Grieving pet owners are calling a hotline in droves to help them cope with the death of an animal.
Blue Cross, which runs Britain’s largest animal bereavement service, has helped 27,000 this year alone – up from just over 20,000 last year.
The figure is fast approaching the number of people calling a similar service following the loss of a friend or relative.
Human bereavement support charity Cruse dealt with only 6,000 more calls.
Diane James, head of bereavement at Blue Cross, which also helps with vet treatment and rehoming, said: “We’re a nation of pet lovers but people often struggle to talk about the emotions around animal loss.”
Bosses hope to scramble 100 volunteers to keep the hotline running 12 hours a day, 365 days a year. They also run a web chat and Facebook page for folk too sad to phone.
Dog and cat owners get in touch most, but there are also calls from people mourning fish, reptiles and other species.
Diane launched the line after noticing vet staff had “little training” in advising clients suffering after animal loss.
The 55-year-old added: “We realised pet bereavement was missing from veterinary school curriculums, and clinicians often lacked the necessary communication skills to support customers.
“Our volunteers receive extensive training, but most importantly it’s about empathy and compassion because losing a pet really affects people.”
Some grieving people need support for a year – or longer.
Others reach out on the anniversary of their pet’s death, on birthdays and at Christmas.
Patricia Noble, 58, contacted the charity after losing her miniature dachshund Dougie on New Year’s Day in 2020.
She spoke to the support line for nine months until she felt better.
Patricia said: “I spent the first two months in shock – I was totally and utterly lost and life felt desolate.
“The support from Blue Cross meant somebody was there to walk me through the darkness because often even family and friends don’t understand.” More than half – 52% – of UK households were registered pet owners in 2022, according to charity the PDSA.
Some 10.2 million live with a pet pooch, while 11.1 million have a feline friend.
Now a volunteer herself, Patricia said there was still a way to go in breaking the stigma around pet grief.
She added: “I think the phrase is ‘disenfranchised grief’. If you lose a mum or dad you get sympathy, but with animals people think you can just buy yourself another one. It doesn’t work like that, and the nation needs to know that support is available.”
- Blue Cross is on 0800 096 6606 or visit www.bluecross.org.uk
