Argus Institute provides pet loss and pet health care resources

Author's dog, Morgan, 1996-2008

The two most difficult things for a pet owner are to lose a beloved pet and to make the decision about what to do with a very sick pet. We all eventually face the first one. Sometimes we’ve gone through the second more harrowing times than we’d like to admit. The only bright side to these scenarios is that there is more help available than most people realize.

The Argus Institute’s mission is to “strengthen veterinarian-client-patient communication and support relationships between people and their companion animals.” It is part of the Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, at the James L. Voss Veterinary Teaching Hospital. The Argus Institute offers support to people making difficult decisions about their pets’ healthcare and teaches veterinary professionals how to better communicate with their clients. It also supports the community with its student-run Pet Hospice Program and the Human-Animal Bond Club.

Whether you are struggling with decisions about your sick pet or have already lost your loved one, the Argus Institute has many resources available to help. On the Grief Resources for Families with Pets page are several brief articles that can be used for discussion or for simple guidance. The Coping with Sick Companion Animals article breaks down considerations into a manageable list that you can discuss with your veterinarian. There is another article that specifically addresses how to respond to children who lose a pet.

Also on the site is a recommended book reading list with categories related to pet loss, children, parents, veterinarians, general grief and loss, helping others, religious or spiritual pet loss, and stories and readings about animals. You can find memorialization ideas to do at home or request a spot in the Tribute Garden. There are artistic memorial resources, ranging from pet loss memorials and urns to personalized portraits and videos.

The local pet loss page lists pet loss support groups and individual grief counselors in the Boulder, Denver, Ft. Collins, Greeley, and Pueblo areas.

The Argus Institute publishes a newsletter and maintains a list of articles in which it has been mentioned in the news, all of which can be read online.