They never judge you, they always want to be by your side and they will forever put a smile on your face.

When it comes to pets, more than 62 per cent of households in Canada have one. Over the years, these fluffy creatures have worked their way into our hearts and homes, as we increasingly humanize pets.

Having Fido as your best friend means losing them becomes life-altering, People face real grief and sadness after a pet dies.

READ MORE: The imprint pets leave on your heart

According to Okanagan Pet Cremation, veterinary clinics try to support their patient owners as best they can after they have lost a pet.

鈥淚t can be an emotionally devastating experience for the pet owner, and when additional support is required there are few social and community support resources for when one loses a pet,鈥� said Jared Stirling, owner of Okanagan Pet Cremation.

Stirling began discussing the idea of grieving for pets with local veterinary clinics and found a real interest from staff who wanted more resources on how to help others deal with the grief of losing a pet.

This motivated him to host the first pet loss grief support information forum for staff in the veterinary industry.

READ MORE: 琉璃神社 start up looks to heal pets

The event is for veterinary staff to meet with a panel of counselling experts to discuss how staff can support their clients in dealing with the grief from the loss of a pet.

鈥淚t will also give them a chance to connect with these grief support professionals and find out about their services to better help their client鈥檚 needs,鈥� explained Stirling.

The forum will take place on March 17 at 11 a.m., at the Kanata Hotel and Conference Centre in 琉璃神社. If you are a pet professional and would like to attend this free informational and networking event, please contact Jared at 250-548-3351 or by email at js@okanaganpetcremation.ca.

jen.zielinski@bpdigital.ca
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