Humane Society’s Pet-Loss Support Group Moves to Tuesdays
FOR ANTIGO TIMES
The Langlade Co. Humane Society (LCHS) free pet-loss support group is changing meeting days and will now meet on the fourth Tuesday of each month, LCHS President Robert Zoretich announced.
The group is called Rainbow Bridge after a story in which pets that die go to the Rainbow Bridge, according to Gwen Utnehmer, a co-facilitator of the group. “In the story, the pets wait for their special human so they can cross the bridge and be together forever.”
“Many people find that friends and family don’t understand their grief when a pet dies,” Julie Zalewski, a member of the LCHS Board, said. “We in the group have all lost a pet so we do understand.”
“Our loved ones might say it was just a dog or just a cat,” group co-facilitator Shayne Schafer added, “but those who love animals know that our pets become part of our family.”
Jamie Musolff, LCHS Vice President, said the group is not only for people whose pet has died. “Sometimes the loss happens when a dog runs away and can’t be found or a cat has to be surrendered because the new baby is allergic,” she said. “People experience grief in those situations just as if the pet died.”
Nor is the group just about sorrow, according to Connie Wenzel, a group co-facilitator. “It is about healing from this tragic loss which happens when we share both funny and touching memories and photos of our pets with those who understand.”
“So both tears and laughter are welcome at these meetings,” added James Engmann, the group’s facilitator, “as are people whose pet is gone but is not forgotten.”
The group meets at 6:15 pm on the 4th Tuesday of the month at the Antigo Public Library. The next meeting is Tuesday, February 25th.
For more information, visit the group’s Facebook page at “Rainbow Bridge Support Group” or the LCHS web page at www.langladecountyhumanesociety.org.