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NEW: Virtual Pet Loss Support Groups
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Virtual Pet Loss Support Groups

These listings are provided for information only; they are not recommendations or endorsements.
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Due to the COVID pandemic, many pet loss support groups have switched to virtual meetings via Zoom, Google, etc. This has made it possible for many groups to open their meetings to grieving pet owners anywhere in the world. Below, we list a number of support groups in the US that now offer their virtual meetings to anyone, anywhere.

While this list is organized by state for convenience, again, keep in mind that you do not need to be a resident of that state to attend. However, do keep in mind that different states involve different time zones; be sure to check not only the time but the zone of the meeting you wish to attend.


AZ: Hospice of the Valley's Pet Loss Support Group meets on the first Saturday of every month from 9-11 a.m. Groups are virtual and open to anyone, anywhere, grieving the loss of a beloved companion animal. Please call 602-636-5390 for information and to obtain the link. info@hov.org, https://hov.org/our-care/grief-support/grief-support-groups/

CA: The Berkeley Humane Pet Loss Support Group now meets VIRTUALLY on the SECOND WEDNESDAY of each month, 7-8:30 pm. Send an email to Jill Goodfriend expressing an interest in attending the group. Jill will acknowledge your message and send you the Zoom link by 5 pm on the day of the meeting. Confidentiality requested for all shares. There is no fee; however, donations to the Berkeley Humane are most appreciated (2700 Ninth St, Berkeley, CA 94710). For questions, or to set up a complimentary consultation, contact Jill Goodfriend, RN, LCSW, at Jill.goodfriend@gmail.com. or (510) 393-1359. hhttps://berkeleyhumane.org/community-resources/, http://jillgoodfriend.com/Jill_Goodfriend/Home.html.

CA: Cindy Buck, Hayward, CA 94541, (650) 302-6012, https://www.facebook.com/BelieveAnimalReiki. We meet virtually on the 2nd Tuesday of the month from 7 - 8pm PT. Please email cindydbuck@sbcglobal.net for the call-in information.

CA: Peninsula Humane Society Pet Loss Support Group, 1450 Rollins Road, Burlingame CA. Led by a professional counselor, our group meets virtually the second Thursday of each month, from 8-9:30 pm. Free. For more information, please contact Brian Probst at 650/340-7022, ext. 328, bprobst@phs-spca.org, https://phs-spca.org/grief/.

CO: Animal Assisted Therapy Programs of Colorado (AATPC) - Virtual Pet Loss Support Group, Fridays 12-1 MST. Free and virtual via Zoom. Open enrollment, join any time! Registration required on AATPC's website. Open to anyone looking for support around the loss of an animal companion OR the anticipation of loss of an animal companion. All animal types welcome. Open to anyone in the world! Facilitated by Erin Peterson, licensed professional therapist. https://www.animalassistedtherapyprograms.org/animal-assisted-therapy-programs/therapy-groups/54-therapy-programs/380-virtual-pet-loss-support-group.

CO: "When You Lose a Pet" Pet Loss Support Group, The Human-Animal Bond Trust, 191 Yuma Street, Denver, CO 80223, (303) 539-7646, info@humananimalbondtrust.org, http://www.humananimalbondtrust.org/pet-loss-support-group.html. Meets via Zoom every Thursday from 6:30-8 p.m. MST.

CT: Crystal Soucy, Certified Pet Loss Grief & Life Coach, (860) 268-2134, crystal@getcrystalclear.com, http://www.getcrystalclear.com. Free weekly Zoom support group; check website for dates and times and to register.

FL: Marty Tousley, RN, MS, FT, Grief Healing, Sarasota, FL, https://www.griefhealingblog.com/p/as-both-bereaved-parent-and-bereaved.html, https://www.griefhealingdiscussiongroups.com/forum/11-loss-of-a-pet/. Online support/discussion group available 24/7.

IL: Virtual Meeting sponsored by Gateway. We meet at 6:30 pm the third Monday of each month; free of charge to attendees. Facilitator: Joy Davy, MS, LCPC. For information, email joydavy723@gmail.com.

IL: Rev. Russell Elleven, DMin. This FREE pet loss support group meets the first Wednesday of every month at 8:00 pm (Eastern) via Zoom. Please visit the website and contact Russell for Zoom Link and Passcode.Rev. Russell Elleven, DMin is an ordained Unitarian Universalist minister who celebrates all faith traditions and those with no faith tradition at all. Everyone who is suffering from the loss of an animal companion is welcomed and offered nonjudgmental support through the FREE group or one-on-one (fee based) meetings. You need not suffer this loss alone. http://www.AnimalChaplain.net.

MA: Darin Humane Society, 171 Union Street, Springfield, MA, (413) 781-4000, Kenddv@gmail.com. This group, led by Ken Dolan-DelVecchio, LMFT, LCSW is sponsored by Dakin Humane Society. It is held once a month. It is a Zoom group open to anyone in the country or world and starts at 6PM EST running for one and one-half hours. The days can change so please go to https://www.dakinhumane.org/petloss.html to RSVP.

MA: Friends of Willow, Kimberly Charbonneau, Uxbridge, MA, (401) 585-0309. All groups will be on Zoom until future notice. Sunday mornings at 10:00am. Contact kimberly.charbonneau19@gmail.com for a reservation and to receive the link. Drop ins are welcomed, however; reservations are suggested. The fee is $20 per person for a 45-minute session.

MA: Humane Hearts, West Newbury, MA 01985, 978.572.0698, marla@humanehearts.com, http://humanehearts.com. Individual, Family, and Group Support available for those who have experienced the loss of a pet or those who are anticipating a loss. See website for details as to where and when we meet. Sessions led by life-long animal advocate and humane educator Marla Andrews, M.Ed., Humane Education and Animal Welfare, Certified Grief Support Specialist, and Pet Chaplain.

