Waxhaw, NC – Grieving the loss of a fur baby can feel just as bad if not worse than the loss of a human friend or family member. However, many people feel that they cannot show how affected they are by losing their pet. There is a feeling that they need to just move on or hide their sadness which can lead to depression and many emotional, mental, and physical issues. When researching resources to help those who had lost a pet, we were surprised at how little help could be found. Because of this, we felt compelled to start something in our community to assist those who were struggling with pet loss and grief. We partnered with a counseling professional, Jeff Brockman, along with Faithful Companion to start an in-person pet grief group that then morphed into a virtual group once COVID-19 began. Jeff summarizes the goals and mission of the group perfectly, “We saw a need for this group. At the same time, people feel guilt or shame about grieving their pets. We want to normalize the need for pet grief and help people through a surprisingly difficult time.”

In addition to the monthly virtual pet grief group meeting, there is also a Facebook page that is dedicated to the topic. Every week, information is shared on the page to help with the grief process. For more information on the monthly virtual meeting please follow @thepetgriefgroup on Facebook or visit jeffsartofempathy.com to connect directly to Jeff Brockman.