The Support Network for Grieving Pet Owners
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.
Meet our Counsellors...
Loving animals is an important part of being human
Losing an animal friend can feel as devastating as losing a human loved one...
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
Pet Loss & Bereavement – Dr Michael O’Donoghue with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC)
Pets and People was founded by Dr Michael O’Donoghue and Penny Carroll to provide a supportive process to help people through the grief often experienced through the loss of a companion animal. In a recent interview on the ABC.net.au, Michael describes the profound effects that our animal companions have on our lives, and the intense grief that can […]
Celebrating the life of your pet
Oftentimes, no matter how our pet passed, we forget how he/she lived. The fun times, unconditional love for you, or family, and their way of being that only you, as an owner know. I am the daughter of a vet, and have witnessed this Crossing of the Rainbow Bridge, many times. Heart breaking as it […]
10 Of The Best Ways To To Memorialise Your Pet In 2019
In the course of many years, the role of pets in a household has evolved from being house guards to a more personal level. Pets have become a friend to the friendless and lonely; provide emotional support to the weary. And so it is just but natural that losing a pet equates to losing a […]
New Zealand’s first Pet Loss Support hotline established at 0800 114 421
Pet loss is most often associated with the death of animal, but can also be experienced through other scenarios – such as a relationship breakup, a relocation or a missing pet. People are no longer expected to grieve alone. Support is a phone call away. An New Zealand national hotline has been set up to connect grieving animal lovers with counsellors who can help them cope with their loss.
Helping Cats Cope with the Loss of Other Pets
Pet loss and grief can be difficult and heartbreaking for people, but it can be an even greater challenge to help the surviving pets deal with pet loss. Cats do, indeed, grieve. They cannot tell us how they feel. And the owners in the family may overlook behavior changes while dealing with their own sense […]
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 […]