Losing a pet is one of the most difficult experiences a pet parent can go through. Why? Because they are an unconditional source of love, silliness, and joy in our lives.

Whether you’re facing the tough decision of saying goodbye or you’re navigating the grief that follows, having access to the right tools and resources can make a world of difference.

Below, we’ve compiled a list of valuable tools to guide you through every step of this journey. Ranging from quality of life calculators to helpful apps, let’s break them down below.

Knowing When It’s Time to Say Goodbye To Your Pet

One of the hardest decisions pet parents have to make is determining when their pet’s quality of life has declined to a point where euthanasia is the kindest option. It can be incredibly difficult to separate emotions from the reality of your pet’s condition, but there are structured tools to help make this decision with confidence and love.

Here are a few resources that we trust at Euthabag!

Quality of Life & Pain Assessment Tools

Euthabag’s Quality of Life Assessment Calculator – This interactive tool guides you through a comprehensive evaluation of your pet’s well-being, covering factors such as mobility, appetite, hydration, interactions, and overall happiness. By answering a series of questions, pet parents can gain clarity on their pet’s condition and bring their results to their vet to start the quality of life conversation. This tool can help you ask the right questions when assessing your pet’s reality.

Preview of questions in our Quality of Life Calculator. Click the link above to use this helpful tool.

Pain Management & Symptom Tracking Tools

It can be difficult to know just how much pain our pets are currently experiencing, or if their symptoms are worsening over time. It’s important to learn how to read your pet’s body language, because the absence of crying doesn’t mean they aren’t in pain. Thankfully, there are apps that can help you log your pet’s daily activities and better understand how they are feeling.

Here are a few pain and symptom tracking apps for pets that we trust.

PainTrak App: Helps pet parents track and log signs of pain in their pets, making it easier to share symptoms with veterinarians.

Feline Grimace Scale: A tool used to assess pain in cats based on their facial expressions. It evaluates five key facial action units: ear position, eyelid appearance, muzzle tension, whisker position, and head position. This tool is completely free for pet parents, and it is available in five languages.

Penn Vet Quality of Life Tool: This app, suitable for dogs and cats, calculates scores for behavioral, physical, and environmental quality of life.

We highly recommend booking a quality of life assessment with your veterinary team, as they have grown to know your pet over the years. They will not only have your pet’s best interest at heart, but yours as well. Together, you can make an informed decision about your pet’s future.

While these apps are helpful, they do not replace the guidance of a trusted veterinarian.

Coping With Pet Loss & Grief

Grieving the loss of a pet is deeply personal, and it can be overwhelming to process emotions while trying to adjust to life without your furry companion. There are many ways to find comfort, whether through literature, online communities, or professional counseling.

Books on Pet Loss & Healing

We have a page on our website that lists more than 60 pet loss support books for children and adults, so be sure to check it out if you’d like to see a wide selection of options. For now, here are a few of our favorite books about pet loss.

The Rainbow Bridge: A Visit to Pet Paradise by Adrian Raeside – A beautifully illustrated book that provides comfort and reassurance for pet parents of all ages.

Going Home: Finding Peace When Pets Die by Jon Katz – Offers insight into the emotional complexities of pet loss and ways to cope.

The Loss of a Pet by Wallace Sife – A comprehensive guide to understanding grief, with advice on how to heal from pet loss.

Goodbye, Friend: Healing Wisdom for Anyone Who Has Ever Lost a Pet by Gary Kowalski – Discusses the spiritual and emotional aspects of pet loss, helping pet parents find closure.

When Your Pet Dies: A Guide to Mourning, Remembering, and Healing by Alan Wolfelt – A practical and emotional guide to navigating the grief journey.

Online Communities & Support Groups

We have a page dedicated to pet loss support and counselors on our website, so be sure to check it out if you think this could be helpful for you as you process the loss of your pet.

The Association for Pet Loss and Bereavement (APLB): A nonprofit organization offering chat support, online forums, and professional counseling services.

Pet Loss Support Groups on Facebook: Communities such as Pet Loss Support Group and Grieving the Loss of a Pet provide a safe space for pet parents to share memories and seek comfort from others who have experienced similar losses.

Rainbow Bridge Pet Loss Grief Support: An online memorial site where pet parents can create digital tributes and connect with others in grief.

Grief Healing Discussion Groups: Provides moderated forums for individuals coping with the loss of a beloved pet.

Social media platforms like @honoringouranimals and @wolfies_wish posts helpful content each day about pet loss grief, as well as directing you toward skilled pet grief counseling.

Helpful Apps For Processing Grief

Pawprint Pet Loss Journal: A guided journal app designed to help pet parents process their grief through reflective prompts.

Grief Works: Created by a bereavement therapist, this app provides coping strategies, guided meditations, and grief support.

Headspace: A meditation and mindfulness app that offers guided sessions specifically for grief and loss.

Memorial & Tribute Resources

Euthabag: Euthabag is a dignified pet body bag that can be personalized to honor the human-animal bond. Markers and paint can be used to write loving messages and drawings on the bag, allowing you to send your pet into the next stage while wrapped in your love. Decorating a Euthabag before the goodbye can help to offer a ritual and start the grieving process.

Trees for Pets: Trees For Pets allows you to plant a tree in your pet’s honor and actively support reforestation across 14 different countries. This organization works with reforestation projects across four continents, so choosing them to memorialize your pet allows you to join an important global cause.

Fallen Whiskers Jewelry: Fallen Whiskers Jewelry offers a unique spin on memorial jewelry. The artist can use your pet’s whiskers, fur, or ashes to create a stunning piece that you can treasure forever. They can create necklaces, rings, earrings, and keychains, allowing you to honor your pet in a way that you will hold most dear.

Pet Memorial Websites: Platforms like Gone But Not Forgotten and Remember Your Pet allow pet parents to create digital memorials, share photos, and write tributes to their pets.

Custom Paw Print & Nose Print Keepsakes: Many companies, such as Clay Paws, offer personalized memorials using your pet’s paw or nose print.

Eternal Reefs: This company can help you memorialize the passing of a loved one by helping to preserve and protect the marine environment. They craft a designed reef made of environmentally safe concrete and place it on the ocean floor as a permanent memorial to honor your loved one.

A beautiful personalized Euthabag - decorated with markers and paint.

Final Thoughts

Losing a pet is a deeply emotional journey, but you don’t have to go through it alone. Whether you’re struggling with the decision to say goodbye, seeking ways to cope with grief, or looking to honor your pet’s memory, there are many tools and resources available to support you.

It’s important to allow yourself to grieve in your own way and at your own pace. Surround yourself with understanding people, cherish the beautiful moments you shared with your pet, and know that the love and bond you had will always remain in your heart.

Pet Loss Support - Tools & Resources To Help You Through Every Step