10 Benefits of Joining a Pet Loss Support Group
By Angeline Simmons, January 28, 2025
Losing a pet can be heartbreaking. Navigating the grief that follows is often overwhelming, but one way to find comfort and healing is by joining a pet loss support group.
These groups offer a safe space to share your pain, connect with others and begin to heal. To find one, you can check in with your local community center, request information at a local library or church, ask your veterinarian, or speak with people you know who have also lost pets.
Here are 10 key benefits of joining a pet loss support group.
1. Shared Understanding and Empathy
One of the greatest benefits of a pet loss support group is the sense of understanding you receive from others who have experienced a similar loss. Often, people who haven’t lost a pet may not fully grasp the depth of your grief. Within a support group, you’ll find others who truly empathize with your pain and can validate your feelings, making you feel less isolated in your experience.
“After Dutch passed away, I didn’t feel like anyone understood,” said Allyson Fontaine, who lost her dog Dutch in December 2024. “I saw a sign at the library for a pet loss support group and it has changed everything. The group members know what I’m feeling without me even having to say it.”
2. A Safe Space to Express Grief
Grieving a pet can sometimes feel lonely. This is especially true if those around you don’t understand the bond you shared with your soul pet and don’t know what to say about your pet’s passing.
Pet loss support groups provide a non-judgmental space where you can openly share your feelings without fear of being dismissed or misunderstood. Here, your emotions — whether sadness, anger, or guilt — are met with compassion and support.
3. Practical Coping Strategies
Support groups are often facilitated by trained counselors or experienced members who can offer practical strategies for managing grief. From journaling exercises to mindfulness techniques, these tools can help you navigate the emotional rollercoaster of losing a pet and provide you with actionable steps toward healing.
4. Validation of Your Feelings
Grief for a pet is real and valid, but it’s not always recognized in the same way as other forms of loss. In a support group, your feelings are validated and respected. This acknowledgment can be incredibly healing and affirming, reminding you that it’s okay to mourn your pet in your own way and on your own timeline.
“The pet loss support group at my church allowed me to see I wasn’t crazy for being so upset,” said Jennifer O’Leary, who lost her dog Callie in December 2024. “I didn’t talk for the first few meetings, and when I was leaving once, someone handed me a sheet of pet loss quotes and I just burst out crying. They didn’t have to say a word. I knew they understood.”
5. Opportunities for Long-Term Connections
Many people find that their pet loss support group becomes more than just a temporary resource. It can foster long-term friendships with individuals who genuinely understand and respect the bond you had with your pet.
These connections can be a source of strength and companionship as you navigate life after your loss. They can also help you celebrate your pet’s life in meaningful ways through events like dog funerals, cat memorial events and more.
6. A Space for Storytelling
Sharing memories of your pet can be both therapeutic and heartwarming. Support groups provide a welcoming environment where you can talk about your pet’s quirks, adventures and the joy they brought into your life. You can even read your pet obituary to the group to share details about your loved one. Reliving these positive moments can help you celebrate your pet’s life and honor their legacy.
“Sometimes just talking about Dutch was helpful, and the other people in my support group let me talk as long as I want to about him,” Fontaine said.
7. Guidance on Memorializing Your Pet
Many support groups offer advice and ideas for honoring your pet’s memory. Whether it’s creating a scrapbook, planting a tree or holding a small ceremony, these suggestions can help you find meaningful ways to celebrate your pet’s life and keep their memory alive.
“My support group helped me figure out what to do with my dog’s ashes,” O’Leary said. “I scattered them at the Rainbow Bridge park in my town. I wouldn’t have known about it if I hadn’t gone to that group.
8. A Source of Hope and Encouragement
Hearing stories of others who have navigated pet loss and found peace can inspire hope. Support groups often include members at various stages of their grief journey, providing reassurance that healing is possible. It can be helpful to see how other people are managing through the grief process so you can gain the optimism to know it will get better.
9. Opportunities to Help Others
As you progress in your own healing, you may find opportunities to support others who are just beginning their grief journeys. Sharing your story and offering a listening ear can be incredibly rewarding and cathartic, creating a cycle of mutual healing within the group.
10. Learning to Accept and Embrace Your Grief
Grieving the loss of a pet is a deeply personal process, and there’s no “right” way to do it. Support groups can help you embrace your grief as a natural and necessary part of healing. Through shared experiences and encouragement, you’ll learn to move forward with your grief in a way that feels authentic and meaningful to you.