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

By Elizabeth Hewitt | January 24, 2024 Adopting a friend’s cat kept her in my family’s lives. The death of that cat brought up layers of grief. When I called my mother on the phone one early November afternoon, her voice was weary. She’d picked up one of her cats, Isis, from the vet with bad news. The green-eyed tabby of unknown age had developed a tumor in her mouth that was inoperable. She had only a short time left before she would no longer be able to eat or drink. Lulu and a friend | Credit: Courtesy of Hope Green My family home has always had at least a couple feline residents. Bu ..read more

The loss of a beloved pet is a profoundly emotional experience, leaving an indelible void in the lives of those who cherished their four-legged companions. The bonds we share with our animals are woven with memories, laughter and the unspoken language of unconditional love. As the inevitable cycle of life takes its course, some owners are faced with a profound question: How long should one wait after losing a pet to welcome another into their heart and home? “Grieving takes a lot of mental, physical, and emotional energy ― and so does bonding with a new pet,” Judith Harbour, a ..read more

I saw Bullett for the first time when he was just a few days old. When he got out of his box and came over and laid in my lap, I knew he had chosen me. Four weeks later Bullett came home. It was the week before Christmas. That spring he quickly learned to potty outside. I hung some bells on the backdoor and every time he wanted out he rang the bells – and if you didn’t come quick he’d bang them. Bullett and I went everywhere together. When he was a year old, he started playing with the hose and he would chase me with it – once he even tore through a screen to get to it. He loved his squeaky to ..read more

Even though our Story Project is now closed, you can still tell your story. Please consider creating a memorial for your pet on our Pet Memorials page by becoming a Silver or Platinum Member. Your membership helps the APLB continue to provide our services to all those who have lost a pet and are navigating the waters of pet loss. Click Here to Join the APLB Today Click Here to View Our Pet Memorial Page Click Here to See How to Create a Pet Memorial of Your Own ..read more

We look forward to a full moon every month when we say, “This is Roxie’s moon” – the orange full moon we saw the evening Roxie died. Roxie defied the odds. She lived through a stroke, thyroid disease, heart disease, dental disease, cancer, and finally succumbed at age 20 ½ after two years of pancreatitis. As we petted Roxie for the last time, our vet told us that she often spoke of Roxie as a model for other pets whose guardians faced their own pet’s life or death decisions. As the vet left the room, I shook Roxie’s paw one last time and said, “Bye kitty.” Roxie came to us as a tiny fur ball f ..read more

It’s been over a year since Sascha left us and I still feel her spirit every day. Sascha, my beautiful gray tabby with the gorgeous green eyes… One of many cats in my life but by far the most memorable. Such a funny, spunky, unpredictable and adorable ball of fur. We met at the local shelter in October 2019. Something about her grabbed me and I asked if I could hold her. I sensed an instant bond and took her home that day, not having any idea how this would go with my husband and senior Labradoodle, Mikey, but somehow it felt right. I thought I knew cats, but this one was different. Sascha was ..read more

Cupcake was a little black dog with tan highlights who weighed seven kilos and who changed my life. When I came to live in Figueres, I didn’t know a soul. I adopted Cupcake when he was nine years old, after I had been here for two years. After about two weeks, I took him to the dog park so he could socialize, and within a short time we both had friends. Cupcake was a stoic dog, probably a Tibetan Spaniel. Tibetan Spaniels were bred to guard Buddhist temples. They are Zen. Cupcake was Zen. We started walking on a country path that goes from Figueres to the nearby village of Vilabertran, about a ..read more