Pet Loss Links & Resources

General Information · Pets in Heaven · Burial, Cremation & Euthanasia · Tribute & Memorial Sites · Discussion Groups · Condolence Cards · Translations · Hotlines

Study of Children and Pet Loss: Researchers from Palo Alto University would like your participation in a study that will offer support for children and families following the loss of a pet, and help learn about the impact of losing a pet. We hope the results of the study will help identify the needs of children following the loss of a pet, as well as to facilitate communication and building stronger relationships between family members. We will be providing all participants with a $10 Visa Gift Card for their participation! If you are interested in participating in this study please send an email to: ChildPetLossStudy@gmail.com. For more information, please visit http://childpetlossstudy.com/ or download our Information Flyer.

GENERAL INFORMATION:

Angel Animals: While not specifically a "pet loss" site, this site focuses on animals and spirituality, and offers an interesting selection of articles. (It also has some pet loss resources.)
Animal Love and Loss Network: An organization of pet loss counselors and professionals; offers links to support groups, plus a chat room.
Animals in Our Hearts: Offers links, articles, an audio-book, tips on helping a friend or loved one cope with loss, and a variety of other animal-related resources.
Association for Pet Loss and Bereavement: An association of pet loss counselors and professionals. The site offers links, articles, a bookstore, and directories of counselors and pet loss support groups.
Argus Institute for Families and Veterinary Medicine: This site provides a number of excellent articles on pet loss, plus additional resources for more help.
AVMA Guidelines for Pet Loss Support Services: Useful information for anyone interested in setting up a pet loss support group.
Chance's Spot: Lots of useful stuff here, including a lot of resources for children.
Coping with the Loss of a Pet: An article covering grieving, the five stages of mourning, how to explain pet loss to a child, and reasons for euthanasia.
Dog Party: Diary of the Best Last Day: I don't usually post links to personal tributes, but this is a wonderful, moving example of how to plan a "parting day" and create a farewell event for one's pet and family.
FidoFinder.com: A site where you can register a missing pet, along with useful tips for finding a lost pet.
Grief Healing: An excellent resource from pet loss counselor Marty Tousley. It offers an extensive collection of Marty's articles and columns on grief, plus other resources.
Healing and Inspirational Poetry: Dozens of lovely poems and "Rainbow Bridge Arrival Stories."
Hoofbeats in Heaven: A site dedicated to resources on "horse loss support," including an e-mail support group.
In Memory of Pets: An extensive collection of links, book references, and other resources for pet loss.
Land of Pure Gold: Leaving Pawprints on Our Hearts: Loads of tips and resources from a site dedicated to golden retrievers.
Lightning Strike Pet-Loss Support Page: One of the oldest pet-loss sites on the web, with an eclectic selection of resources and links. Now offers pet loss support blogs!
New England Pet Hospice Blog: An excellent site with loads of good information on pet loss, grief, coping, and dealing with a pet's terminal illness.
Nikki Hospice Foundation for Pets: The primary site for information on pet hospice care.
Paws of the Heart: Though aimed primarily at the Virginia area, this site offers a wide range of poems, articles and other tips for grieving.
Pet Hospice Care: A discussion group focusing on pet hospice care and bereavement.
The Pet Loss Grief Support Website & Candle Ceremony: Loads of information on pet loss, including online ceremonies, tributes, articles, links, etc.
PetLossHelp.org: Articles, a weekly blog, and a place to add your photo tribute for weekly postings.
Pet Loss Matters: This is a fabulous site with lots of resources. It offers free tributes, a means of keeping a pet loss or remembrance diary, and loads of quotes on pets and pet loss.
Pet Loss: Understanding Grief in Children
Rainbow Bridge Movie: A short, sweet "movie" version of the Rainbow Bridge story.
Top 50 Web Sites and Forums for Grief Counseling: Though not focused specifically on pet loss, this is an excellent roundup of sites on grieving and grief counseling, including support groups and online memorial sites.
UK Counselling Directory: Bereavement: Though not specifically focused on pet loss, this directory would be a good place to start a search for a UK bereavement counsellor.
Understanding Depression: A general information site on depression.

PETS IN HEAVEN:

All Creatures Do Go to Heaven... Especially Pets: The presentation on this site can be a bit off-putting, but the verses and translation details are very interesting and worth exploring.
Animals in Heaven: Proof that Animals Go to Heaven: A number of useful scripture references on the topic.
Creatures in Heaven: A publisher of books, DVDs and music on the issue of whether pets go to heaven.
Do Animals Have Souls?: This is not a Christian site per se, but has some interesting comparisons of religious views on the issue, as well as a discussion of pets on the astral plane.
EternalAnimals.com: A number of loss-related resources, plus health tips and other info, and a book and articles dealing with the "pets in heaven" issue.
For the Love of Animals: A variety of articles discussing the salvation of animals, including a sermon by John Wesley!

