Essays and guides
Writing for pet people.
Essays on life with pets at every stage: the everyday, senior care, the science of the bond, and the long work of loving and remembering. Grounded in research, written to be read slowly.
Creating a pet anniversary ritual: a quiet practice for the hardest days
The first year of anniversaries after losing a pet is often the hardest. A guide to building a small, repeatable ritual that carries you through them, with examples from bereaved pet parents and the research on why rituals help.
Welcoming a new pet after loss: why it doesn't mean you've moved on
There's no 'right' time to welcome another pet into your life after one has died. A gentle look at the research, the guilt that often accompanies the decision, and why a new love does not replace an old one.
Why pet grief hurts more than people expect (the biology and psychology)
People often say 'I didn't expect it to hurt this much.' There's a real reason, rooted in attachment biology, daily rhythm, and unconditional relationship. A gentle explanation of why pet grief is uniquely heavy.
How to talk to children about a pet's death
Children grieve pets with the intensity of adults, but we often use softening language that confuses them. A research-informed guide to honest, age-appropriate conversations, without scripts that accidentally hurt.
Signs your pet is getting old: a gentle guide to the years before goodbye
The slow arrival of age in a pet is one of the quietest griefs. A guide to the signs, what's normal, and how to live well through a beloved animal's senior years without rushing the ending.
What to say (and what not to say) to someone who lost a pet
If a friend's pet just died and you're worried about saying the wrong thing, this is a gentle guide. What the research shows actually helps, what accidentally hurts, and a few specific sentences you can send right now.
Pet memorial ideas that actually help you grieve (not just look nice)
Most pet memorial lists online are shopping guides in disguise. This one is different. Six memorial ideas with evidence behind them, from grief research and continuing bonds theory, explained gently.
Is it normal to still cry months after your pet died?
Yes, and the science of why is gentler than you think. A look at why pet grief surfaces in waves, what triggers secondary grief, and why tears months later are a sign of healing, not a failure of it.
The guilt after putting your pet down: a gentle guide through it
Euthanasia guilt is one of the most common and least discussed parts of pet grief. Here's what the research says about it, why the questions keep looping, and how to soften the weight of a decision made with love.
What is disenfranchised grief, and why losing a pet qualifies
If it felt like the world didn't take your pet's death seriously, you were experiencing disenfranchised grief, a named, studied phenomenon. Here's what it is, why pet loss fits, and what research says helps.
How long does pet grief last? The honest answer no one gives you.
Pet grief doesn't follow a tidy timeline. Here's what grief research actually says about duration, the common milestones, and what it means if it's been six months and you're still crying.