The Cornell University Hospital for Animals (CUHA) has started a virtual support group for grieving pet owners.

Stephanie Coco, CUHA’s first veterinary social worker, launched the group in November. At monthly meetings, Coco and a co-facilitator lead participants as they share stories of their animals and discuss their struggles and coping strategies. The group is open to people whose animals have been recent patients at the hospital.

“In the past, supporting grieving pet owners was addressed by the veterinarians, students, staff and hospital administration,” said Cheryl Balkman, section chief of oncology at CUHA. “Although we all still provide this support to families, we realized that families would benefit from additional support with someone who is not only trained specifically in this area but has the ability to give them the time that is needed to comfort them.”

Coco said mourning a pet is sometimes an isolating experience. The group normalizes that grief.

“When you’re out and about during your day, you might pass someone in the grocery store who has lost a pet, but you don’t know it because we’re not out there broadcasting it to the world and talking about it,” she said. “This group makes it possible to find and connect with other people who have had a recent pet loss.”

Grieving pet owners can also turn to CUHA’s Pet Loss Support Hotline, even if their animal wasn’t a CUHA patient. Veterinary students, who have undergone training with professional grief counselors, volunteer to staff the hotline, which has been in operation since the mid-1990s and is currently overseen by Balkman.

“It is very rewarding to hear how thankful people are to have someone to talk to that both understands them and doesn’t judge them,” she said. “I have also learned how important it is for students to experience these conversations with grieving pet owners during their veterinary training so they can become more compassionate veterinarians.”