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Saying goodbye to a companion animal is never easy. These animals share our homes, give us love, and become a part of our families, so having to deal with the pain of losing these life-long friends is something no animal lover wants to think about. But, inevitably, the day we have to let go will come.

This is where Cherie Fry, owner of Paws to Angels: Pet Loss Center and Services, comes in to help. Paws for Angels is located in Omaha, Nebraska, and was created to serve as a resource for animal guardians who are struggling with the process of saying goodbye to their elderly animal friends. Offering a space to hold funeral services for pets, Fry understands that guardians need a safe place and support system to grieve their animal friends.


Fry sat for an interview with KETV Omaha, and explained that the “grief [of animal parents] is often misunderstood,” continuing that grief is, “not acknowledged or validated.” But animal parents hurt nonetheless.

Just like aging humans, companion animals begin to struggle with everyday activities. Many lose their eyesight or hearing, and develop arthritis and other problems that limit mobility. To help guide guardians through this time, Fry offers at-home hospice services. Included in these services are at-home visits from veterinarians who deliver medication, and they also help guardians make small adjustments in the their homes to accommodate the needs of their companions.

Having the additional support in place also helps guardians to decide when it is time to let go and put down their beloved companion – a hard choice no guardian wants to make alone. While it might be difficult to think about ever having to say the final goodbye, it is comforting to know that there is support and guidance available for animal lovers struggling with grief of losing their companions.

As one of Fry’s clients tells KETV, “its an unconditional love, you want to give it back to them, they’ll do anything for you and thats what I feel we should do for them.”


Click here to watch the entire interview with KETV and Cherie Fry.

Image source: Trevor Hurlbut/Wikimedia Commons

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