Pet Loss Support in the Bay Area
Pet Loss support groups
Free at The San Francisco SPCA and Peninsula Humane Society
Support Groups
In San Francisco, meetings are held on the 1st Tuesday of each month at SPCA 243 Alabama St. at Maddie's Adoption Center. San Francisco Call 415-554-3050 to confirm. Dr. Betty Carmack conducts the meetings. Or write for free booklet "Losing a Best Friend"
In San Mateo County, meetings are held on the 2nd Thursday of the month 7:00pm at Peninsula Humane Society 650-344-7022 ext. 344 for information. http://www.peninsulahumanesociety.org/services/loss.html
In Walnut Creek, Meets the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month from 6pm to 8:30pm. Contra Costa County Veterinary Medical Association, 1280 Boulevard Way, Suite #307, Walnut Creek 925-932-0607
The Berkeley-East Bay Humane Society offers a Pet Loss Support group on the 3rd Tuesday of each month at the Humane Society located at 2700 Ninth Street, Berkeley. Each session will begin with a half hour talk followed by an hour or so (depending on the number of participants) for sharing our experience.
For more information, please call
Roy at (510) 752-7757.
Telephone Support
University of California, School of Veterinary Medicine, Davis CA 916-752-7418
Pet Loss Hot Line: Monday - Friday, 6:30 to 9:30 PM;
Staffed by volunteers from UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. Callers place calls at their own expense. There are no additional charges.
Reading Materials
Losing a Best Friend, a collection of articles compiled by the San Francisco SPCA, (415) 554-3000
Pet Loss: A Thoughtful Guide for Adults and Children
Herbert A Nieburg and Arlene Fischer, Harper & Row, 1982
When Your Pet Dies: How to Cope with Your Feelings
James E. Quackenbus and D. Graveline, Simon and Shuster, 1985
Living Through Personal Crisis
Ann Kaiser Stearns, Ballantine, 1984
My Cat Saved My Life
Philllip Schreibman Dog's Bark Publishing 1998
An excellent book, Phil
Grieving the Death of a Pet
By Dr. Betty Carmack, R.N., Ed.D.
For Children…
Helping Children to cope with Separation and Loss
Claudia Jewett, Harvard Common, 1982
Snowflake in My Hand
Samantha Monney, Delacorte, 1983
The Tenth Good Thing About Barney
Judith Viorst, Atheneum, 1975
When a Pet Dies
Fred Rogers, G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 1988