“I’m Dr. Kathleen Cooney and I’m a Certified Peaceful Euthanasia Veterinarian.” This feels great to say and it’s been a long time coming. 

Over the years, many of you have asked for a CAETA (Companion Animal Euthanasia Training Academy) certification to complement our 10-hour Euthanasia Master Program, soon to be called the Peaceful Euthanasia Certification. Learning how to deliver a peaceful euthanasia is important to veterinary professionals. Highlighting new advanced euthanasia skills to clients and colleagues is special too, and now in 2024, you may do just that.

Veterinarians, technicians, veterinary assistants, and other learners within veterinary medicine and the animal sheltering profession can complete the renamed CAETA Peaceful Euthanasia Certification program, and become either a Certified Peaceful Euthanasia Veterinarian (CPEV) or a Certified Peaceful Euthanasia Professional (CPEP). If you have taken the program already (either online or in person) before 2024, it’s easy to secure your CPEV or CPEP certification. Just login to the CAETA online learning portal and take the updated final exam. Once you complete the 25-question exam and earn a passing grade of 80%, you will receive the Certificate of Completion and logos to use on your professional materials.

Who Can Become Certified

Veterinarians
Veterinary technicians
Veterinary assistants and management
Veterinary social workers
Professionals performing euthanasia in their respective fields still capable of following CAETA’s teachings, e.g., zoo personnel, animal shelter staff, law enforcement

Reasons to Become Certified

• Improve euthanasia technique skills; reduce error and risk of dysthanasia
• Increase client communication and satisfaction
• Protect client and staff mental health
• Provide premier end-of-life care
• Demonstrate to clients that endings matter
• Elevate drug handling and management
• Own a completed euthanasia protocol manual
• Dedicated CAETA clinic support coordinator
• Access to CAETA resource library
• Ongoing discounts for CAETA additional modules

What’s Required for Certification

Completion of the 10-hour CAETA Peaceful Euthanasia Certification, in person or online
Completion of the 25-question final exam (80% or higher required to pass, 2 attempts)

What’s Included in Certification

RACE-approved veterinary continuing education credits
CAETA online library of euthanasia resources
Licensing rights to the Pet Loss Guide for Pet Owners
Euthanasia Training Manual for individuals or teams
Discounted access to all online CAETA euthanasia learning content
Complimentary access to 2 exclusive annual Q&A / Case Exploration webinars with Dr. Cooney
The right to list certification in one’s professional title, e.g. CPEV, CPEP

Annual CAETA recertification is required, but it’s easy to obtain and is designed to be efficient, not burdensome. Certified individuals will need to acquire 4 hours of CAETA euthanasia content each year, available through any of our online additional modules, or by attending a virtual, 4-hour EOL Communication Workshop or an in-person, 4-hour Euthanasia Techniques Workshop. If certification lapses, it can be quickly reinstated by retaking the CAETA Peaceful Euthanasia Certification program and completing all certification requirements.  

Want to see your veterinary hospital become a CAETA Peaceful End-of-Life Practice? This opportunity is coming in 2024! Be on the lookout for updates from CAETA and Lap of Love regarding what’s available for your hospital.

With more than 40 hours of companion animal euthanasia training content, CAETA feels the time is right to offer certification in peaceful euthanasia. Our patients deserve a gentle passing, and our clients deserve a peaceful experience saying goodbye to their pets. Endings matter, and when done well, everyone benefits. Many thanks to the thousands of professionals who’ve taken the program to date, and to all those who are ready to Join the Good Death Revolution.

Contact us with questions.