The End-of-Life Journey With Our Beloved Animals – Session 1

The End-of-Life Journey with our Beloved Animals: From Diagnosis to Life After Loss; A Three-Program Series

The NYS Bar Association’s Committee on Animals and the Law presents a three-part symposium exploring the emotional, practical, ethical, and legal complexities of end-of-life care for beloved companion animals and equines. Whether attended as a series or individually, each session offers compassionate guidance for navigating end-of-life decisions, supporting grief and healing, and understanding the legal responsibilities that accompany an animal’s final stage of life.

Wednesday, January 28, 2026

Session 1: End-of-Life Decisions & Ethical Considerations for an Ailing Animal

(This session does not offer MCLE credit.)

This one-hour program explores the complex emotional, ethical, and practical dimensions of caring for a companion animal at life’s end. Dr. Amir Shanan, DVM, offers insight into how veterinarians, families, and animals themselves experience a terminal diagnosis, and how care evolves from striving to cure toward providing comfort and dignity. He addresses ethical approaches to assessing suffering and navigating the difficult questions surrounding euthanasia and timing decisions. The second speaker, Gail Pope, follows with compassionate guidance for pet families, introducing tools for assessing quality of life and framing hospice-supported care as part of a natural continuum of choices—from comfort-focused living to peaceful transition. Participants will gain both perspective and practical understanding for responding to a terminal diagnosis with grace and informed compassion.

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This Three-Program Series includes:

Session 1: End-of-Life Decisions & Ethical Considerations for an Ailing Animal

Wednesday, January 28, 2026 | 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. (This session does not offer MCLE credit.)

Session 2: Losing a Beloved Animal: Navigating the Spectrum of Grief and Bereavement

Wednesday, February 11, 2026 | 2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. (This session does not offer MCLE credit.)

Session 3: Legal Considerations for End-of-Life Decisions Concerning our Animals

Wednesday, February 25, 2026 | 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. (This session offers 1.0 MCLE credit in Areas of Professional Practice.)

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