Who we are, and why this pet loss guide exists
We're an independent guide that helps grieving pet owners find support. We aren't therapists or a crisis line. In the RSPCA's survey, 56.7%[1] of bereaved owners couldn't find the support they needed, and that's the gap we work on.
- Independent, plain-English guidance on pet loss support
- Research figures linked to their original sources
- Honest about what an email guide can and can't do
The short version
An independent guide to pet loss support
This site is part of a small network of guides about the end of a pet's life, from aftercare to memorials. This one focuses on what comes after: the grief. We write about how pet loss actually feels, what the research says about it, and where people can find help that takes it seriously.
We aren't a clinic, a charity helpline or a counseling practice. We don't employ therapists and we don't offer sessions. What we can do is explain the options clearly, point you to the kinds of support that exist, and, if you ask through the form, email you options that suit your situation and area.
Clear boundaries
What we can help with, and what we can't
- We can explain how support groups, helplines and pet loss counseling work, and what to ask before you start.
- We can email you options for groups, counselors and resources that fit your location and what you're facing.
- We can help with practical things, like wording a request for time off work or planning a small goodbye ritual.
- We can't provide therapy, diagnose grief disorders or tell you whether you need treatment.
- We can't respond quickly in an emergency. Email isn't built for that.
Step by step
How a support request works from start to finish
- You fill in the short form. Choose what you need most, like someone to talk to, help for your children or ideas to remember your pet, and tell us roughly where you live.
- We look at what exists near you. That can include free groups, charity helplines, online communities and counselors who say they work with pet loss.
- We reply by email. You'll get a short list of options with notes on what each involves, so you can choose without being pushed.
- You decide what to do next. Nobody will call you, and you don't have to reply. It costs nothing to ask.
If you'd rather not share anything yet, that's fine. The support near you pages and our pet loss support resources let you look on your own. The private grief check-in is another quiet place to start, and it doesn't send us anything.
Free tool
Pet loss grief check-in
A private, two-minute check-in on how you're coping, with ideas that match where you are.
Where our facts come from
How we research grief figures before we quote them
Pet grief used to be written about mostly through anecdotes. That's changing fast, and we lean on the newer evidence: peer-reviewed studies such as a 2026 PLOS ONE paper on prolonged grief, large surveys by animal welfare charities like the RSPCA's pet bereavement survey, and workplace research. Every figure on the site links to its source in the footnotes, and our research page lists what we use and how recent it is.
7.5%[2]
7.5% of UK adults whose bereavement was the death of a pet met criteria for prolonged grief disorder (PGD).
75.4%[3]
75.4% of RSPCA pet-loss survey respondents experienced anticipatory grief before their pet died.
99.3%[4]
In the RSPCA's pet-loss survey (over 4,000 respondents), 99.3% saw their pet as family, a friend or a companion.
We're careful about where a figure comes from. A UK charity survey tells us a lot about UK owners, but we won't present it as a fact about Americans. When a study is small, we say so. When research only shows a link, we won't dress it up as a cause.
Transparency
What “our estimate” means when you see it
Sometimes the most useful number doesn't exist yet, so we calculate one from published figures and label it clearly as our estimate. For example, nobody has counted how many Americans develop prolonged grief after a pet dies. Our calculation multiplies a published count of US pet cremations each year by the prolonged grief rate measured after pet loss in the UK. By our estimate, that gives a rough sense of scale.
~112,500 people/yr[5]
Estimates always show their inputs in the footnotes, along with how confident we are. Treat them as a sense of scale, never as a diagnosis or a forecast about you.
How we write
Our editorial standards for writing about grief
Grief content can do harm when it's careless, so we hold ourselves to a few firm rules. We don't publish invented stories, testimonials or reviews. We don't claim any support service is the right one for everyone. We don't tell you grief should follow fixed stages or finish by a certain date; our pet grief timeline explains why.
We write in plain language, name the hard things directly, and include crisis numbers on pages where people may be at their lowest. Our reader polls are anonymous and clearly labeled as informal; see how the poll results are counted. If something here is wrong or out of date, please tell us through the contact page and we'll fix it.
Good grief support meets people where they are and never rushes them somewhere else.
Reader polls
What would you choose?
Vote anonymously and see how other readers answered. The results are live counts from people who visit this site, so they show real opinions, not a scientific sample.
Which kind of support have you tried since your loss?
Tap an answer to vote and see how others answered. Anonymous.
What helped you most in the first weeks?
Tap an answer to vote and see how others answered. Anonymous.
Questions people ask
Are you licensed counselors or therapists?
No. We're writers and researchers running an independent guide. We explain how pet loss support works and help you find it, but we don't give therapy or clinical advice. If you want professional help, we can point you toward licensed counselors and charity services that work with pet bereavement, and you choose whether to contact them.
Do you charge for sending me support options?
No. Asking us for options is free, and you're under no obligation to use anything we suggest. Some of the services we mention are free, like many groups and helplines, while counselors set their own fees. We'll always tell you what we know about costs so there are no surprises when you get in touch with them.
How do you decide which support services to mention?
We look for services that are clear about who runs them, what they offer and what they cost, and that treat pet loss as real grief. We avoid anything that pressures you to buy products as part of support. We can't personally vet every counselor, so we suggest questions to ask before your first session.
Is the information on this site medical advice?
No. It's general information about grief and the support available, written to help you make informed choices. It can't replace a conversation with a doctor or mental health professional who knows you. If your grief is affecting your sleep, eating, work or safety for a long stretch, please talk to a professional.
Sources and our estimates
- [1] 56.7% of bereaved pet owners in the RSPCA survey could not find the support they needed. RSPCA — Pet Loss Survey Results, 2026.
- [2] 7.5% of UK adults whose bereavement was the death of a pet met criteria for prolonged grief disorder (PGD). Hyland et al., 'No pets allowed: Evidence that prolonged grief disorder can occur following the death of a pet', PLOS ONE (2026), 2026.
- [3] 75.4% of RSPCA pet-loss survey respondents experienced anticipatory grief before their pet died. RSPCA — Pet Loss Survey Results, 2026.
- [4] In the RSPCA's pet-loss survey (over 4,000 respondents), 99.3% saw their pet as family, a friend or a companion. RSPCA — Pet Loss Survey Results, 2026.
- [5] Each year about 110,000 U.S. pet owners may go on to meet prolonged grief disorder criteria after a pet dies. Our estimate: 1.5M pet cremations (proxy for pet deaths with an engaged owner) x 7.5% PGD rate. How we calculate.
Ask us where to find support
Tell us what you need and where you are. We'll reply by email with clear options and prices so you can decide in your own time.