The SPCA Pet Loss Support Group welcomes anyone grieving the loss of a pet, regardless of when your pet passed away or where you are in the grieving process.  The SPCA Pet Loss Support Group allows you to share with and learn from others who are grieving the loss of a beloved pet too. 

The group is facilitated by a non-denominational chaplain and, when available, a counseling professional.  While beneficial, the SPCA Pet Loss Support Group is not intended to replace professional counseling services or physician recommendations.  It simply provides a space for sharing with others who have experienced the loss of a pet while being directed to grief resources.

The SPCA Pet Loss Support Group meets at the SPCA Pet Adoption Center just off Tryon Road/ S. Wilmington Street in Raleigh. It is offered as a free service to the community.

People are encouraged to sign-up in advance at the SPCA events calendar (personal information remains confidential) or drop-in. The meetings are open to all who are interested.

In 2010, the SPCA Pet Loss Support Group will meet on the third Sunday of the month, 3:30-5:30 p.m. Specific dates can be found at the SPCA events calendar.

Please download a flyer to share with others who may need help or share with your veterinarian and other pet professionals. (.pdf format)

For more information feel free to contact Vanessa Budnick, Humane Educator, at 919-532-2087 or vbudnick @ spcawake.org .

Pet Loss Support Group Facilitator:
Rob Gierka is President of Pet Chaplain, Inc., a North Carolina non-profit which provides client advocacy and grief training in veterinary environments. Rob has served as hospital chaplain at Rex Hospital and the North Carolina School of Veterinary Medicine Veterinary Teaching Hospital.

His nonprofit, Pet Chaplain, Inc., has been featured on National Public Radio and North Carolina Public Television. You may learn more about Pet Chaplain, Inc. on the website at petchaplain.org.