The Smiling Blue Skies Cancer Fund: Pet Loss Support

Ontario Veterinary College Hotline Offers Support for grieving owners

LISTENING IS THE BEST MEDICINE - Hotline Offers Support for Grieving Owners

Pet Owners grieving the loss of their companion animals, can now turn to the OVC (Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph) Pet Loss Support Hotline for help. The hotline began taking calls on September 18, 2001. It provides a service for pet owners grieving the death of a pet, support for veterinarians, and an educational opportunity for veterinary students. Trained student volunteers run the hotline, which operates on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Calls are picked up daily and those of an urgent nature are returned on the same day. The students are guided by an advisory board made up of Ontario Veterinary College faculty, staff, and graduate students, including Dr. Cindy Adams, from the Department of Population Medicine, who specializes in issues related to pet loss, and has a graduate degree in social work.

The OVC Pet Loss Support Hotline Phone Number is 519-824-4120; Ext 3694.
The Ontario Veterinary College's Pet Loss Support Hotline offers pet owners and veterinarians a valuable resource in times of need.

Veterinarians face the death of their patients on a daily basis. During the course of a normal morning, veterinarians and their staff, can go from a heart-breaking euthanasia appointment, to an excitement filled new puppy visit, and have to leave their feelings behind, to deal with later.

During euthanasia and the death of a pet, special consideration needs to be given to the emotional well-being of the client. There are some situations when a client may require on-going support and guidance, to aid them through their grief. The Ontario Veterinary College (OVC) Pet Loss Support Hotline, is a resource the veterinarians can use to help provide the best care possible.

The motto of the OVC Pet Loss Support Hotline is, "Listening is the Best Medicine," I truly believe in this statement. I have listened to tragic stories from people who have recently lost a pet. I have heard the pain in their voices, and the confusion that comes from losing a pet too suddenly. I have heard the guilt that people feel when they choose to euthanize their pet, even though it may be the kindest thing they could have done. I have heard the muffled sounds of someone crying on the other end of the line. And although it is hard to not say something, in an attempt to "fix" things, I am silent, because I know that just listening to their story, is the best comfort I can offer.

Far too often, society does not take the time to listen to someone who is grieving the death of a pet. Popular clichés such as "it was only a dog", or "don't worry, you can get another", don't help. That dog may have been the only link between an elderly woman and her deceased husband, or the only friend of an awkward child. Even if wonderful family and friends surround a person, it is absolutely normal to feel sad when a pet dies. It is common today, to buy our pet a present on their birthday or to sign our pet's name, along with our own, on a greeting card. Many people describe their pets as an extension of themselves. It is only natural to feel a great deal of pain when this pet leaves us. An anonymous author once wrote, "Our animals shepherd us through certain eras of our lives. When we are ready to turn the corner and make it on our own . . . they let us go." As a volunteer for the OVC Pet Loss Support Hotline, my responsibility is to be there for people who may not be ready to go forth without the companionship of their pet.

The OVC Pet Loss Support Hotline was developed by veterinary students from the OVC, in conjunction with Dr. Cindy Adams who had graduate degrees in social epidemiology in Social Work and specializes in matters of pet loss. Each volunteer has their own personal reasons for joining the Hotline, but we all share one thing in common: a love of animals and a compassion for the people who were privileged to share their lives with these animals. As Donna Eino, a fellow Hotline volunteer relates, "being part of the Hotline give me the special opportunity to share in the incredible relationships people have with their pets. It reminds me of why I was drawn to veterinary medicine in the first place."

The first Hotline of its kind in Canada, the OVC Pet Loss Support Hotline, commenced operation in September 2001 and is open to any caller who is having difficulty dealing with the death or disappearance of an animal. We are also available as a resource to veterinarians for information on pet loss and grief management. Pet owners who wish to use the Hotline, can reach a trained student volunteer directly on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday evenings, between the hours of 6:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. Outside of these hours, they may leave a message on our voice mail, which is checked by a volunteer, every 24 hours. Urgent calls will be returned immediately and all calls are handled in a confidential manner.

Thanks to Alison Long, BSc., who is the Senior Student Coordinator for the OVC Pet Loss Support Hotline.

Pet Loss Bereavement Centre

1054 Centre Street

Suite 377

Thornhill, Ontario

416-571-1175

http://www.mentalhealthresources.ca/petloss/

mentalhealth@canada.com
As a long time pet owner herself, and after experiencing the loss of one of her rabbits, Zoe, Shiri R. Joshua, M.A. (Couns. Psych), OACCPP resolved to combine her clinical training in Counselling Psychology to enhance her expertise in Animal Assisted Therapy, and Pet Loss Bereavement Counselling. She is a current member of the Association for Pet Loss and Bereavement. Shiri's training and professional background, as the director and founder of Mental Health Resources Canada (MHRC), allowed her to offer her services to the community of?Canadian pet owners.??Her work has been featured n a variety of media, including, the "All About Pets Show", "Dogs, Dogs, Dogs!", "The Toronto Sun", and "The National Post."??Shiri's work includes facilitation of Pet Loss Bereavement?groups, leading professional seminars across Canada, individual counselling, and house calls as needed.

