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Recommended Reading

A collection of works to help you HEAL your heart

We have selected the books listed here for you. You will find books that cater to all age groups and backgrounds as well as professional and educational works.

Please contact us if you would like assistance in choosing a book.

Due to the high volume of requests, we are no longer accepting submissions for our reading list.
The Healing Power of Pets: Harnessing the Amazing Ability of Pets to Make and Keep People Happy and Healthy The Healing Power of Pets: Harnessing the Amazing Ability of...

From Dr. Marty Becker, co-author of the bestsellers Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover's Soul and Chicken Soup for the Cat and Dog Lover's Soul comes a ground-breaking new book that reveals the stirring stories and medical miracles behind the healing power of pets.

...
 Adult, Guide, Pet Loss & Bereavement, Self-Help, Teen  Marty Becker Published On February 19, 2003
Just One More Day Just One More Day

If you, or someone you know, have ever had to put a dog to sleep, then you will know the pain and guilt surrounding this most difficult decision of dog euthanasia. Are we playing God, or are we fulfilling a...

 Adult, Guide, Pet Loss & Bereavement, Self-Help, Teen, Young Adult  Geoffrey Bain Published On April 2, 2012
Death, Society, and Human Experience, 10th edition Death, Society, and Human Experience, 10th edition

This landmark text on the sociology of death and dying draws on contributions from the social and behavioral sciences as well as the humanities, such as history, religion, philosophy, literature, and the arts, to provide thorough coverage of understanding death...

 Adult, Educational, Pet Loss & Bereavement, Professionals  Robert J. Kastenbaum Published On December 26, 2008
Tails from Beyond the Paw Print: Twenty-two stories of love, loss, and lessons learned from our adored animal companions Tails from Beyond the Paw Print: Twenty-two stories of love,...

Since 2009, attendees of Beyond the Paw Print Pet Loss Support Group meetings have found validation of their grief as they shared their stories of love, loss, and lessons learned in a caring, judgment-free atmosphere. It has long been Dr....

 Adult, Family, Great Gift, Inspirational, Pet Loss & Bereavement, Teen, Young Adult  Micky Golden Moore Published On May 11, 2020
The Most Painful Choice: A Dog Owner’s Story of Behavioral Euthanasia (Dogs in Our World) The Most Painful Choice: A Dog Owner’s Story of Behavioral...

When Champ, a German Shepherd, was adopted from a local breed rescue, his family hoped and expected to spend many fun-filled years with him. However, Champ suffered physically and mentally from neglect and trauma from his first years of life....

 Adult, Dog Lovers, Euthanasia, Pet Loss & Bereavement  Beth Miller Published On March 31, 2023
Grieving the Death of a Pet Grieving the Death of a Pet

Because our relationships with our animal companions are unlike human relationships, the death of a pet is like no other loss that we will experience. In this book, Betty J. Carmack draws on the wisdom of Ecclesiastes, her own experience,...

 Adult, Guide, Pet Loss & Bereavement  Betty J. Carmack Published On January 1, 2003
In-Home Pet Euthanasia Techniques: The Veterinarian’s Guide to Helping Families and Their Pets Say Goodbye in the Comfort of Home In-Home Pet Euthanasia Techniques: The Veterinarian’s Guide to Helping Families...

I originally created this book to train my own doctors on the intricacies of in-home euthanasia. Within the first year of writing, I began receiving calls from veterinarians around the country looking for guidance as they began their own similar...

 Adult, Educational, Illustrated, Pet Loss & Bereavement, Professionals  Dr Kathleen A Cooney DVM Published On July 20, 2011
Made for Each Other: The Biology of the Human-Animal Bond Made for Each Other: The Biology of the Human-Animal Bond

Nothing turns a baby's head more quickly than the sight or sound of an animal. This fascination is driven by the ancient chemical forces that first drew humans and animals together. It is also the same biology that transformed wolves...

 Adult, Educational, Pet Loss & Bereavement, Professionals  Meg Daley Olmert Published On February 23, 2010
So Sorry for Your Loss: How I Learned to Live with Grief, and Other Grave Concerns So Sorry for Your Loss: How I Learned to Live...

A searching, heartfelt exploration about what it means to process grief, by a bestselling author and journalist whose experience with two devastating losses inspired her to bring comfort and understanding to others.

Since losing her mother to cancer in...

 Adult, Great Gift, Inspirational, Pet Loss & Bereavement, Young Adult  Dina Gachman Published On April 11, 2023
Pet Loss & Human Emotion Pet Loss & Human Emotion

This updated edition of Pet Loss and Human Emotion is a step-by-step guide to leading clients through this special kind of grief. Includes resources and a section on pet loss and natural disasters.

As society accepts that grieving over the death of...

 Adult, Educational, Guide, Pet Loss & Bereavement, Professionals  Cheri Barton Ross Published On January 23, 2007
When Your Pet Dies When Your Pet Dies

Affirming a pet owner's struggle with grief when his or her pet dies, this book helps mourners understand why their feelings are so strong and helps them overcome the loss. Included are practical suggestions for mourning and ideas for remembering...

