Anyone who has experienced the death of an animal companion knows how life-altering these losses are. The relationships humans build with dogs, cats, rats, horses, birds, snakes, and more run incredibly deep and are sometimes even more profound than the bonds we have formed with fellow humans.
But unfortunately, it can feel like some folks we encounter don’t recognize animal companion death as much as human loss. Our jobs may not allow us to use bereavement time to mourn our pets, and friends and family sometimes don’t understand why our sadness can’t be fixed by “getting another one.”
That’s why grief spaces for our more-than-human companions, a phrase I borrow from my animal chaplain teachers, are essential: they allow us to connect with others who understand our bonds with animal friends and to process our own love and loss.
As an animal chaplain, death doula, and animal hospice and palliative care advocate, my life’s work is to honor animals who have allowed us to care for them, support people dedicated to enriching animals & lives, and uphold respect for the natural world. While I don’t want to put any restraints on this group and welcome everyone’s ideas on where we can take our meetings, I hope that our gatherings can:
- Provide attendees with support during difficult moments with animals.
- Create a place for people to openly share as they navigate grief.
- Allow us to honor everyone’s stories of joy, sadness, and everything in between.
I look forward to witnessing this group grow and am excited to discover how we will use this space to honor the animals we love and care for. If you are going through a challenging time and would like additional grief support, these resources may be useful.
Join us for our first Pet Grief Gathering on May 9 at 10:30-11:30am in the Café at the Fillmore in Lenexa, Kansas. Depending on the group’s preference that day, we can move into a more private space. Light snacks will be provided. As a note, you can attend and simply listen; there are no expectations for sharing.
About the Author
AJ Stutzer is the founder of Familiar Pet Care, offering compassionate care for animal companions at all stages of life, including end-of-life support and memorials. They bring over 20 years of experience in animal care and are a certified death doula, animal chaplain, and Animal Hospice & Palliative Care Advocate. AJ supports foster, hospice, stray, and companion animals through both in-person and remote care, and prefers to be called AJ. For more information, please see https://www.familiarpetcare.com
