ne of the most devastating events in a pet owner's life is the loss of a beloved pet.
If this has happened to you recently, or maybe even not so recently, you may feel a great need to write about your loss, or talk with a caring person who loves animals like you do.
We highly recommend the volunteer Pet Loss Hotline at Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine.
Veterinary students are trained in grief counseling by a licensed therapist and the students volunteer for this service.
Phone and/or email messages can be left 24 hours a day. Messages are returned collect using 1-800-CALL ATT as soon as possible during regular hours.
The link we've provided goes directly to their site.
"It's okay to love and miss your pet."
"...when our loved ones are with us their souls are intertwined with our souls, and when they die they are in our
memories and their love lies in our hearts, so they are always with us wherever we may be." Janice Evenden
Pet Loss Brochure
If you would like a brochure about the Pet Loss Hotline for yourself or to share with a friend please let us know.
We would be happy to send you one.
I was just thinking that someone else's loss always makes us remember our own. Sometimes our wounds are tender and fresh, and it feels like
there is no comfort or balm that can soothe what is almost unbearable.
Then we have times when we understand that in some sense we've learned to live with our losses, have established some coping skills, realize we can live, and we do, but we don't always know how...
Then there is the day when we can see light at the end of the tunnel -- we knew it was there, just couldn't see it before. We experience old things anew, feel the warmth of the sun, know that the rain and our lingering tears are cleansing us. We learn that there is something past this pain.
We come out on the other side of pain. In that place we realize we are not standing alone, but we are standing with all our friends, those who
have always been there for us, our family, our loyal companions, our faith. They were there, even when we were too sad to notice, but now we
do see them.
There is a day with joy, believe it. We, your friends, are wishing so much to comfort you, and we also look forward to the day when
we will celebrate new joys with you.
Pet Memorial Program
WSU Veterinary College also allows you to honor of your pet or the pet of a friend through their Pet Memorial Program.
Donations can be directed to where the need is greatest, to Veterinary Medical Education, or to sustain special programs such as the Pet Loss Hotline.
