Free Pet Bereavement Support in the UK: Helplines, Groups and Guides
White Doe pet loss guide · every link checked live on 6 November 2026
If your pet has died and you need someone to talk to, the Blue Cross Pet Bereavement Support Service is free and confidential on 0800 096 6606, 8.30am to 8.30pm every day. Cat owners can also call Cats Protection's Paws to Listen on 0800 024 94 94. If you feel you can't cope, Samaritans answer on 116 123, day and night.
This page gathers every free pet bereavement helpline, group and guide we could verify for UK pet owners, in one place, so nobody has to search for help on a hard day. We list only services run by established UK charities and public bodies, and we checked every link and number against the provider's own page. We have no connection to any of them.
Free pet bereavement helplines
| Service | Who it's for | How to reach them | When | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Cross Pet Bereavement Support | Anyone grieving a pet, or facing a pet's death or rehoming | Phone 0800 096 6606, webchat or email from the Blue Cross page | 8.30am to 8.30pm, every day | Free and confidential |
| Paws to Listen (Cats Protection) | Anyone grieving a cat, or facing a cat's end of life. Trained volunteer listeners, not counselling | Phone 0800 024 94 94 | 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday, not bank holidays | Free and confidential |
| Friends at the End (British Horse Society) | Horse owners, before, during and after a horse's death | Phone 02476 840517 or email | Weekday office hours (see their page) | Free and confidential |
| Samaritans | Anyone struggling to cope. Not pet-specific, but there for grief of any kind | Phone 116 123 | 24 hours a day, every day | Free |
Groups where you can talk to other owners
- Blue Cross Pet Loss Support group: a moderated Facebook group run by Blue Cross, free to join, for people who want to share memories with others who understand.
Helping children when a pet dies
- Missing my friend (Blue Cross): guidance and activities for children and young people, by age.
- Children and pet loss (RSPCA): how to tell a child and how they may react.
- Telling a child a cat has died (Cats Protection).
Guides for coping with grief
- RSPCA pet bereavement toolkit: the index of all RSPCA pet loss advice.
- Coping with pet loss (RSPCA).
- Coping with grief and the loss of a pet (PDSA).
- Coping with the loss of a cat (Cats Protection).
- Pet loss and work (RSPCA): for you and for colleagues and managers.
- What to say to someone who has lost a pet (Blue Cross).
- NHS talking therapies: if grief has turned into anxiety or low mood that won't lift, you can refer yourself in England, no GP needed.
When a pet is near the end
- Preparing to say goodbye to your pet (Blue Cross).
- Saying goodbye to your pet (RSPCA): quality of life, euthanasia, burial and cremation.
- Saying goodbye to your dog and saying goodbye to your cat (Blue Cross).
- Time to say goodbye to your small pet (Blue Cross).
- Grief before a pet dies (PDSA).
- End-of-life support for cats (Cats Protection).
Other pets in the home
Burying a pet at home: the rules
- Animal burials and groundwater (GOV.UK, England): where a pet can be buried safely.
- Fallen stock and pet burial rules (GOV.UK): rules differ between the UK nations, and for horses.
Our own guides
- Pet loss: every White Doe guide in one place
- When your pet dies: the first few days
- Pet cremation in the UK explained
- Pet loss support: grief, and not having to decide anything yet
- Your pet's ashes are still in the box
For vets, crematoria, rescues and counsellors
This list is free to print, hand to families or link from your resources page. We recheck every link and phone number each month and date the page when we do. If you run a free UK pet bereavement service that should be here, or spot something out of date, please tell us through our contact page. We only list free services from established organisations, and listing is never paid for.
Questions people ask
Is there a free helpline for pet loss in the UK?
Yes. The Blue Cross Pet Bereavement Support Service is free on 0800 096 6606, 8.30am to 8.30pm every day, with webchat and email too. Cat owners can also call Cats Protection's Paws to Listen on 0800 024 94 94 on weekdays.
Is it normal to grieve this much for a pet?
Yes. Pets are family, and the charities above exist because so many people feel the loss deeply. There is no correct way or time to grieve.
Who can I talk to at night?
Samaritans answer on 116 123, 24 hours a day. They are not a pet-specific service, but they will listen to any grief.
How do I tell my child our pet has died?
Use simple, honest words such as "died" rather than "went to sleep", and let them ask questions. Blue Cross's Missing my friend has guidance by age, and the RSPCA and Cats Protection have short guides too.
Checked: every link above returned the provider's live page on 6 November 2026, and phone numbers and hours are as shown on the provider's own page that day. Services change, so check the provider's page before calling.