Blog
Pet Parents: A Journey Through Unconditional Love & Grief
Coleen Ellis lost her “baby girl” in 2003, and she was devastated. No one understood how she could be so upset over losing “just a dog,” and she could never really say goodbye to her terrier-schnauzer mix, Mico. To help pet parents everywhere, she opened the first...
Pet Parents Say “I Do!”
In life, and in death, Pet Parents want human services for their pet "kids!" Ah, yes, one more area that pet parents are saying “pets are family, too!” The Wall Street Journal had another fabulous article reporting on yet another trend in the pet industry - pets in...
One Good Dog
He had everything. A good life. A great career. A beautiful home and family. Coming from nothing he´d made it all on his own. His heart had hardened but he had "achieved." And, just like that, it was all gone. Yes, he´d been there before and knew what "nothing" felt...
GrandPuppies & GrandKitties!
Proud to be a GrandPuppy-Parent! Did you see CNN last week? My good friend, Jim Rudolph, made me aware of their latest finding! Grand-puppies! The latest demographic to emerge in this crazy pet world,... there are now officially “grandpuppy-parents!” And, let me tell...
Another birthday passed,..
While she died eight years ago, I still remember her birthday like it was yesterday. Saturday, March 19th. A day that I will forever remember as "Mico´s birthday." Oh yea,... I don´t know if that´s the exact date but through some simple math given what the Humane...
Think inside the box when serving families
Give families the service that your team does best! I just got back from a fabulous conference. Alright, it was a conference of insurance executives, but it was incredible as it was all about marketing! Always an interesting topic! The highlight of the conference was...
Remembering Ebony
Creating an experience of "saying good-bye" for Ebony´s family Typical of my work, I found myself on a plane yet again, on my way to Scottsdale, Arizona, to address a group of funeral professionals on the topic of pet loss services. Such an honor to share my story and...
The Power of Personalization
Honoring Cajun - The Best Dog In The World I´m having a great time working the North American Veterinary Conference in Orlando this week! I can´t believe my good fortune - animal “stuff” all around me! Just heaven! As I visit with the various attendees and other...
Education is key!
From families to veterinarians, make sure your customer understands what they are selling. I spent the day in the field yesterday with a wonderful pet funeral home client. We had a spirited “Lunch and Learn” session at a fabulous veterinary clinic - educating them on...
At the holidays, help them remember,…
The holidays are hard,... how are you helping your families? The holidays are upon us,.. and for those of us that are facing the first holiday season without a beloved pet, this beautiful season is also laced with sadness. I´m one of those pet parents,... My precious...
I WANT to say Good-Bye
Pet Parents want the oppotunity to say good-bye,.. As a grieving pet parent, we WANT that opportunity to say good-bye to our precious deceased pet. But, I digress - do I truly WANT that? No, because what I really want is to have my pet back. But, do I now NEED this...
How are you letting families honor their precious pets?
Give them an outlet to pay tribute to this love that was shared As you service families who are experiencing the loss of their precious pets, make sure that you are proving all opportunities for them to honor these losses. While there are 62% of people who own a pet -...
See me in New Orleans at NFDA 2010!
I just love sharing information with other pet care professionals - see me in New Orleans! Do you think that the only way to do a pet loss business is LIKE everyone else - through the veterinarians? Are you wanting the service aspect of a pet loss business to...
Memorialization IS about what you offer to grieving pet parents!
People "don´t know what they don´t know" when it comes to honoring their pets - guide them! Pet parents "don´t know what they don´t know" when it comes to honoring their pet´s life. As a pet loss professional, it´s our responsibility to guide these families and to...
Help Your Families Remember Their Pets
Today is National Pet Memorial Day - are you helping your families honor the story Today is a day of remembrance for any pet parent who has had a special pet die. From all of the pets that we grew up with to my most recent losses of Mico and Mike The Dog - I remember...
Memorialization Items for Grief Support
Give your families various options for memorialization items - they truly want choices! when it comes to honoring a beloved deceased pet, more times than not families "don´t know what they don´t know." It´s our responsibility as a pet loss professional to have these...
For Paws Hospice Seminar
The learning that you´ve been looking for! For Paws Hospice in Clearwater, Florida, is organizing a phenomenal event to guide pet care professionals in the area of pet hospice. From understanding the elements of pet care in the home to the inevitable death of our...
The importance of memorialization items for a family
How to help a family with a visual reminder, something to hold on to of their beloved deceased pet It´s only been a few short weeks since my beautiful Golden Retriever died. However, I am like most grieving pet parents, I´m scared that I will forget all of the details...
Be a “Go Giver”
A good read as you find your mission with your pet loss business "The Go-Giver" is a quick read - but a read with ideas for daily life that will certainly stick with you. Starting with the first law, the Law of Value - "Your true worth is determined by how much more...
The Center for Loss – 2nd Pet Loss Companioning Course
Are you a pet care professional wanting to further your skills in working with grieving families? Join us here! "What an insightful and interactive experience. I enjoyed the group current and contributions--which is a great kudo to Coleen and to Alan." Helen Buchanan...
Pet Loss & Grief Companioning Certification Registration
The three days of learning about pet loss and grief are intense and full of information! Not only that - but the networking with other pet loss professionals is priceless! It´s an honor to do this course for those wanting to further their skills in the area of pet...