BURIAL, CREMATION & EUTHANASIA:

American Association of Mobile and Housecall Veterinarians: A directory of mobile veterinarians; this is a good place to start a search if you're looking for someone who will provide euthanasia services in your home.
In-Home Pet Euthanasia Directory: A state-by-state directory to veterinarians who provide in-home euthanasia, house-calls, hospice services and more.
Backyard Burial: A site encouraging the home burial of pets, with stories, tips and resources.
Equine Protection Network - Cemeteries and Crematories for Horses: A guide to facilities that handle burials or cremations for horses.
Green Pet Burial Society: Information and advocacy regarding natural burials within pet cemeteries for those who prefer burial to cremation, and natural burial to underground entombment. They also address pet burials in family plots of (human) cemeteries.
Anthony Eddy's Wildlife Studio - Pet Animal Preservation: Information on freeze-drying pets.
Perpetual Pet: Information on freeze-drying pets.

VIRTUAL TRIBUTE/MEMORIAL SITES:

A Dog's Guide to the Hereafter: Not a tribute site per se, but a delightful photo presentation of what might come next, in a dog's afterlife.
Angel Cats: Cat memorial site in the UK. (Lots of popups, unfortunately.)
: Chance's Spot
Dogheaven: A memorial/tribute site. This site charges a fee for posting memorials (portions go to charity), but also offers a number of useful (free) resources.
Heaven's Playground Pet Memorial: A site where pet owners can post memorials and tributes; plus a discussion forum, poetry, sympathy e-cards, and links.
ILovedMyPet.com: Offers a free online memorial listing for three months, and charges a small fee for longer (or large) listings. All profits go to humane associations.
In Memory of Pets
Light a Candle: An interesting site where you can light a "virtual candle" in memory of your pet.
Pet Loss Matters
Pet Memorial Website: A place to post free memorials, photos, tributes, stories, etc.
Pets4Ever: A free site where you can post photos and stories about your pet.
PetsEverlasting.com: Free text memorials; may be a fee for photo memorials.
Washington State University Pet Memorial Program: By donating to the WSU pet memorial program, you can post a tribute or you can obtain access for a friend or loved one to post a tribute to their pet.

DISCUSSION & SUPPORT GROUPS:

Animal Love and Loss Network: An organization of pet loss counselors and professionals; offers links to support groups, plus a chat room.
Association for Pet Loss and Bereavement Chat Room: Chat rooms for pet loss and anticipatory pet loss; click the "Chatrooms" button on the left to find the current schedule.
Chance's Spot Online Support Group: Meets online every Thursday from 9 to 10 P.M. Eastern time.
PetsEverlasting.com: Pet loss discussion forums.
Pet Hospice Care: A discussion group focusing on pet hospice care and bereavement.
The Pet Loss Grief Support Website & Candle Ceremony
Sophie's Sweeties: An online forum on pet loss - registration is required.

PET LOSS CONDOLENCE CARDS:

1-2-3 Greetings: Electronic Pet Loss Condolence Cards: Free electronic pet loss condolence cards.
In Memory of Pets: You can order printed sympathy cards from this site.

TRANSLATIONS:

Here are links to some of our articles that have been translated into other languages:

Les animaux de compagnie vont-ils au ciel?: Do Pets Go to Heaven?
Soutien lors de la perte de nos petit compagnons: French pet loss site; includes French translation of "Ten Tips on the Loss of Your Pet."
Coping with Sorrow on the Loss of Your Pet is also available in Japanese.
NOTE: If you would like to post a translation of materials on this site, please contact Moira Allen.

Please note that our hotlines section has moved to http://www.pet-loss.net/hotlines.shtml.

Would you like to link to us?
We welcome links to the Pet Loss Support Page; there's no need to ask permission. We cannot guarantee a reciprocal link, as we only link to sites that offer a significant amount of information or resources on the subject of pet loss. If you'd like to add our link, you are welcome to use the button at left to accompany the link.

When a pet dies, you want help... fast!
You'll find it in Moira Allen's Coping with Sorrow on the Loss of Your Pet. In a book filled with comfort, compassion and support, you'll find the tools and tips you need to:

Understand the feelings you're going through -- and find ways to ease the pain
"Say good-bye" with memorials, tributes and other coping strategies
Help your children and other family members deal with their grief
Deal with people who "just don't understand"
Help surviving pets cope with the loss of a missing companion
Come to terms with the guilt we so often feel when a pet dies
Handle the agonizing decision of euthanasia
Choose the best and most comforting "final resting place" for your pet
Determine when and how to bring a new companion into your home (how soon is too soon?)
Improve your chances of recovering a lost or stolen pet
Help a friend cope with loss

Coping with Sorrow on the Loss of Your Pet celebrates more than 20 years in print with a newly updated, expanded Third Edition - available from Amazon.com!
To order, please visit Amazon.com - or go to the "New and Used" section and select seller "Moirakallen" to order directly from the author at a discount. Also available for Kindle!
Quantity discounts are also available; please visit our Quantity Orders page for details.

Copyright © 2013 by Moira Anderson Allen
All rights reserved. For information about our Pet Loss Handouts, or about reprinting material on this site, please visit our Handouts, Rights and Permissions Page.