The Scottish Pet Bereavement Counselling Service

29/10/2026

It can be difficult to know what to say but a simple acknowledgment of how the grieving pet parent is feeling and a willingness to listen is more helpful than you may realise. Xx ❤️‍🩹🌈🐾

When someone loses a much-loved companion animal, we often want to say something that will make the pain a little easier.

But grief cannot always be made better with the right sentence.

Comments such as “It was only a pet”, “You can always get another one” or even the well-meant “At least they had a good life” can unintentionally minimise the loss someone is experiencing.

Often, something much simpler is enough.

“I’m so sorry.”

“I know how much they meant to you.”

“Tell me about them.”

Acknowledging the relationship and allowing someone to grieve without judgement can be one of the most supportive things we can offer.

Pet loss grief doesn't need to be justified.

Sometimes the kindest response is simply to recognise that someone has lost a relationship that mattered deeply.

27/10/2026

From Dog Walker to Pet Bereavement Counsellor — A Journey of Love, Loss and Understanding

My love of dogs has always been at the heart of everything I do. Growing up with a mother who was a KC registered Labrador breeder and becoming a dog walker allowed me to spend my days surrounded by the unconditional love, loyalty and unique personalities that make our canine companions so incredibly special.

But something else happened along the way…

When you walk dogs regularly, they become so much more than the dogs in your care. They become part of your daily life, your routine and your heart. You learn their little quirks, celebrate their personalities, share adventures and develop a bond that is truly special. There is something particularly special about the bond a dog walker develops with their dogs. You become part of their little world, and they become part of yours.

And when one of those precious dogs crosses the Rainbow Bridge, it hurts.

As dog walkers, we may not be their owners, but we love them deeply and I often refer to them as ‘my dogs’. We feel their absence, miss their familiar faces and carry our own memories of the time we were lucky enough to share with them. Their loss reminds us that love is never measured by a label or a title, but by the connection we feel.

It was this deep understanding of the human-animal bond, and the heartbreak that comes when we lose it, that guided me to becoming a pet bereavement counsellor.

I wanted to be there for my dog walking clients experiencing the devastating loss of their beloved dogs when the time comes — to offer a safe, compassionate space where their grief would be understood. But when I qualified as a pet bereavement counsellor, so many people said they wished they’d had that support when their pet died. So, I decided to open the service up to anyone anywhere to support them regardless of the species of pet they have lost.

Losing a pet is not “just losing an animal”. It can mean losing a best friend, a source of comfort, a daily companion and a member of the family. It can leave a silence in our homes and an ache in our hearts that is difficult to put into words.

I understand that love. I understand how deeply it hurts when that love has nowhere to go. And I understand that grief has no timetable, no rules and no single right way to feel.

Whether you are grieving a beloved dog, cat or another cherished companion, or you are a fellow dog walker struggling with the loss of a special client dog, please know that your grief matters, your bond was real, and you do not have to face your loss alone.

Through my pet bereavement counselling, I offer understanding, compassion and a listening ear to help you navigate the difficult journey of life after loss — at your own pace, without judgement.

Sometimes, the first step towards healing is simply talking to someone who truly understands.

If you are struggling with the loss of a beloved pet, I am here to listen. You don’t have to explain why it hurts so much. I understand.

Please feel free to get in touch via the website contact page to find out more about pet bereavement counselling and how I may be able to support you. Xx ❤️‍🩹🌈🐾

www.thescottishpetbereavementcounsellingservice.com

📸 Croftfoot Canines - My Doodley Girls for attention

27/10/2026

I’m so proud that the blog I recently published has been shared on the Association of Pet Bereavement Counsellors’s website! I hope this reaches and brings comfort to even more people who need it. Xx 🙏🌈❤️‍🩹🐾

For some neurodivergent people, the death of a pet can change far more than the emotional landscape of their life.

A companion animal may have provided the structure of the morning, a reason to leave the house, comfort during sensory overload, familiarity after a difficult day or simply a relationship in which nothing needed to be explained.

