Explaining the concept of death to a child is a very difficult, confusing, and uncomfortable experience for a parent, educator, or therapist, and it is a topic that is often first introduced by the loss of a pet - sometimes a child's earliest exposure to loss and grief. There is an undeniably special bond that develops between people and their pets, especially between animals and young children, and while the death of a pet can be devastating to an adult, children are often deeply affected by such a loss. Without readily available outlets for their feelings, the trauma of pet loss can remain...

This updated edition of Pet Loss and Human Emotion is a step-by-step guide to leading clients through this special kind of grief. Includes resources and a section on pet loss and natural disasters. As society accepts that grieving over the death of a loved one is not only normal, but healthy and necessary, grieving over the loss of a pet is often seen differently. Expressed feelings often go unvalidated when in truth, pet loss is a unique form of grief that can be quite intense and debilitating, increasing an individual's vulnerability to subsequent stress and leaving them feeling isolated...

Explaining the concept of death to a child is a very difficult, confusing, and uncomfortable experience for a parent, educator, or therapist, and it is a topic that is often first introduced by the loss of a pet - sometimes a child's earliest exposure to loss and grief. There is an undeniably special bond that develops between people and their pets, especially between animals and young children, and while the death of a pet can be devastating to an adult, children are often deeply affected by such a loss. Without readily available outlets for their feelings, the trauma of pet loss can remain...