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3544 N. Romero Road, Suite 112, Tucson, Arizona 85705

(520) 367-5222

(520) 367-5222

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  • Veterinary Services
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Pet Hospice - Home Euthanasia - Aquamation

Pet Hospice - Home Euthanasia - AquamationPet Hospice - Home Euthanasia - Aquamation

Pet Loss & Grief Support

Owner with his dog at sunset.

"You were my favorite hello and my hardest goodbye."

We know losing your companion is difficult and we want to help you. We’ve been through it ourselves and we understand. At Kindred Spirits, we are available to talk to and advise you. We can be a comforting resource by answering your questions, helping you select keepsakes or just listening to a story. Whatever you need, we will help you through this difficult time.

How to Cope With Losing A Pet

In this video, a Tufts University veterinary social worker offers ways to process grief and build a new normal after a pet passes away.

Acknowledging the Potential of Holiday Blues: Practical Tip

This video with Dr. Alan Wolfelt provides some practical counsel to assist you in maintaining mental health wellness during the holidays. While the holidays can result in joy, they can also result in conflicts within your family, illustrate differences between generations, and sometimes between spouses and significant others. Dr. Wolfelt will provide you with some practical tips to not only survive any potential holidays blues, but also outline some ways you can potentially thrive. 

Self Care During The Grieving Process

Grief can affect every aspect of your being. Therefore, your emotional, physical, cognitive, social, and spiritual needs must be nurtured in order to work through grief and to heal.


The following are some suggestions on how you might begin the process of self-care. You may find that improving in one aspect makes you feel better in others, or that certain behaviors help in more than one area. This is because they cannot really be separated; each is somewhat dependent on the others and all are crucial in healing and maintaining your general good health.


Emotional – Emotional care involves expressing and acknowledging your pain.

  • Talk with someone who understands the relationship you had with your pet and how much you are hurting
  • Join a Pet Loss Support Group
  • Write down your feelings in a journal or in a letter to your loved-one
  • Create a scrapbook or photograph album of your pet
  • Use your artistic abilities such as drawing, painting, or sculpting to express your feelings


Physical – Physical care is done to keep your body healthy. Grief can deplete your energy and make you extremely susceptible to illness and disease.

  • Eat healthy foods
  • Exercise
  • Avoid using alcohol or drugs as a means of “feeling better”
  • Try to get enough sleep


Cognitive – Cognitive functioning can be extremely impaired by grief. Try stimulating yourself intellectually to improve your memory, concentration, and other cognitive abilities.

  • Read books and other information that will help you to understand what you are going through (see our suggested reading list)
  • Talk with others who have been through a similar experience and learn what was helpful for them
  • Social contacts and establishing a support network are extremely important to help us not feel so alone. 
  • Find a healthy balance between the time you need alone and being with others
  • Join a pet-loss support group
  • Although not everyone will understand your grief, having a couple of close friends or family members who are supportive will help tremendously


Spiritual – Spiritual care involves doing things that you enjoy, that connect you with nature, and being kind to yourself.  Some people refer to this as working in your “heart zone.” Spiritual care can, but does not have to, include your religious beliefs or your philosophy on life.

  • Take a long walk
  • Take a long bath or shower
  • Light a candle in memory of your pet
  • Get a massage, facial, pedicure, or anything that makes you feel good about yourself
  • Think about your philosophy of an afterlife for animals and talk with others who believe similarly to you
  • Call a friend you haven’t spoken with for a long time
  • Do something kind for someone else
  • Meditate
  • Do something kind for other animals or for an animal cause

Take Care of yourself Download

A helpful handout with suggestions for self care during the grieving process

How to take care of yourself (pdf)Download

Pet Grief Support Group

Dr. Barrett works with Rev. Murray Flagg, PhD to coordinate a pet grief support group.  Rev. Flagg is the Director of Spiritual & Educational Services at Harmony Hospice in Tucson and leads group discussions about pet loss.  The meetings are currently virtual through Zoom due to Covid-19.  Contact Dr. Flagg at mflagg@harmonyhospice.org or call (520) 284-9334 for more information.    