 Adult, Guide, Pet Loss & Bereavement, Self-Help, Young Adult  Alan D Wolfelt PhD Published On April 1, 2004
Saying Goodbye to the Pet You Love (A Complete Resource to Help You Heal) Saying Goodbye to the Pet You Love (A Complete Resource...

From a psychologist with twenty years of experience as a pet bereavement specialist, comes the first title to offer cognitive tools and exercises for validating and supporting the particular grief that results from the loss of a pet.

When a...

 Adult, Guide, Pet Loss & Bereavement, Self-Help, Young Adult  Lorri A. Greene Published On December 10, 2002
The Grieving Brain The Grieving Brain

NPR SciFri Book Club Pick

Next Big Idea Club's "Top 21 Psychology Books of 2022"

Behavioral Scientist Notable Books of 2022

A renowned grief expert and neuroscientist shares groundbreaking discoveries about what happens in our brain when we grieve, providing a...

 Adult, Educational, Great Gift, Pet Loss & Bereavement, Professionals, Self-Help  Mary-Frances O'Connor Published On February 1, 2022
The Psychology of the Human-Animal Bond: A Resource for Clinicians and Researchers The Psychology of the Human-Animal Bond: A Resource for Clinicians...

There have been dramatic increases in the financial, emotional, and psychological investment in pets over the past four decades. The increasing importance of animal companions in people's lives has resulted in growing emphasis on the human-animal bond within academic literature....

 Adult, Educational, Pet Loss & Bereavement, Professionals  Christopher Blazina, Guler Boyraz, David Shen-Miller Published On June 22, 2011
The Grief Recovery Handbook, 20th Anniversary Expanded Edition: The Action Program for Moving Beyond Death, Divorce, and Other Losses including Health, Career, and Faith The Grief Recovery Handbook, 20th Anniversary Expanded Edition: The Action...

Updated to commemorate its 20th anniversary, this classic resource further explores the effects of grief and sheds new light on how to begin to take effective actions to complete the grieving process and work towards recovery and happiness.

Incomplete recovery...

 Adult, Guide, Pet Loss & Bereavement, Professionals  John W. James Published On January 10, 2017
Crossing the Rubicon: Celebrating the Human-Animal Bond in Life and Death Crossing the Rubicon: Celebrating the Human-Animal Bond in Life and...

A gentle, helpful guide to surviving losing a loved animal companion. The interviews with experts, vets and shared wisdom from those who've lost a pet and survived to celebrate their beloved animal's life will help you find validation by knowing...

 Adult, Pet Loss & Bereavement, Professionals  Julie A. Kaufman Published On October 10, 1999
When Children Grieve: For Adults to Help Children Deal with Death, Divorce, Pet Loss, Moving, and Other Losses When Children Grieve: For Adults to Help Children Deal with...

The first―and definitive―guide to helping children really deal with loss from the authors of the The Grief Recovery Handbook

Following deaths, divorces, or the confusion of major relocation, many adults tell their children “don’t feel bad.” In fact, say the authors...

 Adult, Children, Educational, Family, Guide, Pet Loss & Bereavement  John W. James Published On June 4, 2002
Pet Loss and Children: Establishing a Healthy Foundation Pet Loss and Children: Establishing a Healthy Foundation

Explaining the concept of death to a child is a very difficult, confusing, and uncomfortable experience for a parent, educator, or therapist, and it is a topic that is often first introduced by the loss of a pet - sometimes...

 Adult, Educational, Pet Loss & Bereavement, Professionals  Cheri Barton Ross Published On February 27, 2005
When Pets Come Between Partners: How to Keep Love – and Romance – in the Human/Animal Kingdom of Your Home When Pets Come Between Partners: How to Keep Love –...

How to Keep Love—And Romance—In the Human/Animal Kingdom of Your Home

  • When you're fighting about the dog, is it really about your in-laws? When your boyfriend says, It's either me or the cat," isn't there a way you can...
 Adult, Guide, Pet Loss & Bereavement, Self-Help  Joel Gavriele-Gold Published On February 21, 2000

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Exclusive Members-Only Webinar:

A conversation on the human face of shelter and rescue work with Dillon Dodson

Join us for this exciting event
We are delighted to invite you to an exclusive members-only webinar featuring Dillon Dodson, veterinary social worker, Director of Social Work at the Toronto Humane Society, and Vice President of our partner organization, the International Association of Veterinary Social Work. This special event is designed to shine a light on the human side of animal welfare work in rescues and shelters.

Event Details
Date: Thursday, October 30th, 2025
Time: 7:00-8:00 PM, ET
Platform:  Zoom (registration required)

Celebrate Rainbow Bridge
Remembrance Day

Join the Association for Pet Loss and Bereavement today and create a special online memorial for your pet. Enjoy 20% off a Silver or Platinum membership— offer ends September 7.

Discount is automatically applied at checkout

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.

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.