Give yourself permission to grieve. Denying these natural emotions can elevate stress and physical fatigue.
Seek out friends and family members who share your compassion for animals. Focus more on their good intentions and not necessarily their words. Animal Friends is a great resource in this way.
Dismiss and ignore comments from those who may trivialize your loss. They may never have had a pet or recognized the closeness of your friendship with your pet.
Recognize that your departed pet is one-of-a-kind who can never be replaced. When you are ready to adopt a new pet, embrace that new pet for her uniqueness and avoid comparing her to your previous pet.
Treat yourself well. Eat healthy meals and get ample sleep. This is often ignored.
Fight through sad or blue moods by exercising. Physical activity raises endorphins and other feel-good hormones in your body. Take longer walks or bike rides, for example, in scenic areas.
Avoid declarations such as, “I will never get another pet.” These statements hinder your healing process.
Ritualize your pet’s death through a ceremony or memorial service. The greatest way to honor the memory of a pet is to learn how to become a better person for having them in your life. Please call Animal Friends about our Pet Remembrance services at 412.847.7031.
Spend time recalling happy, silly, fond memories you shared with your pet. Consider writing a letter or poem to and from your departed pet. Getting words down on paper can sometimes help the grieving process.
“All of the employees and volunteers are so dedicated to the welfare of the animals.
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Gail F.
“Wonderful place to volunteer as well as help lower the stray pet population.”
Amy J.
“Nebby is loving his new home with all his toys! Thanks Animal Friends for giving him a second chance!”
Michelle F.
“Excellent dog training classes!! Fun for doggies of all ages!”
Roseanne C.
“ Absolutely wonderful place. We frequently return for classes and grooming!”
Thomas B.
“Great staff and volunteers!”
Victoria D.
“Very caring and friendly staff! The dogs and I love it here!”
Alisa G.
“We got our baby girl Maya there over a year ago and had a wonderful experience!!! They were friendly and helped us adopt our fun, vocal, sassy beautiful girl as a member of our family.”
Leah C.
“Such a clean, organized and loving environment! Beautiful campus and a very well run organization.
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Kerry W.
“Thank you to everyone who helped us to find and adopt loving Jack ... can't recommend you guys more.”
Cody M.
“I'm glad that we got our kittens from a place that loves animals as much as we do. Thank you!”
“Awesome staff – they take great care of the animals and go above and beyond for veterans.”
J. Els
“Animal Friends is the most sophisticated place to adopt a new pet. If ever I plan to expand my furry family, I will go to Animal Friends to find him.”
Dana G.
“I tell everyone that I know to check Animal Friends if they are looking for a pet.”
Randy M.
“I start my puppy training class today and my cat training class tomorrow at Animal Friends! I’m so excited! ”
Madelyn S.
“They were so helpful in the adoption process and made sure I knew all the details of the dog I adopted!”
Sydney Y.
“Love the staff! Wonderful facility. ”
Kara B.
“Friendly staff! Reasonable prices!”
Stephanie M.
“There are so many amazing things about Animal Friends! We are truly blessed with them.
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Sari’ah K.
“Animal friends is the best! I got my sweet girl Aspen there and the staff was so friendly and helpful.”
Ashley W.
“This is the most awesome shelter I've ever dealt with. The staff are so caring and kind. The educational programs are amazing”
Faith C.
“Very friendly staff! Affordable prices and very well maintained facility!”
Bruna M.
“I had dropped off my cat to be spayed, very friendly staff, I am confident they will take excellent care of her.”
Lynette W.
“Great, clean facility and friendly staff!
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Christie B.
“We adopted a Ross dog from Animal Friends, and they gave us with our dog’s history and provided behavioral support after adoption!”
Missy T.
“We adopted Nico after the meet and greet went well with the family! Everyone here was so helpful and kind!”
Anna W.
“Highly recommend bunny yoga! Smoothly run event, super friendly and fun staff, great yoga class, annnnd BUNNIES!”
Nae B.
“I volunteer here and the amount of time and care they take with the animals is above and beyond.”