Other Grief Support Resources

Hospice of the Valley

Argus Institute: Colorado State University

CVMA Pet Loss Helpline

602-530-6970

Virtual Pet Loss Support Groups

First Saturday of the month


CVMA Pet Loss Helpline

Argus Institute: Colorado State University

CVMA Pet Loss Helpline

630-325-1600

Leave a message - Volunteers will return your calls during the week


Argus Institute: Colorado State University

Argus Institute: Colorado State University

Argus Institute: Colorado State University

Online Grief Resources.

www.argusinstitute.colostate.edu

Tufts University Vet Med

Cornell University Pet Loss Support

Argus Institute: Colorado State University

Pet Loss Support Hotline

(508) 839-7966

Mon-Fri 6pm-9pm EST

Voice mail 24 hr/day - During school

Cornell University Pet Loss Support

Cornell University Pet Loss Support

Cornell University Pet Loss Support

607-218-7457

During school

Lap of Love

Cornell University Pet Loss Support

Cornell University Pet Loss Support

 Pet Loss Support | Lap of Love 

Arms of Love - Understanding the Pet Loss Journey Course $

Individual Pet Loss Support Sessions $

Pet Loss Support Groups Free

Association for Pet loss & Bereavement

Association for Pet loss & Bereavement

Association for Pet loss & Bereavement

www.aplb.org


Chat Rooms, Video support groups, Pet Loss support topics, Recommended readings, Helpful links, Pet Memorials

Pathways Counseling Services

Association for Pet loss & Bereavement

Association for Pet loss & Bereavement

 Grief Counseling in Tucson

(520) 292-9750

www.pathwaystucson.com 


Other Services

Association for Pet loss & Bereavement

Other Services

24/7 nationwide service to help you find resources you need in crisis & emergency.

Dial 2-1-1.


National Suicide Prevention Lifeline

(800) 273-8255

Pet Loss & Grief Books

The Loss of a Pet

When Your Pet Dies

When Your Pet Dies

by Wallace Sife, PhD

When Your Pet Dies

When Your Pet Dies

When Your Pet Dies

by Alan D. Wolfelt, PhD

Goodbye Friend

When Your Pet Dies

Cold Nose at the Pearly Gates

by Gary Kowalski

Cold Nose at the Pearly Gates

Healing a Child's Pet Loss Grief

Cold Nose at the Pearly Gates

by Gary Kurz

Wagging Tails in Heaven

Healing a Child's Pet Loss Grief

Healing a Child's Pet Loss Grief

by Gary Kurz

Healing a Child's Pet Loss Grief

Healing a Child's Pet Loss Grief

Healing a Child's Pet Loss Grief

by Wendy Van de Poll, MS, CEOL

Pet Loss article download from Dr. Alan Wolfelt

A short article regarding the Six Needs of Mourning, excerpted from Dr. Alan Wolfelt's book:  When Your Pet Dies

The Six Needs of Mourning (pdf)Download

Children's books

The Heaven of Animals

Saying Goodbye to Lulu

The Heaven of Animals

by Nancy Tillman

The Rainbow Bridge

Saying Goodbye to Lulu

The Heaven of Animals

by Adrian Raeside

Saying Goodbye to Lulu

Saying Goodbye to Lulu

Saying Goodbye to Lulu

by Corinne Demas

When a Pet Dies

I'll Always Love You

Saying Goodbye to Lulu

by Fred Rogers

I'll Always Love You

I'll Always Love You

I'll Always Love You

by Hans Wilhelm

When Your Pet Dies

I'll Always Love You

I'll Always Love You

by Victoria Ryan

Children and Pet Loss Download

Saying goodbye to your pet is even more difficult when children are involved.  Click on the article below for some guidelines to help a child understand and grieve the loss of a pet.

How to help a grieving child (pdf)Download

In Loving Memory


    Tess's Tributes

    Tess's Tributes is a Facebook Group that allows members to post memorials for pets that have crossed to the Rainbow Bridge.  Kindred Spirits Pet Services want to hear your pet stories and allow a forum to remember our loved ones.  Tess's Tributes also contains posts about grief and memorializing your pet.  Click on Tess's picture to link to the Facebook page.  Join our group and share your cherished pet memories with us.

