Pet Loss Support in the United States
In a large UK survey, 56.7%[1] of bereaved owners couldn't find the support they needed. This page is about closing that gap in the United States, with free and paid options explained.
- Rituals for the first weeks and the first year
- Groups that meet in person or by video
- Plain answers about guilt after euthanasia
the United States
Pet Loss Support in the United States: what to know
If you're grieving a pet anywhere in the United States, you're far from alone, even if it feels that way. Below you'll find the national picture: how local customs shape remembrance, what support costs, rules for burial and scattering, and a step-by-step guide for the first weeks. City pages go deeper.
Many people in the United States feel they should be over a pet's death sooner than they are. There's no national timetable for grief, and no local one either. What we can offer is a clear map: where support exists, what's free, how to request leave from work and ideas for remembering them. Start with the section that answers today's question and come back for the rest.
We cover 2458 communities in the United States, from New York City, Los Angeles and Chicago to smaller towns. Conditions vary a lot across the United States: summer highs reach about 107°F in Phoenix, while winter lows average -11°F in Fairbanks. In 51% of the the United States communities we cover, average lows drop below freezing for three months or more, which matters for home burial.
Our estimate
63,790,000
Estimated pet-owning households across the communities we cover in the United States
How we calculated this
The sum of our per-city estimates for the 2458 communities in the United States on this site: each city's population ÷ national average household size × the national share of households with a pet. Households with several pets count once.
Browse United States by region
Pick your state or region to see every community we cover there, or jump straight to one of the largest cities.
- New York CityNew York
- Los AngelesCalifornia
- ChicagoIllinois
- HoustonTexas
- PhoenixArizona
- PhiladelphiaPennsylvania
- San AntonioTexas
- San DiegoCalifornia
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Loss and remembrance in the United States
With cremation at about 55.7%[2] in the United States, local customs sit somewhere between formal and relaxed. That middle ground can make it hard to know how much to say about a pet's death at work or among neighbors. A useful rule: share what you'd share about any close loss. A short message, a day or two of quiet and one gathering if you want it is not too much.
The cremation figure for the United States comes from NFDA 2024 Cremation & Burial Report state projections (via Occasional Sage) (2024). It counts people, not pets, so treat it as a guide to local attitudes rather than a pet statistic.
Paying for grief support in the United States
By our estimate, roughly 850,000 bereaved US pet households a year[3] may not find the grief support they need. Cost is rarely the real barrier, since most support is free; knowing where to look is. That's the gap this page tries to close for the United States. The table below separates free help from paid help and shows the aftercare bills that often land in the same week.
Money worries and grief often arrive together. In a US survey, 61%[4] of owners said the cost of aftercare was a concern. Support itself doesn't have to add to the bill: many groups ask only for an optional donation, and phone and online support is mostly free. If you'd like a counselor, compare two or three and ask about sliding-scale fees.
| What | Typical cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Pet loss support group | Free or small donation | Ask your vet or humane society |
| Pet loss helpline | Usually free | Check opening hours first |
| Grief counseling | Per-session fee, varies | Ask about insurance or a sliding scale |
| In-clinic euthanasia (dog) | $139[5] | National average |
| At-home euthanasia (dog) | $410[6] | National average |
| Private dog cremation | $260[7] | National average |
| Source | Support rows: our support options guide | Aftercare: CareCredit 2025 averages (footnoted) |
Free tool
Memorial budget planner
Add up cremation, urn, keepsakes and a farewell so the total holds no surprises.
What the United States allows for burial and scattering
Grief doesn't come with paperwork, but a few decisions do. If your pet is buried at home, the land and any nearby water can matter; if you scatter ashes, the landowner's permission matters most. Here's what we know for the United States. For anything we don't cover, a short call to your local council or city office settles it.
Getting through the first month
- Tell children plainly that your pet died and can't come back. Avoid 'went to sleep', which can make bedtime frightening.
- Give everyone a job in the goodbye. One child draws a card, another picks the photo, someone else chooses the garden spot.
- Keep daily routines steady, for the kids and any animals still at home. Knowing what comes next reassures both.
- Let the school know if a child is upset, so teachers can respond kindly rather than be caught off guard.
- Watch your other animals. A surviving pet may wander the rooms or go off food for a bit. More attention and the usual routine tend to settle them.