When that animal is no longer there, those anchors disappear too.
The feeding time is gone.
The walk no longer happens.
The familiar sounds of paws scurring across floors in greeting.
The empty spot at the foot of their bed.

For someone with ADHD or autism, that sudden change to routine and predictability can sit alongside the grief itself, making the loss particularly overwhelming.

And importantly, that grief may not always be visible in the way others expect.

There is no single right way to grieve a companion animal.

Adapted from “Pet Loss in the Neurodiverse Community” by Wendy Andrew, Member of the Association of Pet Bereavement Counsellors.

Read Wendy’s full article on the APBC website.

14/10/2026

This is why we grieve their loss. I wish more people understood that. Xx

Have you ever come home after a long, exhausting day?

Work didn't go as planned. Relationships left you with a headache. Your mind keeps replaying what happened and worrying about what might happen next.

Then you arrive home.

A dog runs toward you, wagging its tail. A cat curls up beside you.

Neither asks how much money you made today, whether you were successful, or why you made that mistake at work.

Your dog isn't going to ask why you haven't been promoted yet.

And your cat certainly isn't going to suggest that you work on your five-year plan. 😄

They are simply there.

And sometimes, sitting down to stroke their fur, listening to them breathe, or watching them sleep is enough to help you step out of the endless stream of thoughts in your head.

Our pets don't teach meditation.

They don't give lectures on mindfulness or tell us how to awaken spiritually.

But when we are with them, we have a chance to slow down, feel our bodies, notice our breath, and simply be here.

Perhaps this is something we humans desperately need.

We spend so much of our lives trying to prove our worth.

We want to be successful, to be appreciated, to become someone we can be proud of.

But when you come home, your dog is still happy to see you, even if you failed at work today.

Your cat may still curl up beside you, even if you have absolutely nothing impressive to report about your day.

Of course, this doesn't mean that human love is always conditional, or that our pets understand every pain we carry.

But our bond with them can offer us a simple, beautiful experience:

You don't have to prove anything to enjoy the moment you are living.

And perhaps, by spending time with them, we can learn to treat ourselves a little more gently, too.

Eckhart Tolle calls pets “Guardians of Being.”

I love that expression.

Sometimes, the teachers who help us return to the present moment don't say a single word.

A dog sleeping peacefully.

A cat watching the rain through the window.

A little furry creature resting quietly beside you on an ordinary afternoon.

They don't ask you to awaken.

They don't ask you to stop thinking.

But when you truly pay attention to them, you may notice your mind slowing down, and life revealing itself right in front of you.

Perhaps we spend so much time learning how to live better that we sometimes forget the simplest way to live:

To be here, with what is already here.

09/10/2026

Although this video focuses on the loss of a dog, pet loss grief isn’t species specific. Xx ❤️‍🩹🌈🐾

25/09/2026

Hi 👋 Just a reminder that I have published 2 books to support those suffering from pet loss grief. How to Recover From Pet Loss & Colouring For Pet Loss.
I have a downloadable/print at home version of the colour therapy workbook available from my Stan store. Links below.
I hope they help anyone who needs them. Xx 🙏❤️‍🩹🌈🐾

http://mybook.to/RecoverFromPetLoss

https://shop.bookvault.app/product/colouring-for-pet-loss/

https://stan.store/wendyandrew

Stan | Linksite

23/09/2026

Beautiful xx ❤️‍🩹

Sending love to anyone who has ever lost a pet. They are more than just pets. They become family and friends to us when they enter our lives.

16/09/2026

Sincere condolences to the Obama family on the sad loss of their beloved Sunny. Xx 💔🌈🐾

15/09/2026

I think this would be a lovely memorial piece. Xx 🥰❤️‍🩹🌈🐾

03/09/2026

If you’re considering making a donation to an animal charity in memory of your pet, please consider donating to this appeal to help the animals caught in the Nepalese disaster xx 🙏❤️‍🩹🌈🐾

Your gift will help with the care of the animals we rescue and all of our lifesaving efforts for animals across the globe, including those suffering from natural disasters, humanitarian crises and at the hands of humans.