Small Animal Loss Counsellors

The grief of losing a hamster, guinea pig, gerbil, or other small companion is real — even when others don't treat it that way. The bond with a small animal is genuine, and the absence they leave behind can be larger than anyone expects. A specialist counsellor understands this, without qualification.

1 counsellor specialising in small animals

Kay Wierba

Academy Member

Pet Bereavement Counsellor

Kay Wierba is a certified pet bereavement counsellor working online with clients across the US and UK. Trained in the TRACE Method — a framework designed specifically for companion animal loss — Kay brings a background in coaching, mentoring and people support to her counselling practice. Kay's approach is warm and unhurried. She believes that losing a pet is a genuine bereavement, and that everyone deserves a space where that grief is taken seriously — without being told to 'move on' or that it was 'just an animal.' She works one-to-one over video call. Her sessions are structured around the five TRACE steps: telling your pet's story, recognising the depth of the bond, acknowledging the pain, celebrating the life, and finding a way to carry the loss forward — without having to leave them behind. Kay works with people who have recently lost a pet, those facing anticipatory grief with an elderly or ill animal, and people still carrying the weight of a loss from months or years ago.

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