Welcome to Pets & People - the support network for grieving pet owners...
Loving animals is an important part of being human
Losing an animal friend can feel as devastating as losing a human loved one...
Share the loss of your pet with a therapist who will understand and support you...
Our 24 / 7 Pet Loss Support Line
Australia: 1300 431 450 NZ: 0800 114 421
PLEASE NOTE: This is a toll free number, but once connected with professional, the counselling rates will vary according to the service provider.
Understanding grief & loss
Reactions to grief can be manifested many different ways - some of which might be...
- feelings - of anxiety, fear, sadness, anger, guilt
- thoughts - such as confusion, preoccupation and disbelief
- physical reactions - like sleep disturbances, empty sensation in stomach, breathlessness or tightness in the chest
- behaviour - such as crying, sighing, hyperactivity, inability to concentrate, social withdrawal
These are only some of the ways that grief is manifested and everyone's experience will be unique to them and their loss.
Unfortunately, the grief associated with the loss of a pet is often the most misunderstood. Family and friends often mean well, but can sometimes dismiss your pain and distress...
You are not alone...
Pets and People was founded by Dr Michael O’Donoghue and Penny Carroll to provide a supportive process to help people through the grief experienced with the loss of a companion animal.
Counselling can help...
Not all counsellors specialise in grief and even less deal with the grief associated with Pet Loss. But help is at hand.
Our aim at Pets and People is to help connect pet owners with qualified and experienced pet loss counsellors who are ready and willing to support people in this difficult time. We have compiled a list of resources, both paid and complimentary, to help you work through your grief.
Recommended Pet Loss & Grief articles
What NOT to Say to Someone Who is Grieving the Loss of a Pet
Posted by Ingrid Amazon.com Widgets As a society, we are not equipped to handle grief and loss, and many people don’t know what to say to someone who is grieving. This can be compounded when the loss is that of a pet. Even people who are genuinely sorry and want to express their sympathy often […]
Does Counselling Help When You Have Lost A Pet?
Pet Loss and Grief Counseling The loss of a pet can be for some people, a devastating and misunderstood experience. It is not unusual, if you are feeling bereft and distressed if you have recently experienced the loss of your pet. Those who have never bonded closely with an animal and experienced their unconditional love […]
What Should I Tell My Children?
Pet Ohana For Thursday, November 5, 2009 By Hawaiian Humane Society QUESTION: Our family cat recently died, and we’re at a loss on how to explain this to our young children. What can we tell them? ANSWER: If you hide your grief, children could fear that sorrow is unnatural. If you tell them that […]
Understanding Pet Loss and Grief
All of us need to love and to be loved. Loving animals is an important part of being human. As we develop bonds of love and affection we become attached to that one. When we lose one we love, we grieve. So grief is a normal reaction to the loss of someone or something to […]
How Do You Know When it is Time for Euthanasia?
How to know when it is time to say goodbye? This decision is the hardest part of owning a pet, our pets and companions have put their trust in us, and we must decide when enough is enough. I believe there are several important questions to ask yourself: Is the pet still eating and drinking? […]
Emotional Value of Pets is Underestimated
Having a pet can meet many human psycho-social needs and has been undervalued in the field of mental health, says the author of a comprehensive review of human-pet bonds published today in the journal Family Process. The research, by Dr. From a Walsh of the Center for Family Health at the University of Chicago, finds […]
Pet Loss Support – grief counseling – USA
Pet Loss Support – grief counseling For a comprehensive list of counselors in the USA the Association For Pet Loss and Bereavement (APLB) has an excellent website that we recommend: www.aplb.org Chicago VMA 630-325-1600 Cornell University 607-253-3932 University of Illinois 217-244-CARE (2273) or 877-394-CARE Michigan State University 517-432-2696 P&G Pet CaremPet Loss Support Hotline 888-332-7738 The Ohio State University […]
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