Who am I?
Hello, fellow animal lovers. My name is Melissa, and I am a certified pet bereavement coach that has had 15+ years of experience in various therapeutic roles in the United Kingdom before relocating with my family to the Canary Islands.
Why do I do this?
Whilst living here, I rescued my fur-baby, Scooby. He was an amazing 8-month-old small mixed-breed with crooked front legs, scruffy black fur, beautiful brown eyes, and bright white teeth. He was a timid and very scared pup with a horrible backstory.
He soon became the center of our family and with lots of love and attention, lived the best life he could have had for the seven years he spent with us. Sadly, he was diagnosed with cancer, and during what we thought was going to be routine surgery, I was informed that the cancer had spread and I had to make the heartbreaking decision to have him put to sleep.
I felt I never had the opportunity to say goodbye, as I wasn’t with him when he passed. I was in shock and overwhelmed with guilt and sadness. I immersed myself into my healing journey as I needed to get myself through the pain, guilt and loneliness I was experiencing.
I have experienced many stages of grief throughout life with numerous pets who have crossed over the rainbow bridge, and I loved them all, but my bond with Scooby was different, he was my soul dog. He is the one who motivates me to help others who have faced similar losses.
Please do not suffer in silence because you feel embarrassed or that your grief is not valid. There are millions of animal lovers who can empathize with your pain. It is important to remember that your feelings are deserving of Acknowledgment!
