Pet loss support
People who answer the phone, and understand this loss.
Grief for an animal is real grief, not a smaller kind. Most of the time it runs for weeks and comes back in waves for much longer, and none of that needs fixing. Sometimes it tips into something heavier, and the difference matters, because the heavier thing has help that grief alone does not need. Everyone on this page chose this work. Asking is the strong move, not the weak one.
Free helplines and groups
Cornell University Pet Loss Support Hotline
Staffed by veterinary students trained in pet-loss support.
607-218-7457Hours vary by season. Call, and the message will tell you when someone is on the line.
Tufts University Pet Loss Support Hotline
Run by the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine.
508-839-7966Monday to Thursday, 6 to 9 p.m. Eastern. Voicemail any time, and they call back.
Chicago VMA Pet Loss Helpline
The Chicago Veterinary Medical Association helpline, open to anyone.
630-325-1600Leave a message. A vet or staff member calls back between 7 and 9 p.m. Central.
Association for Pet Loss and Bereavement
Free hosted chat rooms, video support groups, and a directory of pet-loss counselors near you.
aplb.orgChat rooms run on a published weekly schedule. The counselor directory is open any time.
Lap of Love
Free weekly online pet-loss support groups, led by certified pet-loss coaches.
lapoflove.comWeekly, online, no cost. Sign up on their site for the next session.
If you are thinking about not being here
Call or text 988, the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline in the United States, any hour, any day. You mattered to them more than anything in the world. You still have to matter to someone now, and that starts with the person on the other end of that line.
Call or text 988When it is more than grief
These are the signs that it has become heavier than grief, and that one of the people above is the right next call. This page is written so you can hand it to someone.
- Weeks without real sleep or appetite, not days.
- Guilt that does not loosen at all, no matter what you write or say.
- Not being able to work, parent, or leave the house, past the first couple of weeks.
- Thoughts of not wanting to be here. If this one is present, use the 988 line on this page tonight.
Last checked: September 22, 2026. Numbers and hours change. If one on this page is wrong, tell us through the contact page and we will fix it.
For the weeks after, not the crisis: coping with the loss of a pet. This page is not medical or mental health advice. If a line here and your doctor disagree, listen to your doctor.