Washington State University's College of Veterinary Medicine has established a program to help people grieving the loss of a pet. The Pet Loss Hotline acts as an outlet for people to share their feelings. Ruby supervises and trains the veterinary students that staff the hotline.
Women tend to call with questions and men usually just talk about their grief.
We are a safe outlet for them to share their feelings. The hotline works by people calling in and leaving a message, and then a hotline worker calls them back with a collect call. Additionally, the hotline has a Web site with an e-mail link, for people who are too upset to talk or who can't afford the collect call. Veterinary students who staff the hotline receive 10 hours of training, covering their personal thoughts and experiences with death, basic counseling and specific grief counseling techniques. The hotline takes a variety of calls, but most pertain to the guilt associated with euthanasia, overall feelings of grief and loss, and parents who want to help their children deal with the loss of a pet.