Dwindling resources force pet group to quit.

Byline: REBECCA NOLAN The Register-Guard

Pet owners grieving the deaths of their animal companions now must mourn alone, after the December demise of the only pet loss support group in Lane County.

The Emerald Valley Animal League formed in June 1999 and held its first grief support meeting a month later. Eight to 10 people attended each twice-monthly meeting, and even more sought advice over the telephone.

Over the past year, however, a lack of veterinary referrals, volunteer muscle and donations has forced the group to disband, leaving pet owners nowhere to turn in their time of grief.

"For a lot of people, a pet can become a soul mate," said RJ Bell, who ran the free meetings at Four Winds Center in Eugene. "The group was important because we understand that, and we can tell people they're not crazy."

People upset by the death or illness of a pet often suffer the same emotional distress as people grieving the loss of a loved one or family member, Bell said. They have trouble sleeping, stop eating and don't take care of themselves properly, she said.

Meanwhile, bosses and friends may find it hard to sympathize with that sadness.

"There are still people who say, `Well, you can get another cat,' or `You can get another bird,' or `You'll be over your dog's death in three months,' ' Bell said. "There's a lot of shame around grief, particularly when it's a pet."

In its first two years, the group enjoyed moderate publicity and enough donations to keep things going, said Kathy Snell, Emerald Valley Animal League president. Snell has practiced veterinary medicine in Eugene for the past decade.

But the high turnover rate at the front offices of local vet clinics meant workers in the best position to recommend the support group didn't know it existed, Snell said.

Veterinarians often forgot the service was available for suffering pet owners, she said. And the animal league's volunteers simply didn't have the time to visit veterinarians' offices on a regular basis to keep stocks of brochures and posters fresh, she said.

"Over time, attendance just trickled off," she said.

About 50 different people attended meetings during the support group's lifetime, Bell said. "That's low compared to the number of people who would have used the service if they had known about it," she said.

The group also struggled to solicit donations in recent months.

"It's not a feel-good thing as far as publicity goes," Snell said. "People don't want to talk about it, and they don't want to write checks for it. It's not something you're really aware of until you're grieving the loss of a pet."

The animal league board voted to discontinue all services last month.

The league will keep its support phone line open until sometime in February. That number is 242-1818.

"I'd really like to see somebody else pick this up," Snell said. "The people who need the service are so appreciative."

For now, the animal league is referring interested people to Dove Lewis Emergency Animal Hospital in Portland, which offers the closest pet loss support group. The hospital can be reached at [phone] or www.dovelewis.org.