Karen Duke

From my earliest memories, I’ve been a storyteller, both through words and images. I was four years old when I began creating my own storybooks, fully illustrated and with talk bubbles for the characters. Most of my stories were about little girls who saved animals, so it’s no great surprise that I was drawn to veterinary chaplaincy. I love stories about animals, and through my work with Pet Chaplain, I’ve been privileged to hear many inspiring tales about the amazing bonds between people and their animal companions.

Like Rob, I grew up in a pet-loving home surrounded by dogs, cats, guinea pigs, and parakeets.  I’ve had the pleasure of knowing many incredible animals in my life. My pet chaplaincy work has deepened my appreciation for those animals with whom I’ve shared my home as well as the wondrous, mysterious creatures I glimpse when out in nature. It has also given me the opportunity to meet dozens of animal lovers from around the world, whom I consider to be among the kindest and most compassionate people I’ve ever known.

I hope my contributions as a writer and artist are making a difference in the lives of people who find their way here. Thank you for joining me on this journey!

Welcome message from Rob

Like many of the people I support, I grew up in a pet-loving family and have personally experienced the heartache of losing beloved animal and human family members. I founded Pet Chaplain because I recognized that people who love animals and grieve their loss need access to the same emotional and spiritual support resources available when we lose a human loved one.

The grief I witnessed at the veterinary college where I served as chaplain and the pet-loss support group that I facilitate can be intense, and many people struggle to find others to confide in after losing a beloved pet. My goal is to help people find sympathetic listeners and safe spaces where they can share their grief and begin to understand the social and emotional impacts of the loss.

If you're grieving for a pet, I encourage you to find someone with whom you can safely share your stories about the animals and sacred places you love. This is one of the primary reasons Karen and I created the Pet Chaplain Learning Series. We encourage you to explore your grief with kindred spirits, express your love for animals, and transform loss into a mission to serve others like you.

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OUR MISSION

Honoring the love–nurturing the bond.

Building awareness.

Inspiring compassion.

Finding meaning together.

At Pet Chaplain, we believe that our relationships with animals are among life’s most meaningful connections. Our pets enrich our lives, shape our identities, deepen our understanding of love, and invite us to consider profound questions about life, loss, and what it means to care for another being.

Yet the significance of these relationships is not always recognized or understood. When an animal dies, the grief can be profound, even as our society sometimes minimizes or dismisses the loss.

Our mission is to deepen our understanding of the human–animal bond, explore human spirituality, honor the grief that accompanies pet loss, and educate individuals and groups in the provision of spiritual care to people who love animals.

We pursue this mission by providing transformative educational experiences, creating opportunities for personal reflection and shared learning, and expanding access to spiritual care for grieving pet lovers in our communities.

From knowledge to wisdom

We believe knowledge is essential. Learning about the human–animal bond can help us appreciate why animals are so important to us. Exploring grief can help us understand the emotional and spiritual dimensions of loss. Examining history, culture, science, and religion can challenge longstanding assumptions about the place of animals in our lives.

But information alone does not necessarily change how we see the world.

Sometimes our most profound learning happens when we reflect on our experiences, question familiar beliefs, listen to others, and discover new ways of understanding ourselves and our relationships.

This is the kind of learning we encourage: learning that informs the mind, touches the heart, and opens possibilities for personal growth, healing, and compassionate action. This is the kind of learning you’ll discover in the Pet Chaplain Learning Series.

Learning together. Growing in compassion.

We envision a world in which the bonds between people and animals are recognized as meaningful, the grief of pet loss is met with compassion rather than dismissal, and spiritual care is available to all who need it.

Through knowledge, reflection, and shared experience, we hope to foster a deeper appreciation of the animals who shape our lives—and a greater capacity to care for one another.

Learn. Reflect. Heal. Connect.

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