Pet Owner's World 2008 - (Page 11) wonderful. However, if they do not, we are extremely careful to keep a professional distance. It is a gift to know these wonderful animals and usually our assistance to their families continues after the animals have left us.” Helping to Heal Yes, pet sitters share your feelings of loss and deal with many of your same emotions on the loss of a pet. This is why your pet sitter can be a valuable ally in this time of personal grief. And, as you can see from Debra’s story, there are many things pet sitters do to comfort and support clients who are grieving over the death of a pet. In addition to sympathy cards and letters, your pet sitter is capable of providing a wide variety of grief support and pet-loss counseling services. They can help you face a very trying and stressful time when it comes. And, with the life expectancies of our companion animals being what it is, this is something all pet owners must deal with eventually. Standing By Just knowing they’re not alone can provide an emotional boost for grieving pet parents, according to Debra Milton. “In many cases where pets are terminally ill, I will provide their pet parents with books and articles regarding pet loss and how to cope,” she said. “I also provide them with information regarding pet loss counseling in the Atlanta metro area–one-on-one counseling, group counseling, Internet groups and such. The more resources you can offer the pet parents, the better, because not everyone fits into one category.” When dealing with euthanasia, having someone to accompany you to the veterinary clinic or to be with you during an in-home procedure can be a blessing. Many pet sitters gladly offer to do this for their clients—and for the pets they both love. “I’ve had clients ask me about euthanasia many times,” Leslie Ray noted. “They are torn, because they love their pets, and feel guilty having to decide whether to let them go or not. I always offer to go with a client if they are taking a pet to the vet to be ‘released.’ I always assure my clients that their grief is an important part of life and that they should not feel bad that they are so overcome with sorrow over the loss of a pet. After all, some of us are closer to our pets than anyone. And, a pet’s love is so pure and unconditional, it’s to be expected that we will grieve for them. I always send sympathy cards to clients who have lost a pet.” Kara Lashley agreed, saying, “I always offer to accompany any client to the vet when it comes time to make that final decision or to be with them when they go to say goodbye. When clients tell me they feel silly for feeling so much grief over the loss of their pet, I never hesitate to let them know that the grief they are feeling is all too real and painful and that they should never feel ashamed of grieving for something that was as important in their life as their pet had been to them. I always to try to make myself available for anyone who has lost their pet and just needs to talk, cry, share stories and pictures and remember the many good times they have had with one another. They will always hold special places in our hearts and can never be replaced.” Precious Memories Most pet sitters are camera-savvy and enjoy taking photos of their clients’ pets. When a pet passes away, these photos can become treasured memorials for its owners. “I send a sympathy card with a gift certificate for a stone paw print photo frame,” said Kim Sauer. “The purchase of it benefits the local Pet Emergency Fund. I always try to keep in touch with clients after they have lost a pet. I feel most of our clients are extended family and it is a hard time for both of us. Many of our clients have been ready to hear little paw prints again and we have met the new family members too!” Rob Nager and Beth Greenberg both post pet memorials on their Web sites.“This is a lasting tribute to good friends of ours,” Rob noted. (Visit Rob’s site at http://www. decadentdog.com/memoriam.html.) Beth agreed, saying, “We have a pet memorial on our Web site, too. It serves as an outlet for our clients who have lost their treasured friends. Some of our staff pet sitters even compose the memorials for the pets they have cared for. You can view the page here: www.allfriendspetcare.com/Memorial.aspx.” We’re All in This Together As a pet owner who uses the services of a professional pet sitter, you’re not alone when it comes to missing a beloved pet that has passed away. These passionate professionals are there to lend an ear, a shoulder or to wipe away a tear their own, as well as yours. 2008 • Pet Owner’s WORLD 11 http://www.decadentdog.com/memoriam.html http://www.decadentdog.com/memoriam.html http://www.allfriendspetcare.com/Memorial.aspx http://www.allfriendspetcare.com/Memorial.aspx
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