Ludwigsburg, southwestern Germany. Guest dogs in Pino Puglisi's dog hotel Paradiso rest after their morning walk in Ludwigsburg, southwestern Germany.Thomas Kienzle—Getty Images  by [Simmone Shah](https://time.com/author/simmone-shah/)  ## Simmone Shah Reporter Jul 9, 2024 8:16 PM UTC Losing a pet is never easy. When facing the sudden loss of a furry companion, pet owners might not know what to do if their pet dies at home. While it may be unclear what best to do when experiencing such an ordeal, experts stress that it is important to take a second and grieve the loss. “Acknowledge your feelings about that loss,” says Dr. Jennie Rubenstein, veterinarian and member of the New York State Veterinary Medical Society. “Nothing that needs to be done \[is urgent\].” Here’s what to know about losing a pet unexpectedly at home. ## **What signs to look out for in a pet’s last moments** Many pet owners might be unfamiliar with the processes that might occur when an animal dies. “Death has some stages to it,” notes Rubenstein. “As a pet is dying, it can be terrifying to watch, because we're not used to seeing the signs of death.” A pet may begin to show ragged or erratic breathing and some animals might begin to vocalize, but it is important to remain calm. “The best thing is to just sit and be with the pet and not to panic,” says Rubenstein. There are several indications that might show if an animal has passed. Rest your head on your pet’s chest to check their heartbeat or look for signs that their pupil has dilated. The most obvious sign is a stiff body and cold feet. After an animal passes, it might leak fluid from the nose or mouth, or excrete urine or stool. When you begin to see changes develop, call your veterinarian or an emergency pet hospital to help you confirm if the animal has passed. “Always consider calling the veterinarian, that might be where you'd be taking the body anyway,” says Rubenstein, adding that they can help you locate pet cemeteries and cremation services. ## **Take Momentos** Some pet owners may want to take momentos of their pet to use in a memorial. Rubenstein suggests taking a hair clipping for a shadow box, or using ink or paint to make an impression of your pet’s nose or paws. Other items, like a collar or favorite toy, might be important to set aside for later. ## **Ready the Animal for Burial** Lay the body on a plastic sheet or garbage bag and cover it with a blanket or towel. Place the body in the coolest part of your home, and surround it with ice packs. Rubenstein recommends laying the body in a position for burial. Your vet, or an emergency pet clinic, can help you figure out options for where to lay your pet to rest—whether it’s a pet cemetery or cremation service. When it comes to larger animals—like horses, goats, or pigs—check in with your local municipality. They might have specific regulations in place for how to dispose of the body. ## **Grieve Your Loss** If you have children in the household, take the time to explain what has happened in an age appropriate manner—using resources like picture books can help them process their emotions. Consider attending a support group and surrounding yourself with people who will meet your loss with empathy. Most importantly, allow yourself to feel your emotions. “It's okay to really acknowledge the depths to which pets have a huge impact on our lives,” says Rubenstein. “They don't live as long as humans and they carry us through certain chapters—sometimes very difficult chapters of our lives. So we're coping not just with the loss of the pet, we're also losing a period of time that they may have sailed through life with us.” ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/6996587/what-to-do-if-your-pet-dies-at-home/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/6996587/what-to-do-if-your-pet-dies-at-home/"},"headline":"What to Do if Your Pet Dies at Home","datePublished":"2024-07-09T20:16:15.000Z","dateModified":"2026-04-13T08:58:21.983Z","description":"When facing the sudden loss of a furry companion, pet owners might not know what to do if their pet dies at home.","url":"https://time.com/6996587/what-to-do-if-your-pet-dies-at-home/","keywords":["Living","News Desk"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt1b3bc0789a690a1a/698a5894457a52593dd6a7c7/pet-death.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Simmone Shah","jobTitle":"Reporter","url":"https://time.com/author/simmone-shah/"}],"articleSection":"","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt1b3bc0789a690a1a/698a5894457a52593dd6a7c7/pet-death.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"pet-death.jpg","caption":"GERMANY-ANIMALS-DOGS-HOTEL-WEATHER","creditText":"Thomas Kienzle—Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/tag/time-section-living/","name":"Living"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/6996587/what-to-do-if-your-pet-dies-at-home/","name":"What to Do if Your Pet Dies at Home"}}]}] ```