Compassion and understanding
in heart-breaking times.

Advice and support for pet owners
at their companion’s end-of-life

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Find a practice which have undergone special training in end-of-life care for pets and their owners.

Clear, comprehensive online training,
to help vets help their clients

Find a practice

Insights from people who
love pets, just like you

Regular articles and features
from vet and pet professionals

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Ensuring pet owners receive compassion and understanding

Pet Owners

Compassion Understood is a resource to provide clear, reliable information about our pet's end-of-life. We aim to:

Guide you in planning for this difficult time
Help you make the right decisions
Provide clear and accessible information
Cope with the passing of your beloved pet

The site content has been written by veterinary professionals and pet loss experts, with contributions from many working in the field of pet loss support.

We hope Compassion Understood gives you reassurance as you approach the time to say goodbye.

Planning for goodbye Saying goodbye

Veterinary Professionals

Compassion Understood provides online pet loss training for the whole healthcare team.

Our course is based on insights from hundreds of pet owners who have shared their experiences with us. They are written by pet loss and communication experts overseen by educational specialists.

The course also includes advice on preventing compassion fatigue in practice and improving client retention.

Find out more about our Pet Loss Support Course

Human and Pet Bonding

On these pages, you can read about the benefits of pet ownership and the very special bond that develops between owners and their companion animals.

Planning for Goodbye

If you have time and feel able to, it can be better for both you and your pet to plan your pet’s end-of-life care, rather than having to make decisions at the end when you are upset.

Saying Goodbye

In these pages, you can read more about euthanasia, and the steps leading up to euthanasia at the vet practice or at home.

Pet Loss Support

In these pages you can read more about the feelings that many of us experience when we have lost a beloved pet, as well as some advice on how to cope with grief.

Information for vets

Compassion Understood is an initiative that seeks to make information for pet owners on pet loss support more accessible, as well as helping to inform and educate veterinary professionals about this important time, so they can best help their clients.

You can read more about the Compassion Understood Pet Loss Support Training Programme in our Information for Vets pages.