“Until one has loved an animal, a part of one’s soul remains unawakened”– Anatole France

Complimentary Pet Loss & Bereavement Counseling

Losing a pet can be one of the hardest experiences to go through. WVRC has partnered with Red Oak Counseling to provide a free monthly pet loss support group. All of the staff at Red Oak Counseling are licensed professionals specializing in mental health and AODA issues. Call Coleen Kittelson, LPC, NCC at Red Oak Counseling at (262) 780-1020 for more information.

We also recommend utilizing the Wisconsin Pet Loss Resource Center for additional grief counseling services. The Pet Loss Resource Center offers free support groups, educational material, and specialized information for helping children cope with the loss of a pet. More information is available on their website.

Pet Parent Resource Center

The resource center on Veterinary Wisdom Pet Parents is filled with online articles to help families cope with end of life decisions, cancer, kids and grief, how to move on after euthanasia, and so much more. They will help guide you through and make the best decisions for you and your pets.

Learn More about Specialty Pet Care

ACVS and ACVIM are pleased to announce VetSpecialists.com, a joint effort with the common goal of promoting specialty veterinary medicine to the animal-owning public. VetSpecialists.com provides the content animal owners need to make decisions about their animal’s health. Core to the message is the importance of specialty veterinary medicine and surgery as part of the triad of care – animal owner, primary care practitioner, and specialist.

National Support Hotlines and Resources

• University of California at Davis, School of Veterinary Medicine | 1 (800) 565-1526

• Cornell University, College of Veterinary Medicine | (607) 253-3932

• Tufts University, School of Veterinary Medicine | (508) 839-7966

• Washington State University | (509) 335-5704

Online Grief and Loss Support Resources

• Pet Loss Support

• Pet Bereavement Counseling

• Helping Children Cope with the Death of a Pet

Mental Health Articles

• Why We Need to Take Pet Loss Seriously

• Coping with the Loss of a Pet

• Why the Loss of a Pet can be the Hardest to Bear

Additional Support Materials

Books for Children:

• Dog Heaven by Cynthia Rylant

• Cat Heaven by Cynthia Rylant

• I’ll Always Love You by Hans Wilhelm, Crown Pub

• A Special Place for Charlee: A Child’s Companion Through Pet Loss by Debra Morehead

• A Gift From Rex by Jim Kramer, DVM

• Tear Soup by Pat Schweibert and Chuck DeKlyen

• The Tenth Good Thing About Barney by Judith Viorst

• Annie Loses Her Leg But Finds Her Way by Sandra J. Philipson

• Healing Your Grieving Heart for Kids by Alan Wolfelt, PhD

• Goodbye Mousie by Robie Harris

• Tough Boris by Mem Fox, Harcourt

Books for Adults:

• Goodbye My Friend by Herb and Mary Montgomery

• A Final Act of Caring by Herb and Mary Montgomery

• Journey Through Pet Loss by Deborah Antinori

• Grieving the Death of a Pet by Betty J. Carmack

• How to Go on Living When Someone You Love Dies by Therese Rando

• The Grief Recovery Handbook by John W. James and Russell Friedman

• Healing Your Grieving Heart by Alan Wolfelt, PhD