Pets give us companionship and unconditional love. For many of us, our pet is a member of the family, and when the bond we share is broken, it results in a sense of loss and grief.  Whether an animal dies, is lost or stolen, or must be placed in a new home, or perhaps you are facing the impending loss of your pet, sorrow is a normal and natural reaction. Our culture does not provide us with the rituals to help us mourn the loss of a pet as it does the loss of a human. Even your friends and family may sometimes not  understand the depth of feeling you have for a lost pet.   Whether your loss has not yet occurred, is a recent one or has occurred in the past, pet loss and bereavement counseling can help.

The group is led by Katherine O'Donnell, a certified pet loss counselor through the Association of Pet Loss and Bereavement.  She holds a masters degree in grief and loss counseling and has a graduate certificate in thanatology (the study of death and dying).  Katherine also has a graduate certificate in animal assisted therapy and has been a member of the Delta Society Pet Partners Program for twelve years providing animal assisted therapy with her dogs, Maddie and Parie.  Katherine and Parie are a certified animal assisted therapy crisis response team.

Kindred Spirits Therapies is offering an bimonthly pet loss and bereavement counseling group that is held at our Animal Hospital on Wednesday evenings from PM.  The fee is $20 a session.

If you are interested in attending a session or have further questions, please contact Katherine at

845-603-6502 or katheodonnell3@gmail.com