- Plan a small family ritual about four weeks out. It gives everyone a date to look toward instead of only a loss to get past.
Places and ways to remember them
Donating to a shelter or rescue in the United States in your pet's name is one of the most common ways to remember them, and it helps an animal who's still waiting for a home. Some families volunteer there on the anniversary instead. It can feel strange at first to be around other animals, so go when you're ready, not before.
The services page compares what each option includes, the planning tools turn your animal's details into figures, and the poll results show what other families chose. All locations lists every region we cover.
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.
How did your workplace respond when your pet died?
Tap an answer to vote and see how others answered. Anonymous.
How do you mark the day your pet died?
Tap an answer to vote and see how others answered. Anonymous.
If you had to decide today, which aftercare would you choose for your pet?
Tap an answer to vote and see how others answered. Anonymous.
Free tools to help you plan
Memorial budget planner
Add up cremation, urn, keepsakes and a farewell so the total holds no surprises.
Pet loss grief check-in
A private, two-minute check-in on how you're coping, with ideas that match where you are.
Farewell & memorial service planner
Build a simple goodbye: who, where, readings, rituals and a checklist.
Questions people ask
Can I call a university pet loss line from the United States?
Yes. Several US veterinary schools run free pet loss lines that take calls from anywhere in the country. Cornell's line is staffed by trained veterinary students, and Tufts' volunteer line keeps evening hours and takes voicemail. Times vary through the year, so check first. For a crisis, call or text 988 instead.
Is pet grief taken seriously by counselors?
Increasingly, yes. Research now places grief after a pet alongside grief for people, and many bereavement counselors work with it. Ask before booking whether they've supported people after a pet's death. You should never feel you have to defend why you're grieving, and it's fine to try someone else if you do.
How many communities do you cover in the United States?
We currently have local pet loss support guides for 2458 communities in the United States, including New York City, Los Angeles and Chicago. Each page covers the kinds of support that tend to exist there, local seasons and customs around remembrance, costs, and practical steps for the first weeks after a loss.
What if I can't afford a counselor in the United States?
Free support covers a lot: pet bereavement lines, online groups, general listening services and your vet. For counseling, ask about sliding-scale fees, check whether an employee assistance program at work offers free sessions, and ask your doctor what local services exist. If you're in crisis, crisis lines in the United States are free at any hour, and grief after a pet is a valid reason to call.
Is there a pet loss hotline for people in the United States?
Several US veterinary schools have run pet loss support lines staffed by trained students, including Cornell's; hours change, so check before calling. Online groups are available every day. If you're in crisis or thinking about harming yourself anywhere in the United States, call or text 988 at any hour.
How many families in the United States have a dog or cat?
By our estimate, about 63,790,000 dog- or cat-owning households live in the United States communities we cover. We add up per-city estimates from population, household size and national ownership rates. It's a reminder that pet loss is common here, even when it's grieved quietly.
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] The NFDA projected New York's cremation rate at 55.7% for 2024. NFDA 2024 Cremation & Burial Report state projections (via Occasional Sage), 2024.
- [3] Roughly 850,000 bereaved U.S. pet households a year may not find the grief support they need. Our estimate: 1.5M pet cremations x 56.7% couldn't find support. How we calculate.
- [4] 61% of US owners in the Cooney survey rated the cost of after-death body care as a concern (27.9% concerned, 33.1% very concerned). Cooney, Kogan, Brooks, Ellis - Pet Owners' Expectations for Pet End-of-Life Support and After-Death Body Care, Topics in Companion Animal Medicine (2020), 2020.
- [5] CareCredit's 2025 cost study put the US national average for in-clinic dog euthanasia at $139 (range $110-$253). CareCredit (Synchrony) - How Much Does It Cost To Euthanize a Dog? (2025 ASQ360 procedural cost study), 2025.
- [6] CareCredit's 2025 cost study put the US national average for at-home dog euthanasia at $410 (range $325-$747). CareCredit (Synchrony) - How Much Does It Cost To Euthanize a Dog? (2025 ASQ360 procedural cost study), 2025.
- [7] CareCredit's 2025 cost study put the US national average for private dog cremation at $260 (range $206-$473). CareCredit (Synchrony) - How Much Does It Cost To Euthanize a Dog? (2025 ASQ360 procedural cost study), 2025.
Find a group or counselor near the United States
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.