PET BEREAVEMENT SUPPORT SERVICE
Saying goodbye to a cat is always sad, difficult, and often traumatic.
The Blue Cross’s Pet Bereavement Support Service (PBSS) aims to help people know that they’re not alone.
“We all respond to loss in varied ways,” said Diane James, PBSS manager.“How we react will often depend on factors such as our age and personality, the age of our pet, and the circumstances of their loss. Generally, the more significant our pet is to us, the more intense the emotional pain we feel.”
The free and confidential service started 27 years ago and now has a team of 155 fully-trained volunteers. They handle about 15,000 calls and emails a year, with more and more people turning to web chat to get in touch. The charity also has leaflets on preparing for an animal’s death and a guide on dealing with loss.
“We were particularly busy last December when we had a 38 per cent rise in calls compared with the last year,” said Diane.“The festive period can be really hard for those on their own who may be experiencing their first Christmas without a wellloved cat or remembering past times with their furry friends who are no longer here.
“Last year we also were in lockdown which meant that owners weren’t able to say that last goodbye to cats who were put to sleep and also many people didn’t have the chance to talk to others about their cats so it was even harder for them.”
Diane said that PBSS was also getting busier with more widespread recognition of the grief that losing a pet can bring. More GPs and medical professionals are also recommending the service to patients in need. “We support, signpost help, and listen.” And she added: “Remember there is no time limit on grief — our experience is different for each of us.”
The Pet Bereavement Support Service is available daily from 8.30am to 8.30pm on 0800 096 6606 or by emailing pbssmail@bluecross.org.uk For more information visit www.bluecross.org.uk/about-pbss, where you can also live chat and find details of a closed pet loss support community on Facebook.