Pet Loss Hotlines


If you do not feel comfortable or it is not personal enough using our Pet Loss Chat room or Forum, below are some Pet Loss hotlines that are manned by people who can help.


  • 508-285-2525 National Cancer Support Group for Animals. We are a group that provides support for those individuals who have or are going to loss a pet. Although our focus is on those dealing with cancer we are available to all those who love their "babies." Available 24 hours / 7 days a week.

  • 540-231-8038 Staffed by Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine; Tuesday, Thursday, 6pm to 9 pm, ET

  • (801) 272-9555 Elaine Winter, LCSW - 1414 E 4500 S Suite 4 - Salt Lake City, UT 84117 Licensed Clinical Social Worker, specializing in pet bereavement counseling.

  • (250) 389-8047-P.A.T.S.; Pet Loss Support Line - Greater Victoria area, B.C. The Pet Loss Support Line is a service offered by the Pacific Animal Therapy Society and offers emotional support to anyone who has experienced or is anticipating the loss of a pet, for any reason. 8:00 AM to 9:00 PM Daily (Pacific Time) Long distance calls will be returned collect.

  • (973) 377-7094 St. Hubert's Animal Welfare Center - 575 Woodland Avenue - Madison, NJ 07940 - For the past 8 years they have offered pet loss support group sessions at no cost every Tuesday evening at their facility. Individual sessions are also available for a nominal fee.

  • (602) 995-5885; Companion Animal Association of Arizona - Scottsdale, AZ

  • 561 901-4800 Beloved Buddies, Inc., Boca Raton, Florida
    President-Debbie Feibus

  • 310-799-4455 Barbara Jacobs Fistanic, LCSW, 13323 Washington Boulevard, Suite 200, Los Angeles CA 90066. Services are charged on an hourly basis.
  •  

  • 352-392-4700; then dial 1 and 4080 Staffed by University of Florida veterinary students; weekdays, 7 pm to 9 pm, Eastern Time (ET) - This hotline will call back anyone, anywhere, at no cost to the caller.

  • 888-ISU-PLSH Pet Loss Support Hotline hosted by the Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine. Operational seven days a week, 6pm to 9pm (CST) from Sept-April; Monday, Wednesday, Thursday from 6:00-9:00 pm (CST) from May-August.

  • 630-325-1600Staffed by Chicago VMA veterinarians and staffs. Leave voice-mail message; calls will be returned 7 pm to 9 pm, CT (Long-distance calls will be returned collect)

  • 877-394-2273 Staffed by University of Illinois veterinary students. Student volunteers are at the phone to answer calls on Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday evenings from 7-9 p.m. Central Time. Callers may leave a message any time, and calls will be returned at their next shift, if not before. email: griefhelp@cvm.uiuc.edu

  • (612) 624-4747; University of Minnesota School of Veterinary Medicine - Minneapolis, MI

  • (831) 649-6283 - (831) 625-5573 Pet Psyc - Terri M. Austin, Ph.D. - PO Box 2711 - Monterey, CA 93942. Companion animal counseling educational services. Death/loss of pet, pet-assisted therapy, veterinary referrals, animal care education.

  • (201) 377-2295; St. Hubert’s Giralda - Madison, NJ

  • (208) 236-2546 Sandra Brackenridge, MSW, BCD,LSW-P - Asst. Prof. of Social Work - Idaho - Author of "Because of Flowers and Dancers". Phone for pet loss and grief support. - No charge except the phone call.

  • (888) 773-2683; The Grief Recovery Institute - Beverly Hills, CA

  • (414) 376 0340 The Rainbow Passage - Pet Loss Support and Bereavement Center. Charlene Douglas - 1528 E. River Rd. - Grafton, WI 53024 Email: douglasc@execpc.com or douglasc@alpha1.csd.uwm.edu Telephone, written correspondence, and Internet pet loss support is free of charge. Also a Pet Loss Packet of information is available free upon request. Individual and group support sessions are also available.

  • 614/292-1823 Staffed by The Ohio State University veterinary students; Monday - Friday, 6:30 pm to 9:30 pm, ET; Saturday and Sunday 10 am - 4 pm. Voice-mail messages will be returned during operating hours free of charge.

