Pet To Pal Podcast · October 12, 2026 · 49 min

Living With Pet Loss: Healing, Continuing Bonds & Learning to Grieve

Losing a pet can change your life. But what does healing actually look like when the bond you shared with them never really goes away? In Part 2 of our conversation with Beth Bigler of Honoring Our Animals, we explore how to live with pet loss, navigate grief, and maintain a meaningful connection with the animals who have changed our lives. Beth is a pet loss grief counselor, end-of-life doula, and pet chaplain. She shares why she challenges the idea of “moving on” from grief, explaining how we can instead learn to move with it while continuing to honour the bond we shared with our pets. We discuss: • Why losing a pet can mean losing your routine, identity, and sense of purpose • Continuing bonds and why staying connected to a pet after death can be part of healthy grieving • How to honour your pet through rituals, memories, and everyday moments • Why guilt, relief, laughter, numbness, and even joy can all be part of grief • How grief affects surviving pets and what you can do to support them • When you might be ready to welcome another pet into your life • How pet professionals can better support clients experiencing loss • Recognizing when grief counselling might help Whether you’re grieving a pet you lost years ago, preparing for a goodbye, or supporting someone who is hurting, this conversation offers practical guidance and reassurance that there is no single right way to grieve. You don’t have to forget them. You don’t have to stop loving them. And you don’t have to navigate grief alone. 🎙️ About Beth Bigler: Beth helps people navigate the grief of losing an animal companion through counselling, end-of-life support, and spiritual care. This is Part 2 of our Pet To Pal Podcast conversation about pet loss and grief.