Pet Loss — Grief Support Resources

Losing a companion animal can be one of the most painful experiences a person faces. Grief after the death or loss of a pet is real, normal, and individual — there is no “right” timeline. Below you’ll find immediate support (hotlines and chats), counseling options, practical aftercare & memorial ideas, recommended reading, and resources for helping children cope. If your grief feels overwhelming or you have thoughts of harming yourself, please contact local emergency services or your crisis line immediately.

Immediate support — hotlines, chat rooms & 24/7/nearby options

  • Cornell University Pet Loss Support Hotline — trained volunteers provide listening support and referrals (hours vary; phone listed on site). Good for immediate, confidential support. Cornell Vet College+1

  • Association for Pet Loss and Bereavement (APLB) — free chat rooms, moderated forums, email support, and a large resource library for grieving owners and professionals. Great for moderated online group support. APLB+1

  • Rainbow Bridge Pet Loss Grief Support — forums, chats, memorial pages, and curated resource pages (peer support and moderated forums). Rainbow Bridge Petloss Grief Suport+1

  • Blue Cross Pet Bereavement / Helpline (UK) — free helpline and email support (hours shown on their site); useful model for an established, staffed bereavement helpline. (If you want a Canada-specific staffed helpline, consider linking to provincial services / veterinary college offerings below.) Blue Cross

Canadian / local veterinary & university counseling resources

  • OVC Pet Trust — University of Guelph (Grief counselling & resources) — short-term, confidential grief counseling for clients (virtual/in-person options; contact info on their site). Great for Canadian clients who want counselling tied to a veterinary teaching hospital. pettrust.uoguelph.ca+1

  • Ontario SPCA — Pet Loss Support Group — online/in-person group offerings and local resources (provincial/national SPCAs often run or list bereavement supports). Ontario SPCA and Humane Society

  • Canadian Veterinary Medical Association / Provincial Colleges — many provincial veterinary associations/colleges publish grief materials and sometimes host workshops/support events for clients and staff (search your province’s site or link to the CVMA’s listings). CVMA+1

Support groups, forums & peer communities

  • Moderated chat rooms (APLB), Rainbow Bridge forums, local SPCA groups, Facebook peer groups (e.g., Blue Cross community group) — good for ongoing peer support and memorializing. Note: peer support is helpful, but moderated groups are safer for vulnerable clients. APLB+2Rainbow Bridge Petloss Grief Suport+2

 Books & literature

  • The Loss of a Pet: A Guide to Coping with the Grieving Process When a Pet Dies — Wallace Sife (4th ed.) — comprehensive, widely used book. Turner Publishing+1

  • When Your Pet Dies: A Guide to Mourning, Remembering, and Healing — Alan D. Wolfelt — practical steps and memorial ideas; concise and accessible. Indigo+1

  • Goodbye, Friend: Healing Wisdom for Anyone Who Has Ever Lost a Pet — Gary Kowalski — compassionate essays and rituals for remembering. Goodreads+1

  • When a Pet Dies — Fred Rogers — excellent simple book for helping young children understand and express feelings. Indigo+1

Resources for children & families

  • Workbooks and activity books (e.g., My Healing and Memorial Activity Book, My Pet Died: A Coloring Book for Grieving Children). These are helpful for schools, families, and pediatric/clinic referrals. OVC and other university pet-trust pages maintain lists of child-focused resources. pettrust.uoguelph.ca

Quick printable handout 

You can place this as a downloadable PDF on your aftercare page:

If you need someone to talk to right now: Cornell Pet Loss Hotline — 607-218-7457 (check current hours on their site).
Moderated online support: Association for Pet Loss and Bereavement (chat rooms & email).
Local/Canadian help: OVC Pet Trust (University of Guelph) — short-term grief counselling; Ontario SPCA Pet Loss Support Group.
For books & self-help: The Loss of a Pet (Wallace Sife), When Your Pet Dies (Alan D. Wolfelt), Goodbye, Friend (Gary Kowalski).
(Add your clinic’s local cremation, memorial, and referral contact info here.) Turner Publishing+3Cornell Vet College+3APLB+3

 Resource links 

  • Cornell Pet Loss Support Hotline — Pet Loss Resources and Support. Cornell Vet College

  • Association for Pet Loss and Bereavement (APLB) — chat rooms, email support, resources. APLB+1

  • Rainbow Bridge — Pet Loss Grief Support Center. Rainbow Bridge Petloss Grief Suport

  • Blue Cross Pet Bereavement / Helpline (UK example page). Blue Cross

  • OVC Pet Trust — University of Guelph Pet Loss Resources & Counseling. pettrust.uoguelph.ca

  • Ontario SPCA — Pet Loss Support Group. Ontario SPCA and Humane Society

  • AAEP (American Association of Equine Practitioners) / AAEP resources page (lists hotlines including Cornell/Tufts/C.A.R.E.). AAEP

  • Peaceful Passing — pet loss support & aftercare resources (example of aftercare provider materials). Peaceful Passing

  • Books: The Loss of a Pet (Wallace Sife), When Your Pet Dies (Alan Wolfelt), Goodbye, Friend (Gary Kowalski), When a Pet Dies (Fred Rogers). Indigo+3Turner Publishing+3Indigo+3