    What can I do with my pet's belongings after they pass?

    Cody's friends logo.

    Cody's Friends accepts new and used pet supplies (bowls, toys, beds, crates, blankets, etc) and pet food.  Cody's Friends supplies over 100 human and animal service groups in Southern Arizona.  You can drop off donations at over 35 local businesses across Tucson.  


    Click on the Cody's Friends logo for more information.

    The Southern Arizona Animal Food Bank collects and distributes free pet food and pet supplies to low income, unemployed, elderly and otherwise disadvantaged residents of Southern Arizona.  They have a store and distribution center at 6212 E. Speedway Blvd.


    Click on the Southern Arizona Animal Food Bank logo for more information.

    Do Pets Grieve?

    It is hard to know whether grief as we understand it is something that our companion animals feel when they lose a fellow four-legged friend. Since we cannot simply ask them how they are feeling, we can observe them for signs of grief. Several studies show that dogs grieve for their close canine companions.

    Your pet simply knows that their friend is no longer present and may exhibit one or more symptoms of grief including:

    • Withdrawal from people and other pets; acting withdrawn or despondent
    • A lack of appetite or change in appetite
    • Lethargic behavior and sleeping more than usual
    • Unusually aggressive or destructive behaviors
    • Calling out or vocalizing in an unusual way for the pet who died
    • Searching for the pet within the home and other places frequented by the other pet; includes pacing
    • Becoming very clingy to the owner and following the owner around


    Things to Remember

    • Some animals will show no signs of grief after the death of another pet in the house.
    • Even for pets, grief is an individual process that will affect each one in a different way


    What can I do to help my grieving pet? 

    ♥ Stay positive: As hard as it is for you to cope with your own loss, talk to your remaining pets in a calm and upbeat voice as often as possible.

    ♥ Engage in new activities: Giving your pets something new to learn or focus on may help distract them from the loss and the uncertainty surrounding it. Dogs, especially, benefit from learning something new that will give them confidence in their pack position.

    ♥ Do more of what your pets already love to do. Getting to do something fun and enjoyable with you can go a long way toward helping your pet cope – and will help you feel better, too.


    Helpful hint: While it is tempting to comfort your pets when they are showing signs of hurting, it’s important that you don’t try to soothe them while they are engaging in unwanted behaviors you don’t want to encourage. 


    How long does grief last in pets?

    Like humans, the grieving process differs for each individual pet experiencing it, lasting weeks to months. Many things can affect the grieving process; including but not limited to the age and health of the pet, the relationship with the other pet, and the grieving process of the humans in the household. Your pet’s reaction to the loss should improve as the days/weeks go by. If this does not happen then you should contact your regular Veterinarian.

      

    When should I notify my veterinarian?

    If you notice that your pet is not returning to their “normal self”, especially if there are severe or persistent symptoms, it may be time to call your regular veterinarian for a check-up.

    • Persistent lack of appetite
    • Vomiting
    • Diarrhea
    • Lethargy
    • Separation anxiety or depression
    • Behavior issues


    Should I get another animal as a companion for my pet?

    This is the one of those questions for which you are the best person to answer. You know your pets better than anyone else and are most likely the one who knows best if another pet will make your current pet or pets feel better.


    Some things you might consider when making this decision are:

    • Is your pet very social?
    • Is your pet used to having other animals around?
    • Would another pet help your current pet to get more activity and exercise?
    • If your current pet is now an only pet, how much time will it be spending alone if there is not another animal in the house?
    • Are you and other family members ready to commit to and reinvest in another pet?

    Grieving pet Download

    A handout about how to support your pet that also lost a loved one

    How to support a grieving pet (pdf)Download

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    • Home
    • Quality of Life Exam
    • Pet Hospice
    • Home Euthanasia
    • Aquamation
    • Pricing
    • Pet Loss
    • Resources
    • About Us
    • Partnering