1. Companion-animal euthanasia cost index, India 2026
Median quoted prices for in-clinic and in-home companion-animal euthanasia, by metropolitan tier. Includes sedation and the lethal agent; cremation excluded.
| City tier | Cities | Clinic median | Home median | Out-of-hours premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 / Premium | Mumbai, Bangalore, Delhi NCR | ₹3,400 | ₹8,500 | +38% |
| Tier 1 / Standard | Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad, Pune | ₹2,800 | ₹6,800 | +34% |
| Tier 2 metro | Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Lucknow, Chandigarh, Kochi | ₹2,200 | ₹5,400 | +28% |
| Tier 3 / Smaller cities | Most non-metro India | ₹1,600 | Limited availability | n/a |
2. Home-visit availability score, by city
A 0-10 score reflecting the practical accessibility of in-home companion-animal euthanasia in each metropolitan area. Scores combine practitioner density (per 100k pet-owning households), 48-hour booking availability, and pentobarbital / T-61 access.
| City | Score | Practitioner density | Avg. booking lead time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bangalore | 8.5 | High | 24-48 h | Most developed network |
| Mumbai | 7.8 | High | 24-72 h | High-rise logistics constrain |
| Delhi NCR | 7.2 | Medium-high | 48-72 h | Variable across NCR |
| Pune | 6.5 | Medium | 48-72 h | Growing rapidly |
| Hyderabad | 6.3 | Medium | 48-72 h | West Hyderabad most accessible |
| Kolkata | 5.9 | Medium | 48-72 h | Concentrated in South Kolkata |
| Chennai | 5.5 | Medium-low | 48-96 h | Heat constrains transit-to-clinic |
| Ahmedabad | 4.2 | Low | 72-96 h | Limited home-visit network |
| Tier 3 avg. | 2.1 | Very low | Variable | Often unavailable |
3. Owner conversation timing — when the “is it time” question first arises
From 1,200+ consult intake forms, the modal answer to “how long has this been on your mind” clusters in three peaks.
- 0-7 days — typically following an acute clinical event (a crisis night, a sudden bad day). 23%.
- 2-6 weeks — typically following a vet appointment where the words “quality of life” appeared. 41%.
- 3-9 months — typically following a chronic disease diagnosis with no triggering event. 30%.
- 1+ year — usually a household-conflict driver where one family member was earlier than the others. 6%.
The teaching: most owners delay this conversation longer than the welfare data supports. The work of the framework is to compress the delay.
4. Most common conditions at the consult threshold
The five conditions that most commonly drive an owner to seek end-of-life consultation:
- Multi-organ system age decline in dogs (“just old”) — 22%
- Cancer (mixed types) — 19%
- Chronic kidney disease in cats — 17%
- Severe osteoarthritis with mobility loss — 13%
- Canine cognitive dysfunction (dementia) — 11%
- Other — 18%
How to cite
GoodDeath.in (2026). Companion-animal end-of-life care in India: cost index, accessibility, and consult patterns. Available at https://gooddeath.in/research. Last updated April 2026.
How to contribute data
Vets, welfare organisations, and crematoria are invited to contribute price quotes, availability data, and anonymised consult patterns. Email hello@gooddeath.in with the subject [Research]. We aggregate, anonymise, and publish — never identify individual contributors without consent.
Dataset version 0.1 — last updated 27 April 2026. Next refresh: July 2026.