Day By Day Pet Caregiver Support Offers First-of-its-Kind Service

Pennsylvania pet parents caring for their ailing furry friends now have a resource to turn to for the support they rightfully deserve.

In an effort to give pet caregivers in the greater Philadelphia region the support they need, Day By Day Pet Caregiver Support, in collaboration with local veterinary specialists and emergency hospitals, established a first-of-its-kind organization for pet parents before, during and after the sickness and/or loss of a pet. Day By Day is the first and only organization to offer anticipatory grief support, recognizing that bereavement begins prior to the loss of a pet and encourages pet families to come to them through the progression of illness.

Kathryn Jennings, president and founder of Day By Day, acknowledges the enormous emotional toll pet caregiving and eventual loss can cause individuals and families and wants them to know they are not alone in this process.

“So often, people feel as if they are alone when they are faced with caring for a sick pet,” Jennings said. “We are here to give care to the caregivers. The final journey can be wrought with stress, grief and anger and begins long before a beloved pet is even gone. We understand that pets are family members, and Day By Day embodies the compassion our furry friends bring into our lives by offering support in as many avenues as possible from diagnosis to loss.”

Founded in remembrance and celebration of her own pets, Jennings has been through the process of caring for sick pets and, ultimately, making end-of-life decisions. She understands all too well that many pet parents don’t have friends or family who can truly understand the pain they’re going through or the tough decisions that need to be made.

“We want people to understand that they’re going to get empathy from us, not just sympathy,” Jennings said. “Anyone can say ‘I’m sorry for your loss,’ but not everyone has been there and walked that road; we’re here to help.”

A constant concern of pet parents caring for an ailing pet is the judgment they may face by the public, often categorized by people saying “it’s just a cat…” or “it’s just a dog…” To address this concern, Day By Day fosters a safe, secure and judgment-free atmosphere for counseling in person, by phone or online. Support groups and one-on-one counseling sessions led by licensed professionals, are always available, and a professionally managed hotline (484-453-8210) for pet caregivers in distress is open 24 hours a day.

Jennings said Day By Day helps pet parents who are dealing with many types of tough decisions and supports them in the midst of doing everything they can to save the life of their pets.  For example, there are many pet caregivers who need emotional support when they have to bring their pet for ongoing chemotherapy treatments while ultimately not knowing whether or not the treatment will work.

“Once the decision has been made about the right time to say goodbye, we help pet parents transition into loss and continue to assist them through the grief and healing journey,” Jennings said.

Gregory Tarallo is a pet parent who was recently helped by Day by Day after losing his black Labrador Retriever, Ally, of 16 years while he was on vacation. Tarallo said he was distraught and felt alone in his personal grieving process.

“Ally represented so many different stages of my life and suddenly that was gone,” Tarallo said. “I recognized I was at a point where I needed to talk to someone other than family or friends and was referred to Day By Day by a local emergency and veterinary specialty practice. To be helped during such a unique process is priceless, really. Just the fact that such an organization exists—you know that they understand what you’re going through.”

For pet parents who are unable to attend support groups or live outside the greater Philadelphia region, Day By Day offers online educational materials and resources as well. In addition to emotional support, Day By Day offers a comprehensive list of financial support resources for pet parents who are economically unable to give their pet the care it needs.

About Day By Day Pet Caregiver Support

Established in 2012, Day By Day Pet Caregiver Support is a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to providing compassionate and educational support for pet parents through the stressful and difficult task of care giving for their aging, chronic and terminally ill pets in the greater Philadelphia area. Day By Day is the first and only organization to offer anticipatory grief support and fosters a safe, secure and judgment-free atmosphere for counseling. For more information, including testimonials and pet caregiver resources, please visit DayByDayPetSupport.com.