Paws & Presence https://pawsandpresence.ca/blog/ Writing on companion animal end of life and pet loss grief - for families, and for the veterinary teams who care for them. en-ca Tue, 18 Aug 2026 20:45:48 +0000 Why losing a pet is harder than people expect https://pawsandpresence.ca/blog/why-losing-a-pet-is-harder/ https://pawsandpresence.ca/blog/why-losing-a-pet-is-harder/ Mon, 21 Sep 2026 09:00:00 +0000 You were not expecting it to be this big. Five reasons pet loss lands harder than people expect - and why none of them is a flaw in you. There is a day for this. You don't have to observe it. https://pawsandpresence.ca/blog/pet-memorial-day/ https://pawsandpresence.ca/blog/pet-memorial-day/ Mon, 07 Sep 2026 09:00:00 +0000 The second Sunday of September is Pet Memorial Day. Why a date helps some grieving people and lands badly on others - and permission to do nothing at all with it. When the decision isn’t only yours https://pawsandpresence.ca/blog/when-the-decision-isnt-only-yours/ https://pawsandpresence.ca/blog/when-the-decision-isnt-only-yours/ Tue, 18 Aug 2026 09:00:00 +0000 When an animal belongs to more than one person, the decision to say goodbye can arrive with two people on opposite sides. Why you are not seeing the same animal, and how to live with a decision that was not yours. What if I feel guilty that life is easier now? https://pawsandpresence.ca/blog/what-if-i-feel-guilty-that-life-is-easier-now/ https://pawsandpresence.ca/blog/what-if-i-feel-guilty-that-life-is-easier-now/ Sun, 16 Aug 2026 09:00:00 +0000 The relief nobody warns you about after caring for a sick or elderly animal - and why feeling lighter is not the same as being glad they are gone. Clinic leaders: why invest in support for your team? https://pawsandpresence.ca/blog/why-invest-in-team-support/ https://pawsandpresence.ca/blog/why-invest-in-team-support/ Tue, 04 Aug 2026 09:00:00 +0000 The euthanasia appointment is the one families remember for years. A fatigued team can't consistently deliver it well - what structured support actually changes. The story behind the name, and the logo https://pawsandpresence.ca/blog/the-story-behind-our-name/ https://pawsandpresence.ca/blog/the-story-behind-our-name/ Fri, 31 Jul 2026 09:00:00 +0000 Where Paws & Presence and its logo came from, and what the tree, the heart, and the paw are meant to say. What is the human-animal bond? https://pawsandpresence.ca/blog/the-human-animal-bond/ https://pawsandpresence.ca/blog/the-human-animal-bond/ Sun, 26 Jul 2026 09:00:00 +0000 Why losing a pet hurts as much as it does. The bond isn't sentimentality; it runs along some of the same pathways as our deepest human attachments. They were never “just” a pet https://pawsandpresence.ca/blog/they-were-never-just-a-pet/ https://pawsandpresence.ca/blog/they-were-never-just-a-pet/ Wed, 22 Jul 2026 09:00:00 +0000 The grief you feel when a pet dies is never just sadness. On disenfranchised grief, and why pet loss deserves real support. What is a “companion animal end-of-life doula”? https://pawsandpresence.ca/blog/what-is-a-companion-end-of-life-doula/ https://pawsandpresence.ca/blog/what-is-a-companion-end-of-life-doula/ Sat, 18 Jul 2026 09:00:00 +0000 An unusual job title, explained: how I support families before, during, and after the loss of a companion animal, alongside your veterinarian rather than in place of them. How do I know when it’s time? https://pawsandpresence.ca/blog/how-do-i-know-when-its-time/ https://pawsandpresence.ca/blog/how-do-i-know-when-its-time/ Tue, 14 Jul 2026 09:00:00 +0000 There is rarely a moment that announces itself. What to look at instead when you're trying to decide whether it's time to say goodbye to your pet.