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
Pet Loss Support – grief counseling – USA
Other Resources The Association For Pet Loss and Bereavement (APLB) has an excellent website that we recommend: www.aplb.org Counselors in the USA Chicago VMA 630-325-1600 Cornell University 607-253-3932 University of Illinois 217-244-CARE (2273) Michigan State University 517-432-2696 P&G Pet Care, Pet Loss Support Hotline 888-332-7738 The Ohio State University 614-292-1823 Tufts University 508-839-7966 Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine […]
Don’t Shame Me For Grieving My Dog’s Death
A loss of a pet is still a loss. 05/04/2017 9:22 PM AEST | Lindsay Holmes – Deputy Healthy Living Editor, HuffPost LINDSAY HOLMES The author’s dog, Sapp, who loved going for rides and running on golf courses. “U want to cancel bc ur dog back home died? Haha.” A few months after I moved to New […]
How You and Your Child can Cope With Loss of a Pet
Credits: Virginia State Parks on flickr By MARIA SIKOUTRIS DI IORIO April 25, 2017 at 12:58 PM Animals provide companionship, acceptance, emotional support and unconditional love. If you understand this connection between human and animal, then you understand that coping with loss and grief of a pet is no different than when a person you […]
Book – Cold Noses at the Pearly Gates
Do all dogs and cats really go to heaven? Yes, they do! The death of your beloved pet can be one of the most heartbreaking losses you’ll ever endure. But recovery isn’t only about closure. You also want to know where your best friend has gone. After the intense, unexpected grief he experienced following the […]
Pet Loss & Grief Support Program Offered by Animal Spirit Network
Animal Spirit Healing and Education Network is proud to welcome Teresa Wagner, instructor for ASN’s new Animal Loss & Grief Support Program. Instructor, Teresa Wagner – May 25, 2010 – Chicago, IL – Animal Spirit Healing and Education Network is proud to welcome Teresa Wagner, instructor for ASN’s new Animal Loss & Grief Support Program. […]
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 […]
Follow us on Facebook
Pets and People