The Pet Loss Support Hotline
University of California at Davis
School of Veterinary Medicine
A lot of people find their relationship with their animal companions very rewarding. Their pets are their family. When there is a death of a pet or a time to put a pet to sleep it can be a difficult time for many. Fortunately, help is available -- The Pet Loss Support Hotline.
A lot of callers may be a little embarrassed when they first reach the hotline. Their reluctance soon disappears after a few minutes on the phone. Volunteers who respond to your phone call realize that with the loss of a pet, "The pain is very real... and many people can't believe how much the death of their animal companion has affected them," says Bonnie Mader.
Bonnie Mader, a marriage and family therapist with a specialization in grief, is the founder and director of the Pet Loss Support Hotline she started in 1989. Bonnie is an animal lover who owned pets her entire life and her brother is a veterinarian. She began helping people deal with pet loss about 10 years ago.
Mader has kept an informal survey of people who have called over the years. Eighty percent are women and most people call about their dogs, but she says, "I see we are getting more calls about cats." The hotline has also taken calls about pet rats, horses, llamas, snakes, fish, birds, and monkeys. Most callers just want someone to talk to or want information about grief.
When your pet dies, some of their suggestions are:
- Get plenty of rest.
- Reach out -- don't be alone with your grief.
- Talk only with people you feel understand you.
- Even if you're not hungry, eat something nutritious.
- Drinking alcohol or using other drugs can intensify feelings of depression.
- Last but not least -- call the Hotline and speak to those who understand your grief.
The Pet Lost Support Hotline is located at the University of California, Davis, School of Veterinary Medicine. The hotline is open three hours a day from 6:30 to 9:30 pm -- Monday through Friday. The number is 530-752-4200 or toll free at 1-800-565-1526. Veterinarian students take turns answering the phone.
Suggested readings:
- Coping With the Loss of a Pet -- by Christina M. Lemieux and Wallace R. Clark
- Oh, Where Has My Pet Gone -- by Sally Sibbett
If you would like to send us information on pet hotlines, pet stories or other information regarding pets and senior citizens please send us an e-mail.
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