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Kohana Bear, by Amanda S.

Kohana was always a special dog, and looking back on our time together, it feels like she was meant to be ours. I have always felt that she was sent to me and reflecting on our journey together I can see why.

We called her Hana for short, and when she came to us, we instantly fell in love. Hana was with me throughout my entire adult life. From me getting married, having children, and everything in between. There were many times when Hana was there for me, and I felt understood by her. She brought so much peace into our home, and she was by my side as we experienced life together.

Just before her 13th birthday, we discovered Hana had a heart murmur, which led us to finding out about her cancer. She was diagnosed with hemangiosarcoma on her heart, and when the veterinarian who found the cancer told me about it, he started crying too. We cried together, and it was honestly the day I knew that soon I would be losing my girl. I did everything I could to learn about this cancer and to reach out for support from our veterinarian. We tried herbal supplements and those seemed to help, and Kohana lived an additional seven months beyond that point.

The night that we lost Kohana it was traumatic, and because it was during Covid we were unable to be with her when she was euthanized. We said goodbye in our vehicle, and she looked at me in a way that almost looked like she was telling me that it was okay, that I could let go.

Losing Kohana was the beginning of my journey to discovering more about myself. On July 24, 2023, it will have been two years since she died. Now I am always finding new ways to honor her memory. I am lucky enough to be a therapist, and to be able to help others navigate through grief and loss. I also completed the Pet Loss Specialist course from APLB, which was truly incredible.

Kohana has left a mark on me that has changed me forever, and I will never forget her. I miss her and love her beyond measure and am so grateful to share our story.

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Webinar: A Conversation on Pet Loss with Author E.B. Bartels

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Rainbow Bridge
Memorial Celebration

In honor of Rainbow Bridge Memorial Day (August 28), we are offering a 20% discount on Silver and Platinum memberships throughout the entire month of August.

By joining us, you will have the unique opportunity to create a lasting online memorial for your pet, complete with photos and stories you can cherish.

Live Webinar

Navigating Pet Loss & Grief

Thursday, June 6th, 2024
7:00 pm – 8:00 pm Eastern

Sponsored by:

Navigating Pet Loss & Grief, hosted by Moose’s
March, this webinar is designed to support pet
owners through the difficult journey and depth of
pet loss, anticipatory grief and understanding
guilt. This webinar will also provide 3 key
takeaways for the management of grief,
Featuring insights from renowned experts
Colleen Rolland, Association of Pet Loss and
Bereavement and Dr. Nancy Curotto, Pet Loss &
Bereavement Specialist. Attendees will have an
opportunity to ask questions of the experts.

Special Holiday Schedule

We understand that the holidays can be a difficult time for pet parents missing their fur babies. APLB will be extending our hours this year to help you – we’ll get through this together.

Chat Room

Sun Dec 24: 2 – 4 pm EST
Sun Dec 24: 8 – 10 pm EST
Mon Dec 25: 8 – 10 pm EST
Tues Dec 26: 8 – 10 pm EST
Wed Dec 27: 8 – 10 pm EST
Fri Dec 29: 8 – 10 pm EST
Sun Dec. 31: 2 – 4 pm EST
Sun. Dec 31: 8 – 10 pm EST
Mon Jan 1: 8 – 10 pm EST

Video Support Group

Sat Dec 9: 7- 9 pm EST
Sun Dec 10: 7- 8:30 EST
Sat Dec. 23: 7 – 9 pm EST