  • (800) 404-7387; Pet Friends, Inc. - Moorestown, NJ

  • 607-253-3932 Cornell University Pet Loss Support Hotline staffed by Cornell University Veterinary Students Tuesday-Thursday 6-9pmET, messages will be returned.

  • (303) 221-4535; Colorado State University School of Veterinary Medicine - Fort Collins, CO

  • 517-432-2696 Staffed by Michigan State University veterinary students; Tuesday to Thursday, 6:30 pm to 9:30 pm, ET

  • 508-839-7966 Staffed by Tufts University veterinary students; Mon-Fri, 6-9PM EST 24 hour voice-mail; calls from outside Massachusetts returned collect.

  • 516-785-6416 Paw To Heart Animal Bereavement Support Services. Offering pet loss support groups free of charge since 1992. Educational material, lectures and workshops, one on one telephone and e-mail support also provided. Contact Medea Berkman, founder and group facilitator, Box 317, Massapequa, New York, 11758, email-pawtoheart@usa.net

  • (212) 838-8100; Animal Medical Center - New York , NY

  • (212) 876-7700; ASPCA - New York , NY. E-mail: counselor@aspca.org - Beeper: (800) 946-4646 PIN Number: 140-7211. Leave your telephone number and Dr. LaFarge will return your call.

  • (212) 532-6395 ; Bide-A-Wee Foundation - New York, NY

  • 718-720-5548 -  Barbara Meyers, Certified Grief Therapist - Staten Island, NY -  Home, Office and Long Distance Phone Consultations.  Complimentary initial evaluation (by phone) is available without cost - Holistic Animal Consulting Center. www.holisticanimalconsultingcenter.com

  • (888) 478-7574; Iowa State University School of Veterinary Medicine - Ames, IA. Hours of operation: September-April: 7 days a week, 6:00- 9:00 p.m. CST, May-August: Monday, Wednesday, Friday, 6:00-9:00 p.m. CST

  • 1-800-404-PETS (toll-free) or 1-609-667-1717 (Local Southern New Jersey calls) PetFriends Inc. Pet Loss Support Hotline, Moorestown, NJ
    Local calls will be returned within 24 hours, free of charge.
    Long distance calls will be returned collect within 24 hours.

  • (708) 603-3994; Chicago Veterinary Medical Association - Chicago, IL

  • 1-(866) 266-8635 or (509) 335-5704; Washington State University - Pullman, WA - http://www.vetmed.wsu.edu/PLHl/

  • (530) 926-6424 Sharon Callahan - PO Box 1056 - Mount Shasta, CA 96067. Free grief counseling.

  • (215) 898-4525; University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine - Philadelphia, PA

  • 1 800 704 291 - Tel. (02) 9746 1911 The Australian Centre for Companion Animals in Society (ACCAS) operates a national pet loss grief hotline in Australia between 7 and 9pm every evening.

  • 530-752-4200 Staffed by University of California-Davis veterinary students; weekdays, 6:30 pm to 9:30 pm, Pacific Time (PT) Toll free:800-565-1526
  • (908) 766-0110 - Deborah Antinori, MA, RDT, LPC Licensed Professional Counselor. A Director of Therapy at Davison Counseling Center™ Pet Loss & Lifespan Transitions Counseling. Basking Ridge, NJ (Somerset County). A Fee based individual pet loss counseling, most insurance applicable, phone consults available for those unable to travel or living at a distance. Deborah is the award-winning author of the audiobook, Journey Through Pet Loss.
  • (800) 445-4808) - M-F 9am-5pm PT
  • (602) 995-5885 - Companion Animal Assn; 24 hrs
  • (970) 491-1242 - Colorado State University, M-F 9-5 MT
  • (317) 251-4028 - Indiana Pet Loss Support Group
  • (210) 227-4357 - Texas United Way Helpline; 7am-3pm CT
  • 089 161 5285 - Great Britain Society for Companion Animal Studies. Fee: 49p/minute Monday thru Friday 8am-6pm; 39p/minute otherwise.

Return to the Grief Loss Grief Center