In this article Dr Sife, founder of the APLB, talks about the deep and enduring bond we share with our beloved pets. The bond, by Dr. Wallace Sife (2002) Pet lovers all talk so knowingly about the bond because we have a such deep emotional involvement with it. Animals who become our companions quickly turn into our best friends and confidants – constant supporters and even spiritual comrades. Therefore, we are really all committed experts on this subject. The bond is so potent and significant that it actually helps define who we are. And knowing that can help us with many other things in our ..read more

My best friend Watson by MaryLouise (Toronto, Canada) Watson came to us as a puppy. It was an instant connection with every member of the family. This little guy was full of charisma, love, bounce and playfulness. He captured our hearts. Watson was loyal, warm and cuddly, affectionate and gentle. He slowly developed a vocabulary and understood so many words. He was such an intelligent little sweetheart. He was such a good tempered little guy, but he barked at strangers to protect his home and loved ones. We always made a point to have Watson with us and seldom left him home alone. We made him ..read more

In this essay from our Spring 2007 newsletter, Dr Sife discusses how the death of a beloved pet forces us to confront and deal with a major life change.   Change – Dr. Wallace Sife. Ph.D. At times we become unwitting victims of our own design. Our accumulated habits and practices can too easily take control and imprison us. Wisdom teaches us that in time all knowledge and experience becomes obsolete. But many find that difficult to address because they have become self-impaired – limited and confined by their entrenched ways of thinking and behaving. After a loved one dies that becomes e ..read more

  Our founder, Dr Wallace Sife, was moved to establish the APLB after the sudden death of his beloved miniature dachshund, Edel Meister. He was devastated by the loss of his dear little dog and found his training as a psychologist of little help. In this article from the Spring 2002 edition of our newsletter, Dr Sife shares some of his wisdom. Some Personal Observations – Wallace Sife, Ph.D. There is one marvelous thing that my own loss has taught me, and I now incorporate that into all my counseling: Each of us is capable of wonders. When we reach deep down, into our very being, we can ..read more

  This is the second in our series of articles by our founder, Dr Wallace Sife, that we’re publishing as part of celebrating 25 years of the APLB as a not-for-profit. In this article Dr. Sife talks about guilt – an intrinsic and very painful component of grief. We acknowledge that some thinking and research on this topic may have changed since it was published in the Autumn 1999 edition of our newsletter.   SOME REFLECTIONS ON GUILT, DURING BEREAVEMENT – Wallace Sife, Ph.D. Guilt is a psychological invention, based on insecurity or negative self-evaluation. It is a normal response t ..read more

by Mark Zimmer, DVM, PhD (retired) | In my years in private small practice, I assisted many clients who chose to breed their animals. In addition, as part of owning an exotic bird store, I had many breeding pairs of birds and was very involved in the breeding and in the raising of the babies. There are a lot of positive and negative factors in breeding animals, and these should be carefully considered before choosing to do so. So, let’s talk through the issues and I’ll share some of my personal experiences with you. The first thing to do is to decide why you wish to breed your pet. I have see ..read more

Our president, Colleen Rolland, speaks on pet loss grief on NPR ..read more

I spend a lot of time staring out the window at my bird feeders which are a flurry of activity. I have my “Birds of California” book handy, although I know the regulars –  finches, towhees, chickadees, and lots and lots of squirrels, which might as well be in the “Birds of California” book. One bird stands out every time. She is a Mourning Dove and she is alone. It’s unusual to see a lone Mourning Dove, as these birds mate for life. But there she is, wandering through the flowers and picking at seeds on the ground. Oftentimes, I’ll find her sitting up on the hill under the acacia tree, on ..read more

By Catherine Pearson | Published March 1, 2024 Updated March 5, 2024 Few things hurt like losing a pet. Even Jon Stewart, the “The Daily Show” host, broke down on air when he announced the death of his beloved, three-legged brindle pit bull, Dipper — a raw, touching segment that exemplified the deep grief many pet owners feel. When an animal dies, owners lose companionship, affection and “just plain unconditional love — and we don’t find that in many places in our lives,” said Sherry Cormier, a psychologist and author of “Sweet Sorrow: Finding Enduring Wholeness After Loss and Grief.” Our soci ..read more

By Lauren Gill | Feb. 4, 2024 The number of resources for coping with a pet’s death has grown in recent years as some providers noticed an uptick in demand for their services. The death of a pet can leave its owner with complex feelings that they may struggle to process alone. “People sometimes think they’re going crazy,” said Colleen Rolland, the president of the Association for Pet Loss and Bereavement.Credit…Andrew B. Myers for The New York Times Weeks after Maria Sandomenico’s Chihuahua, Luigi, died last August, she shared a long post in a Facebook group for residents of the Park Sl ..read more