Whether a new playful bouncing puppy, a lonely stray, or an seemingly average adult pet comes into your home; they quickly find refuge in a new home and you quickly experience a special peace and joy in their constant presence in your life.

As pet owners, we do all we can to provide for our pets health and happiness, with the goal of a long life together. When the end is near, grief and heartbreak are inevitable.

Loss and grief is an odd thing and ultimately acceptance is the only sane option. In the past I wrote about joining the PetPAC a Twin Cities group for pet industry businesses. This has been a great group to be involved with and it includes some lovely people that can assist at the quiet and sorrowful end.

Here are three woman I am happy to know and would like to introduce to you:

As the saying goes, “A picture is worth a thousand words”, is certainly true when it comes to the Joy Sessions® with Sarah Beth Photography. Joy Sessions® are special, end-of-life photo sessions for terminally ill or elderly pets. Sarah Beth will capture the essence of the relationship between you and your pet.

One person I have had the honor to hear speak is Karen Randall DVM, the owner of Solace Veterinary Hospice. As Karen spoke of her passion for animals and her decision to focus her practice on caring for pets when death is inevitable, I was struck by her calm and gentle manner. Both her words and her demeanor lead me to the conclusion that she was in the right line of work and would certainly provide comfort to both human and animal. Solace Veterinary Hospice services can help create an environment for a safe, caring and intimate end-of-life experience for your pet in the comfort of the familiar home environment.

There are many book written about grief, but there is one dedicated to pet loss. The award winning book Good Grief: Finding Peace After Pet Loss, is written by Sid Korpi. This book can help guide you through your loss, giving personal and professional insight on the animal lover’s unique grieving process.

There are many professional resources in the Twin Cities and a fellow pet lover friend is often the best comfort .

In the end, I wish us each the comfort of knowing we shared a life with a wonderful being.

To the happiness and health of you & your pet,

Dawn Peterson Cobb

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