Cloud 9 Vets calls on the CMA to add at-home pet euthanasia to the new mandatory vet price list

Research by the UK in-home veterinary provider found 67% of pet owners had no idea a vet could come to the house to put pets to sleep.

Chichester, West Sussex, Aug. 18, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cloud 9 Vets, a national provider of at-home pet euthanasia and in-home veterinary care, has formally asked the Competition and Markets Authority to list at-home euthanasia separately from in-practice euthanasia on the standard price list every UK veterinary practice will soon be required to publish.

Cloud 9 Vets caring professional team enable beloved pets to be put to sleep in the comfort of their home environment.

The CMA published its draft Veterinary Services Market Investigation Order 2026 on the 21st of July 2026. It requires practices to publish prices for 36 defined services. Three sit under a heading called End-of-life care: euthanasia, communal cremation and individual cremation. There is no separate entry for euthanasia carried out at the pet owner's home, and no home visit fee anywhere on the list.

Research conducted for Cloud 9 Vets by an independent agency* in July 2025, surveying 400 UK dog and cat owners aged 35 and over, found that 67% agreed they had no idea a service existed that would come to the house when the time came. In the same study, 86% said they would like a plan in place so that, when the time came, it was "just a phone call away".

"A nationally standard price list only works if the things on it can be compared," said Lisbet Stuer-Lauridsen, co-founder of Cloud 9 Vets. "At the moment there is one box marked Euthanasia. It has to cover both a brief appointment in a consulting room, and the alternative of a vet travelling to your home and staying as long as your family needs to say goodbye. Those are different services with different costs, and a single number cannot honestly represent both. We are not asking the CMA to say that one is better than the other; that is a decision for each family to make. We are asking for both options to be visible, so people can weigh them up. We have helped 30,838 families say goodbye at home since 2017, and not one of them wanted less information at that moment."

Cloud 9 Vets has published its prices openly since the company was founded, and its submission notes that the obligations proposed in the draft Order reflect a practice the company has followed voluntarily for years. The company has declared its commercial interest in the outcome of having at-home pet euthanasia listed in the standard price list in the response itself.

The submission from Cloud 9 Vets argues that a single "Euthanasia" box cannot serve the purpose the standard price list exists for. The figure may represent a standard brief appointment at a clinic, or an attended visit to a family's home involving travel, a longer appointment and often out-of-hours provision. Presenting two different services with different cost bases as one number, the response argues, obstructs the comparison the CMA is trying to create. The comparison needs to happen before the decision is urgent, which is why the option has to be on the list.

Cloud 9 Vets has also asked the CMA to allow veterinary businesses operating nationally to meet the cremation disclosure rule by linking to a list of the crematoria they use by region, rather than naming a single provider. The company supports the disclosure requirement itself, but works with a number of trusted regional crematoria, choosing between them according to where a pet owner lives. A single name on the price list would therefore be inaccurate for most clients.

Pet owners can learn more about Cloud 9 Vets' at-home pet euthanasia services at https://www.cloud9vets.co.uk/

Their full response to the CMA on at-home pet euthanasia is available on request. The CMA's consultation remains open for responses until 20th of August 2026.

FAQ

Can a vet come to your house to put a dog or cat to sleep in the UK?
Yes. At-home pet euthanasia is available across the UK from specialist in-home veterinary providers and from some general practices. A vet travels to the home, and the pet is put to sleep in familiar surroundings, usually with the family present. Cloud 9 Vets provides this service in most areas nationally. Awareness of at-home euthanasia remains low: in July 2025 research for Cloud 9 Vets, 67% of UK dog and cat owners aged 35+ agreed they had no idea the service existed.

Will vets have to publish the price of euthanasia?
Yes, under the CMA's draft Order. Veterinary practices will be required to publish a standard price list covering 36 services, including euthanasia, communal cremation and individual cremation. The CMA published the draft on 21st of July 2026 and the consultation closes on 20th of August 2026. Larger veterinary groups are expected to comply first. The issue Cloud 9 Vets is highlighting is that the draft order does not distinguish between euthanasia at a practice and euthanasia at home.

How much does at-home pet euthanasia cost in the UK?
Costs vary by provider, location, the size of the pet and whether cremation is needed. There is currently no requirement for practices to publish this figure, which is precisely what the CMA's draft Order would change. Cloud 9 Vets publishes its prices on its website and confirms a total price including options such as cremation and mementos before booking appointments. Pet owners comparing their options should ask what the price includes; specifically travel charges, appointment length, out-of-hours availability, whether cremation is arranged separately and if cremation is communal or individual.

Is it better to have a pet put to sleep at home or at the vet?
That depends on the pet, the family and the circumstances. Losing a beloved pet is always painful. Research for Cloud 9 Vets found 81% of UK dog and cat owners aged 35+ said they would rather a vet visited their home than travel to a practice.

How do I plan ahead for my pet's end of life?
Start the conversation with a vet before it becomes urgent. Ask what quality-of-life assessment involves, what the options are when the time comes, whether home visits are available and what each option costs. In research for Cloud 9 Vets, 86% of owners said they wanted a plan in place so that when the time came it was "just a phone call away", and 87% agreed it is hard to know when the right moment is.

When does the CMA's vet price list come into force?
The CMA's consultation on the draft Order closes at 11:59pm on 20th of August 2026. The CMA has said it will prepare the final Order by 23rd of September 2026, after which most requirements are expected to take effect within three to twelve months. Larger veterinary groups face the earliest deadlines, with smaller practices given additional time to comply.

About Cloud 9 Vets

Cloud 9 Vets (www.cloud9vets.co.uk) is a national provider of in-home veterinary care in the United Kingdom, specialising in end-of-life services for pets and their families. Trading since October 2017, Cloud 9 Vets has helped 30,838 families say goodbye to their pets at home. The company offers palliative care advice, online quality-of-life assessment and at-home pet euthanasia, delivered by a network of qualified veterinary surgeons. The service is available across the UK and coverage continues to expand. Cloud 9 Vets has published its prices transparently since it began trading, and in August 2026 formally asked the Competition and Markets Authority to add at-home euthanasia to the standard price list every UK veterinary practice will be required to publish.

*Questions Matter, July 2025, n=400 UK dog and cat owners aged 35+.

Cloud 9 Vets at-home euthanasia for cats, dogs and other companion animals, means there is no need to force them into a cat carrier or car.

Press Inquiries

Allan Edwards
allan [at] binarypr.co.uk
https://www.cloud9vets.co.uk