MA: Veterinary Chaplaincy Services, Ashland: Support group offered every other week on Tuesdays at 7pm. Group is offered online - open to all without fee. Please send an email to Kelly Drescher Johnson for the link. The only requirement is to be fully present with minimal distractions. petchaplainkelly@gmail.com, http://www.veterinarychaplaincy.com

MI: Micky Golden Moore, Ph.D., MSHP, Beyond The Paw Print Pet Loss Support Group. Meets the 2nd Monday of every month. For more information about these VIRTUAL meetings and how to join, please email info@beyondthepawprint.com, or leave a message at 248.701.2345. Visit the Beyond the Paw Print website to learn more about Dr. Golden Moore, the meetings, the BTPP Facebook group, and much more, at https://beyondthepawprint.com/.

NJ: Sandra Grossman, Ph.D., PetLoss Partners. The loss of a beloved pet is so very difficult. It's important to know you don't have to go through this alone. Get the support you deserve surrounded by those who understand and are on the path towards recovery. Virtual groups are held twice a week, are available to anyone anywhere, and are RSVP only. The fee for virtual groups is $15. Call or email to RSVP. We are here to support you. 818-421-1516, sandi@petlosspartners.org, https://petlosspartners.org/pet-loss-services/

OH: Jennifer Allen, Pet Chaplain, Grief and Bereavement Counselor. Hello! I offer a Facebook Page and Private Facebook Group to help deal with Pet Loss Grief. In addition, we have a Zoom meeting on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month from 7:00pm-8:30pm. You will need to call me first so that I can send you invitations to our group(s). (614) 980-2052, jennifer@justlikemybabies.com, https://www.facebook.com/ColumbusPetChaplain/

OH: GAP (Grief About Pets) now offers two FREE pet loss groups. One is sponsored by Eternal Paws in Norton, Ohio, and offered on-site there on the second Wednesday of every month at 6:30 p.m. The other is sponsored by Faithful Companion and offered on the fourth Wed. of every month online using Google Meet at 6:30 p.m. If we have over ten pet parents register, we can offer another at 4:30 p.m. Brenda Brown, MA, Ft, is the facilitator of all the groups. Register by emailing brenda@griefaboutpets.com or calling 330-415-8879. https://griefaboutpets.com.

OR: Debrah Lee, LCSW, DoveLewis Veterinary Emergency & Specialty Hospital, 1945 NW Petty Grove, Portland, OR 97209, (503) 228-7281, petloss@dovelewis.org. Virtual and in-person meetings are offered; see website for schedule and to register to attend. https://www.dovelewis.org/pet-owners/pet-loss-support.

RI: Liz Volpe, Reiki Master and certified spiritual life and grief coach. Monthly virtual (Zoom) group grief coaching. This is a blend of coaching and support. Each month, there is a different topic that pertains to grief with tools and knowledge that are easy to understand & implement into daily life. Pre-registration required. Sign up via website (http://www.innerwisdom444.com) or contact innerwisdom444@yahoo.com.

SC: M3 Counseling is partnering with Faithful Hearts to provide a free online Pet Grief & Loss Peer Support Group. Visit https://www.m3counseling.com for more information or register with Zoom. Free; meets the last Tuesday of the month at 7 p.m.

TX: PAWs Shelter of Central Texas, 2965 Farm to Market 165, Dripping Springs, TX 78620, jyl@pawsshelter.org, https://heartoftexaspetlossandgriefsupport.com/. Group meets virtually on the Second Sunday of each month via Zoom, and is free of charge. Go through the website to contact facilitator for details, readings and the Zoom link. Group is for people ready to work in the group format, and is not appropriate for those needing individual counseling.

VA: FetchACure.org - Meets via Zoom on the first Tuesday of the month from 5:30-6:30 pm. Meetings are led by Dr. Leslie Greenberg, an experienced psychologist and member of the Association for Pet Loss and Bereavement. Families are invited to attend our group sessions to help work through the pain of losing a pet. All family members, including children, are invited to attend this complementary Pet Loss Support Group. Please RSVP here or by emailing amanda@fetchacure.org, https://fetchacure.org/resource-library/pet-loss-support-group/

VA: Holli Shan, Compassionate Animal Communication, LLC, (703) 447-5374, holli@compassionspeaks.com, https://compassionspeaks.com. We are now offering a virtual online pet loss grief support group. This group will meet on the last Wednesday of each month from 6:00PM to 7:00 PM Eastern Time. This is a good opportunity for people who are grieving and are not quite ready for a private session or program. While there is no set fee to attend, this group is "pay what you will" (suggested amount is $15). Register at https://info.compassionspeaks.com/register.

WA: Pet Loss Support Group, Seattle Animal Shelter - 2061 15th Avenue West, Seattle WA, 98119, 206-386-PETS, http://www.seattle.gov/animal-shelter/resources/pet-loss-support-group. The loss of a pet can be very difficult. Our volunteers are here to help. The Pet Loss Support Group meets by phone/Webex every Thursday from 5:30-6:45 p.m. For the schedule and details on how to join the virtual meeting, please email saspetloss@gmail.com

WI: Linda Colletti, Pet Loss Resource Center. Offers two virtual support groups: The first Saturday of every month 9:30-11:00 CST and the third Thursday 6Pm-7:30pm CST. All are welcome. If any one has questions, contact me at PLRCMadison@gmail.com, https://www.petlossresourcecenter.org/.

CANADA - AB: Caroline Tarkowski, Strathmore, AB T1P 1S7, (403) 629-5191, instilledchangecounselling@gmail.com, http://www.instilledchangecounselling.com. We offer virtual individual and group counselling to anyone who has experienced pet loss.


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 over 30 years in print -
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