Please feel free to click on and read the following articles, written for Abbey Glen by:

The National Grief Recovery Institute

"Important Message to Animal Healthcare Professionals"

"Important Message to Pet Owners"

Animals in Our Hearts
Publications and information to comfort and support in your time of grief.

Association for Pet Loss and Bereavement
A not-for-profit association of professional counselors and pet-lovers helping people cope with the loss of their pets.

Coping with the Loss of a Pet
An article covering grieving, the five stages of mourning, how to explain pet loss to a child, and reasons for euthanasia.

Cornell University Pet Loss Support Hotline
In addition to information about the hotline itself, this site lists other hotlines and offers several useful articles on loss, grieving, euthanasia and more.

Dogheaven
A memorial/tribute site. This site charges a fee for posting memorials (portions go to charity), but also offers a number of useful (free) resources .

Grief Healing
An excellent resource from pet loss counselor Marty Tousley. It contains an extensive collection of articles and columns on grief, plus other resources. The one downside is that it is graphics-intensive and can take a long time to load (but it's worth the wait).

Having to Say Goodbye
A (long) page of pet loss tips and resources from a golden retriever site. A key resource is a state-by-state guide to pet loss resources and support groups; click on the map to find resources in your state. In addition to links, poetry and basic tips, this page offers an extensive list of books for adults and children. Also graphics-heavy and slow to load.

Healing and Inspirational Poetry
Links to dozens of poems on pet loss and related topics.

Lightning Strike Pet-Loss Support Page
One of the oldest pet loss sites on the web, with an eclectic selection of resources and links.

The Pet Loss Grief Support Website & Candle Ceremony
Offers information on "The Rainbow Bridge" in several different languages, plus a Monday evening worldwide candle ceremony for pets. Also offers a chat room, translations of the ceremony, poetry, articles, books, links to online support groups, links to telephone support, an article on grief writing and links to other resources.

Pet Loss Phone Support
Links to university and veterinary hospital hotlines and a variety of counselors and organizations that offer telephone support to pet owners.

Scripture and Animals
Do pets go to heaven? Some comforting Bible verses.

Time to Let Go
Good article on euthanasia and on how to determine when the time is right.

Ten Tips on Coping with Pet Loss (PDF) by Moira Anderson Allen, M.Ed.

How Soon Should You Get a New Pet? (PDF) by Moira Anderson Allen, M.Ed.

To read or print these PDF documents, you will need a copy of Adobe Acrobat Reader; if you do not have the Reader, you can download a free copy here.

Grief and Pet Loss by Margaret Muns, DVM

Books

When Children Grieve by John W. James, Russell Friedman, Dr Leslie Matthews
When Your Pet Dies: A Guide to Mourning, Remembering and Healing by Alan D. Wolfelt, PH. D. Wolfelt
Cold Noses At The Pearly Gates: A Book of Hope for Those Who Have Lost Pets by Gary Kurz
Grieving the Death of a Pet by Betty J. Carmack
Berenstain Bears Lose a Friend by Stan Berenstain, Jan Berenstain (children's book)
Goodbye, My Friend: Celebrating the Memory of a Pet by Devon O'Day, Kim McLean
The Forever Dog by Bill Cochran, Dan Andreasen (Illustrator), Dan Andreasen (Illustrator) (children's book)
Marley & Me: Life and Love with the World's Worst Dog by John Grogan
The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein

Links and Other Resources

The Association for Pet Loss & Bereavement
Extensive resources and articles written by trained bereavement counseling volunteers.

The Argus Institute, Colorado State University
A reading list and links to resources for families and veterinarians.

College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois
Helpline and specific information on grieving, euthanasia, children and pet loss, as well as meaningful ways to memorialize your beloved animal friend. See also their page on Family Grief.

Chance's Spot, Pet Loss and Support Resources
Chance's Spot is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting individuals who have suffered the loss of a dearly loved pet.

Pet Loss Support Hotline, Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine