When my beloved dogs Tasha and Niki died in 2002, nothing anyone said or did could console me. Some friends and family members and even a veterinarian or two were thoughtful enough to send condolence cards or flowers. Mostly, as I have learned through speaking with hundreds of other pet guardians over the years, a common thread among those of us who have lost a pet is that our grief is not understood, not comfortable for others, and, worse yet, not acknowledged. True loving support is difficult, if not impossible, to find.

by Kathleen Denis