How to Set Up a Pet Bereavement Counselling Practice in Dublin
Ireland's word-of-mouth culture is one of the most powerful things a new practitioner has working in their favour. In a country of this size, a single good referral relationship can reach further than you might expect. Dublin, despite being the capital, retains something of that character: a city where people know people, where community connections matter, and where a trusted personal recommendation carries more weight than any directory listing.
Dublin also has something that makes it particularly interesting for TRACE practitioners right now: a large, young, professionally employed tech-sector population that is entirely comfortable with online sessions, deeply attached to pets, and largely unserved for structured pet bereavement support.
This page covers the practical steps to get started.
Registering Your Business in Ireland
Setting up as a sole trader in Ireland is straightforward. Unlike the UK, there is no formal registration required with Revenue Commissioners (Ireland's equivalent of HMRC) simply to trade as a sole trader under your own name. You will need to register for self-assessment income tax with Revenue through the Revenue Online Service (ROS) at revenue.ie.
If you want to trade under a business name rather than your own name, you will need to register that name with the Companies Registration Office (CRO) at cro.ie. Registration costs a small fee and must be renewed every five years.
VAT registration: If your annual turnover from services exceeds €37,500, you are required to register for VAT in Ireland. Most new practitioners will be well below this threshold, but it is worth knowing the number.
If you want a more formal structure, you can incorporate a limited company through the CRO. This provides personal liability protection but involves more administration: annual returns, director responsibilities, and company accounting. Sole trader registration is the right starting point for most practitioners.
Professional Insurance
Pet loss counselling is not regulated under the Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005 in Ireland. That Act covers clinical professions such as social work, occupational therapy, and psychology. TRACE practitioners are not clinical professionals, and no registration with any statutory body is required.
Professional indemnity insurance is nevertheless strongly recommended before your first session. It protects you if a client makes a claim arising from your work.
UK-based insurers such as Balens and Towergate offer policies that extend to Ireland and are used by non-clinical wellbeing practitioners across the UK and Ireland. Both offer policies for grief support and complementary therapy work. Expect to pay in the region of €100 to €250 per year depending on cover level.
The IACP (Irish Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy) is Ireland's main professional body for counsellors. TRACE practitioners are not clinical counsellors, so IACP membership is not required. That said, some Dublin vet practices and welfare organisations are more comfortable with practitioners who hold professional membership of some kind. It is worth considering as your practice develops.
Building Your Referral Network
The most reliable source of clients in Dublin is a direct referral relationship with a veterinary practice. When a pet dies, the vet is almost always the first professional the owner speaks to. A vet who knows about TRACE and trusts what you offer can become a consistent referral source.
Dogs Trust Ireland operates a significant rehoming centre in Dublin and is one of the country's most trusted animal welfare organisations. Their outreach teams encounter pet loss regularly and have limited structured provision to offer. A professional introduction, with a clear explanation of what TRACE involves, is time well spent.
DSPCA (Dublin Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) is Ireland's oldest animal welfare charity. Their welfare and education teams work closely with pet-owning communities in Dublin and across Leinster. Being known to their staff as a professional TRACE practitioner can generate consistent referrals.
Cats Protection League Ireland supports cat owners across Dublin and Ireland. Their network is smaller but engaged, and the bond between cat owners and their animals is often deep and under-acknowledged in mainstream grief support.
Local veterinary practices across Dublin and the greater Leinster region are worth approaching systematically. Many Dublin vets have clients who would benefit from structured grief support and no idea where to refer them.
Dublin's Tech Sector and Online Reach
Dublin is home to the European headquarters of Google, Meta, LinkedIn, and many other major technology companies. This creates a large cohort of young, internationally mobile professionals who are deeply attached to their pets, fully comfortable with video sessions, and largely unserved for specialist grief support.
Many of these clients will find you online rather than through a vet referral. A professional directory presence, a clear website, and an active Instagram or LinkedIn profile will reach this demographic effectively.
Rural-to-Urban Migration
A significant proportion of Dublin's population has roots in rural Ireland, where relationships with farming and working animals are as significant as relationships with companion pets. Loss of a working dog, a horse, or a farm animal can carry a particular weight that mainstream pet bereavement services rarely acknowledge.
If you are open to working with clients grieving working animals as well as companion animals, making that clear in your marketing materials expands your reach meaningfully.
Directories and Online Presence
Irish-specific counselling and wellbeing directories are worth listing on. Bark.com Ireland and local community Facebook groups are active. The Academy for Pet Loss directory listing, included with your TRACE certification, is where clients specifically seeking a certified TRACE practitioner will look first.
A simple website in English with clear information about what TRACE is, what the five sessions involve, what you charge in euros, and how to contact you rounds out a professional online presence.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to register with the IACP or any professional body?
No. Pet loss support is not a regulated profession in Ireland, and IACP membership is not required to practise as a TRACE counsellor. Membership can add credibility, particularly with referral partners, but it is your choice.
Does Ireland's regulatory context differ from the UK?
The practical situation is similar. Pet loss support is not covered by the Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005 in Ireland, just as it is not regulated in the UK. The professional landscape is different — IACP rather than BACP, Revenue rather than HMRC — but the fundamentals of setting up and running a practice are comparable.
Can I work with clients across Ireland, not just in Dublin?
Yes. Online delivery means geography is not a limit. Dublin-based practitioners regularly work with clients across Leinster and the rest of Ireland. Rural clients in particular may have no local TRACE provision and will seek you out specifically.
How long before I get my first Dublin client?
Most practitioners who approach two or three vet practices and complete their directory listings see their first client within four to eight weeks. Ireland's word-of-mouth culture means the first few clients often come through personal connections rather than formal marketing.
More guides for Dublin practitioners
This is part of a series of guides for pet bereavement practitioners in Dublin:
- How to Advertise Your Pet Loss Practice in Dublin
- How to Price Your Pet Loss Support Sessions in Dublin
- How to Run Online Pet Loss Sessions in Dublin
- What to Expect as a Pet Bereavement Counsellor in Dublin
For an overview: Starting a Pet Bereavement Support Practice in Dublin
A Final Thought
Ireland has warmth, community, and a deep relationship with animals. It also has almost no structured provision for pet bereavement support. That combination makes Dublin one of the most promising places in Europe to build this kind of practice.
The TRACE Practitioner Certification from the Academy for Pet Loss gives you the training, the credential, and the professional foundation to start with confidence. The Core Programme is $395 and the Extended Programme is $525. Both are self-paced.
The Academy for Pet Loss is at www.academyforpetloss.com.
More guides for Dublin practitioners
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