Free Resources

I write about grieving and healing; I have a great deal of personal experience in working mindfully with painful emotions, including grief; I have studied the psychology of death and dying from a number of perspectives; however, I am not a professional grief or pet bereavement counselor. 

Grief is a highly individual experience, and there’s no one ‘right’ way to grieve the loss of a companion animal. Some people cry for months; others never cry. Feeling sad—devastated, even—is normal when someone we love dies, whether that being is human, feline, canine or another species. This is to be expected; our lives have changed (in a way we didn’t want), and our routines have been disrupted. You are not alone. Most veterinary schools offer a pet loss support hotline, and I’ve linked to a few resources in the US, Canada, and the UK below. Inclusion in this list is not an endorsement. 

There are also a number of pet-loss support groups on Facebook. There are far too many to list here (except The Ralph Site, which is among the largest). You can find them by searching for your city/town “pet loss support facebook.” 

If you would like more intensive support, or one-on-one support over a longer period of time, check locally for a licensed psychologist (Ph.D or PsyD) or clinical social worker (LCSW) who specializes in working with people who are grieving. Online, please look for Dr. Katie Lawlor, also known as @petlosspsychologist.