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My Howard taught me to live, by Joy Belle

I think the most heartfelt story I would have about the one I lost would be about Howard. When I had to have him put to sleep he was 19 years old. It happened when I was having treatment for breast cancer, and as everyone knows, cancer is hard.

I had just come home from treatment, and I was laying on the bed. I was tired and I was in pain. Howard crawled up on the bed next to me and he looked at me. He snuggled up next to my breast and put his head gently on my chest and began to rub it. He looked at me and he cried, as if he were saying to Mommy: “If I could take the pain I would.”

Then he snuggled up next to me, and he put his paws on my breast, and he just laid there and he held me. Howard held me in his paws, and I felt safe for the first time in a very long time, and I felt loved. When you’re having breast cancer treatment, to feel safe and to feel loved is something you don’t feel very often, but that little black kitty made me feel safe and he made me feel loved.

Howard just lay there looking at me with those beautiful green eyes, looking up into my eyes. I knew at that moment what undying love is. That day Howard gave me the will to live again. That’s a lot to say, but he did – he gave me the will to live when I had all but given up. No matter what happened, Howard would be there for me, and with me, and he would love me.

I think the hardest is part of losing him was that I couldn’t help him in the end. I couldn’t do for him what he did for me – I couldn’t give him life. I couldn’t help him to live, but the one thing I was able to do was to release him from his pain, and that I will never be sorry for!

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Exclusive APLB Webinar: The Benefits of Hospice Veterinary Care

Ensuring Comfort and Dignity for Pets in Their Final Days

Date: Thursday, April 3, 2025
Time: 7:00-8:00 PM, ET
Location: via Zoom (registration required)

We are excited to invite you to an exclusive members-only live webinar exploring the experience and benefits of hospice veterinary care—a compassionate approach to supporting pets and their families through end-of-life care.

APLB Video Support Groups

We are now offering Online Video Support Groups every Saturday from 7 pm - 9 pm EST/USA.

Beginning March 23rd we will be offering Video Support Groups every 2nd and 4th Sunday from 7 pm - 9 pm EST/USA.

Our Video Support Groups are available to all Silver and Platinum members.

If you want to learn more about our Video Support Groups, please click or tap the button below.

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

Join us for this exciting event

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

This year the Association of Pet Loss & Bereavement (APLB) is participating in Giving Tuesday, December 3rd. Giving Tuesday is a global generosity movement, unleashing the power of people and organizations to transform their communities and the world. 

Please give generously. Together, we can make a difference in the lives of those grieving the loss of their cherished pets.

This year the Association of Pet Loss & Bereavement (APLB) is participating in Giving Tuesday, on December 3rd. Giving Tuesday is a global generosity movement, unleashing the power of people and organizations to transform their communities and the world. 

Please give generously. Together, we can make a difference in the lives of those grieving the loss of their cherished pets.