Pet Loss Support

Many loving pet parents feel alone when their beloved pet dies. Lap of Love is honored to walk with you in your grief journey and invites you to attend our free Pet Loss Support Group. The support group provides a safe, compassionate, and empathetic environment for those who want to listen, share, and celebrate the life of their treasured pet with others who are suffering a similar loss. Sessions are available several times throughout the week virtually via Zoom and are led by Lap of Love’s dedicated Pet Loss Support team. Anyone who has experienced the death of a pet is welcome to attend.

The groups will focus on healthy coping skills, grief reactions, and honoring the lives of your furry family member and will follow the Arms of Love Support Journal weekly reflection and discussion topics. If you are struggling with feeling alone in your grief journey, Lap of Love’s Pet Loss Support Groups are here to help you.

Our Pet Loss Support group meetings are held virtually and cover a new topic following the Arms of Love Journal weekly reflection and discussion topics. In addition to these sessions, we also offer virtual support groups tailored specifically for those experiencing anticipatory grief and one focused on helping children work through pet loss and grief. Please click the link below to see the upcoming schedule for these sessions.

This 6-week course is designed for pet parents who wish to have an additional level of knowledge and support surrounding the death of their pet. The curriculum is designed in an educational format, with each session developed around specific aspects surrounding the loss of a beloved pet. Understanding the Pet Loss Journey Course will be held via Zoom and occur weekly for 1 hour. Please see below for the course dates and times offered. The entire course curriculum was built specifically for Lap of Love by pet loss pioneer, Coleen Ellis, and is presented by one of our dedicated Pet Loss Support team members. Attendees to Understanding the Pet Loss Journey sessions will have an opportunity to learn more about their loss, with reflection activities recommended between each session to assist each individual in their grief journey.

Course Agenda:

Week 1: Why does this loss hurt so bad?
Week 2: What can I do to help myself through this loss? The six central needs of mourning.
Week 3: How can I help my children and pets?
Week 4: Why do I feel so guilty, sad, and angry?
Week 5: The year of “1sts” and other pivotal moments in the grief journey.
Week 6: Rituals for honoring the life shared with a beloved pet.

Cost: $149.00 for the 6-week course

*This program is non-refundable and is limited to 10 participants per six weeks to allow an intimate group setting with open dialogue at the end of each session.

Grieving the loss of a pet is a very personal experience and the journey to healing is different for everyone. Our individual support sessions are for pet parents who desire personalized support on how to heal following the death of their beloved pet. Individual call sessions are led by a Pet Loss Support team member who will offer a compassionate ear and a caring safe space for the sharing of feelings and emotions surrounding the death of a loved pet.

Cost: $50.00 for a 50-minute session

* Individual support calls will not take the place of a licensed mental health counselor. They will be run on a “companioning” model, which provides support to the caller, not counseling. Callers will be provided with additional counseling service referrals if requested.

The loss of an animal companion can lead to challenging emotional responses that warrant professional mental health support which is beyond the scope and training of the Lap of Love Pet Loss Resource Line staff. While we are here to provide compassionate grief support, we are unable to appropriately evaluate human mental health concerns and do not provide mental health counseling. The services of the Pet Loss Resource Line are not intended to directly support or provide a substitute for definitive mental health care, especially in a crisis. We may be able to help you find pet loss support resources in your area, but we cannot provide referrals to specific mental health services.

If you or someone you’re concerned about is depressed, unable to cope, or having thoughts of self-harm or harming others, IMMEDIATELY call 911 for local emergency service, or call:

Additional emergency and crisis services include: