Pet Loss Support Group
Next Pet Loss Support Group:
First Tuesday of every month
7:30PM - 9PM
The SF/SPCA Humane Education Classroom, 243 Alabama Street. No reservation is required.
This free drop-in group regularly meets on the first Tuesday of each month in the same location.
Losing A Best Friend
A collection of articles compiled by the San Francisco SPCA
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD |
Although surveys show that most people consider their pets members of the family, pet owners often feel isolated and misunderstood when coping with the death of a cherished animal companion. Recognizing the need to provide bereaved pet owners with critical support, The San Francisco SPCA continues to offer ongoing Pet Loss Support Groups.
In 1983, The SF/SPCA became the first humane society to offer a regular monthly grief counseling service. The leader was Dr. Betty Carmack, Associate Professor at the University of San Francisco, who was prompted to offer her services after the accidental death of one of her own animals. Today a very busy Dr. Carmack maintains a private counseling practice as well as her university career, and still provides this valuable public service at The SF/SPCA at no charge to the participants. Even after almost 20 years of continuous volunteer work, she finds the monthly sessions intrinsically rewarding. "I think it's so important that people have a safe place to go," she adds.
Listen to Betty’s podcast from July 31st, 2007, “Grieving for Our Dogs” at http://www.smarterpodcasts.com/gooddog/gooddog.html.
Here are some Pet Loss resources:
Pet Loss Support Groups/Hotline
- San Francisco
The San Francisco SPCA Pet Loss Support Group meets on the first Tuesday of every month in our Humane Education classroom at the 243 Alabama St. entrance (at 16th St.) from 7:30-9pm. It is free and there is no need to sign up.
- Walnut Creek
Pet Loss Support Group led by Cecelia Soares, DVM
Meets the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of each month from 6pm . 8:30pm
Contra Costa County Veterinary Medical Association
1280 Boulevard Way Suite 307
Walnut Creek, CA 94596
(925) 932 - 0607
- Albany
Audrey Spector, M.A., M.F.T.
1398 Solano Ave.
Albany , CA 94706
510-704-5502
Support groups, individual counseling
- San Mateo
Pet Loss Support Group sponsored by the Malu Trehan
Peninsula Humane Society
12 Airport Blvd
San Mateo, CA
(650) 340 - 7022 extension 344
www.peninsulahumanesociety.org/services/loss.html
- Pet Loss Support Hotline: (800)565-1526 or (530)752-4200 Monday-Friday 6:30-9:30pm (West Coast time) is staffed by volunteers from the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine.
Web Sites
Reading Materials
- Grieving the Death of a Pet
By Dr. Betty Carmack, R.N., Ed.D., Augsburg Publishers 2003
- Losing A Best Friend
A collection of articles compiled by the San Francisco SPCA
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD
- Pet Loss: A Thoughtful Guide for Adults and Children
By Herbert A. Nieburg and Arlene Fischer, Harper & Row, 1982
- When Your Pet Dies: How To Cope With Your Feelings
By James E. Quackenbush and D. Graveline, Simon and Schuster, 1985
- Living Through Personal Crisis
By Ann Kaiser Stearns, Ballantine, 1984
- Coping With Sorrow On The Loss of Your Pet
By Moira Anderson, M.Ed, Alpine Blue Ribbon Books, 1996
Books For Children
- Helping Children to Cope with Separation & Loss
By Claudia Jewitt, Harvard Common, 1992
- Snowflake in My Hand
By Samantha Mooney, Delacorte, 1983
- The Tenth Good Thing About Barney
By Judith Viorst, Atheneum, 1975
- When A Pet Dies
By Fred Rogers, G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1988
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