¶If Your Dog Needs to Be Euthanized
If a dog is seriously injured or gravely ill and can no longer live a good life, it should be euthanized. Anyone performing euthanasia must be able to handle animals properly and be trained in approved euthanasia methods. It is important that animals being euthanized do not have to suffer.
Pet owners are allowed to euthanize their own animals, but there are rules for how this must be done. The most common method is to have a veterinarian euthanize the dog with an overdose of anesthetic.
It is also permitted to shoot a dog if you have a firearm and a license that allows you to euthanize animals. Puppies younger than 14 days may be euthanized with a hard blow to the head. The blow must be delivered with such force and accuracy that it causes immediate unconsciousness and death. The methods that are allowed for euthanizing animals are set out in the Swedish Board of Agriculture’s regulations on euthanasia.
¶Taking Care of a Deceased Dog
Cremation
If you choose to have your dog cremated, it is good to know that there are approved cremation facilities for pets around the country. Your veterinary clinic can often help you arrange transport. If you choose individual cremation, you can have the ashes returned to you. You can then bury or scatter the ashes. Keep in mind that there are rules governing how this must be done.
Burial
You may bury your dog on your own land or on other suitable land without prior cremation, but first check what applies in your municipality. Permission often depends on where the land is located and how large it is, as well as whether it is a large or small dog. In some parts of the country, there are also cemeteries for pets.
