Families in Ripon, Manteca, Salida and throughout the northern San Joaquin Valley have had Dr. Paul Sessa come to their homes to gently euthanize their pets when there was no hope they would survive an illness or a tragedy. The Salida vet, located just across the river from Ripon, said his families make advance appointments to put their pets down at home, enabling him to work their pets into his weekly schedule when it is not an emergency situation for their pet. It takes several hours of preparation to carry out the euthanasia in a home setting with the added service of taking the body of the animal.