"The Halton/Peel Pet Loss Support Group"
http://www.mississaugapets.com/petloss.html
Burlington: (905) 637-5233; Oakville: (905) 842-2252; Mississauga: (905) 272-4040.
The Halton/Peel Pet Loss Support Group, provides support to people who are struggling with the death of a beloved companion animal. Monthly support meetings (the 4th Saturday of each month) are held at the Clarkson Community Police Station, in southwest Mississauga, close to the border of Oakville and Mississauga.

http://www.specialneedspets.org/hospice.htm
Hospice Care
Includes: General Health Resources, Just for Dogs Section, Finding the Right Vet, Advocating for Your Pet, Holistic Health Care, Nutrition, Flower Essences, Just for Caregivers, Euthanasia, Related Links.

http://www.csum.edu/pethospice/
The Nikki Hospice Foundation for Pets
Its purpose is to encourage the provision of hospice care for dying pets, so that pet owners who do not wish to choose euthanasia when their animals are about to depart this life, or who wish to postpone it, can care for them in the home environment, under veterinary supervision and with adequate pain management and/or symptom control. Ultimately, for those who see a natural death as the best and most acceptable end for their pets, and who wish to strengthen the human-companion animal bond in their pet's hour of greatest need, hospice care is the answer.

http://www.healthypet.com
Human/Animal Bond: Hospice Care -- Ending Life with Compassion

http://www.petloss.com/
Pet Loss Grief Support Web Site

http://www.aplb.org/
The Association for Pet Loss and Bereavement
http://www.island.net/~patspets/petloss.htm
Pat's Pet Loss Support Line
Victoria BC
250-389-8047
Sandy Ridge Pet Cemetery
http://www.sandyrpetcem.com
R.R. #1, 11210 Ridge Line
Eden ON N0J 1H0
(519) 866-3243
Sandy Ridge Pet Cemetery is a legally zoned and restricted cemetery, with an endowment trust fund, to provide for its maintenance and preservation.

BEATA PILLACH & Leaping Wolf Productions
www.leapingwolfanimalcommunication.com
leapingwolf@rogers.com
Telephone - 519-885-6105 Fax- 519-885-7664

After working in the Dolphin and Whale Conservation field and motivated by her experiences with dolphins as well as her own animal companions, Beata followed her heart and love of animals & began communicating professionally. She has since built a strong reputation and client base from all over Canada, the United States, & Europe. Approximately 70-80% of Beata’s consultations are long distance telephone communications and clients include people and their animal companions from all walks of life (& also include some celebrity clients). Beata works closely with a number of veterinarians and trainers; as well as several animal welfare organizations including Pet Patrol and Rottweiller Rescue. Her insights have benefited people and their animals with behavioral challenges, health concerns, lost and found, performance & training issues and reestablishing harmony - to name a few. She has also been called upon to work with many exotic animals such as those at zoo’s. Beata is also a certified Regressional Therapy facilitator although the animal communication work has taken the majority of her time.

Beata has been featured in The National Post, the Kitchener-Waterloo Record, Wholelife Magazine and The Globe and Mail. She has also been interviewed on Radio 640’s “The Amazing Pet Program”, KOOL FM, the CBC Ontario Morning Show, “The Motts” on CFRB Talk Radio, CKCO Television and Rogers Cable Television. Beata has also lectured and taught at the Ontario Association of Veterinary Technicians Conference as well as speaking engagements with many different organizations. She teaches workshops on basic Animal Communication throughout the year.

Beata presently resides in Waterloo,Ontario and shares her home with three dogs and two cats. She is working on her first book and strongly believes that everyone has the ability to communicate with animals. As she says “It’s just a matter of opening your heart and remembering how to listen. Making Animal Communication once again our ‘Second Nature.’”

Dr. Horace Dobbs - IDW

LynnMcKenzie
Animal Intuitive
www.AnimalEnergy.com
250-656-4390

Lynn McKenzie is an internationally known Animal Intuitive offering phone consultations, workshops and teleclasses in Animal Communication and Energy Healing. Her work is co-creative and very enlightening. Her passion lies in helping others to attune and awaken to the teachings and wonder that all sentient beings wish to share. It is effective in dealing with animal/person relationship issues, physical, emotional and behavioral concerns as well as connecting with the spirits of animals who have crossed over. Lynn is also a flower essence practitioner with her own line of essences developed specifically for animals and aspiring students.