Introducing our Blue Cross partnership

Your cat or dog isn’t just a pet, they’re a member of the family. Coping with the loss of a pet is never easy, and you may not always have the right support or understanding from those immediately around you. You shouldn’t have to process those overwhelming feelings alone, which is why we’re proud to announce the launch of our new partnership with Blue Cross.

Who is Blue Cross?

Blue Cross is a UK-based pet charity that’s dedicated to helping pet owners keep their companions healthy and happy. From responsible ownership to education on animal welfare, their work empowers owners to do right by their pets. Established in 1897, Blue Cross now has 12 rehoming centres, 10 animal clinics, over 50 charity shops, and hundreds of employees and volunteers.

The charity helps thousands of animals each year by finding new homes for pets and providing veterinary care for those who can’t afford private vet costs. Blue Cross also offers bereavement support for grieving pet owners and guidance for those who want to help others going through pet loss. This is done through their Pet Bereavement Support Service (PBSS).

Helping you with the loss of your pet

So many of us struggle when it comes to knowing how to cope with losing a dog or a cat. You may feel lost, unable to put into words how you feel, and don’t want to burden family or friends with what you’re going through. Sometimes, they may just not understand how important your pet was to you.

Set up over 27 years ago, the Pet Bereavement Support Service from Blue Cross understands that there are many different types of pet loss, not just the death of your pet. The PBSS volunteers are here to support you through these difficult situations, including:

• Pet bereavement, whether through old age, sickness, an accident, or euthanasia.
• Theft of your pet.
• Your canine or feline going missing.
• Rehoming your companion due to circumstances outside of your control, such as job or home loss.
• Custody loss of your cat or dog, for example when separating from a partner.

> Fully trained volunteers

You no longer need to feel isolated and deal with your grief alone. The Pet Bereavement Support Service team includes volunteers who have been fully trained to give you emotional support in a safe and confidential space.

Having dealt with pet loss themselves, each volunteer understands how upsetting it is to lose a pet and so listen to you with care and compassion. They also offer guidance on coping mechanisms to work through your loss. If you have a multi-pet household, the team can also give advice on helping your cat or dog grieve the loss of their sibling.

> Dedicated support for Petgevity customers

If you have a Petgevity policy, you’ll have access to a dedicated support line that’s available to you every single day of the year, from 8.30am to 8.30pm. Whether your loss is fresh and raw or memories of an old loss are resurfacing, you can contact the team whenever you need it.

> Honouring the memory of your pet

Some pet owners find that having a dedicated space to commemorate their pet may help them to move on from their grief. With Blue Cross, you can create a memorial to remember the life of your departed pet. Bereaved family and friends can also contribute to the memorial with photos, videos, and memories.

Giving you the tools to support others through pet loss

It may not be you going through the bereavement process, but rather someone close to you. If you’ve been searching for guidance on how to help someone grieving the loss of a pet, you’ve come to the right place.

Sometimes it may be consoling to a pet owner, knowing that the people around them are fully supportive to their emotional needs during their grieving period. The PBSS team give you useful advice and information on how to comfort someone who has lost a dog or a cat. This could be a partner, friend, family member, neighbour or colleague.

A fur-filling partnership

Head of Petgevity, Andrew Simpson said: “I’m really pleased that we’ve partnered with Blue Cross to offer our customers this service. As a cat owner myself, I know just how important a pet is to the family, and how devastating it would be to lose that loving companion. It’s why I think having access to dedicated emotional support is crucial for helping our customers get through something as difficult as pet loss.”

Blue Cross PBSS Manager, Diane James agrees: “It’s a really vital service. As a nation of animal lovers, we realise how much losing our animals means to us. We have an amazing team of volunteers that have gone through comprehensive training to give you the best support possible.”

With the Petgevity and Blue Cross partnership, you never have to deal with pet loss alone again. Check your MyPetgevity account or speak to our claims team to get your dedicated support line number.