When you heard that somebody has just lost his or her loved one, it is normal to express your condolences, but will your reaction be the same if the deceased is an animal? 

Pet loss bereavement is a grief often overlooked not only by people around the pet owner, but also councillors. As more and more people depend emotionally on pets, the issue should receive more attention.

Realising pet owners’ need of emotional support, social worker Poon Wing Lok became a certified pet bereavement counselor and set up Animal Power. It is an NGO developing pilot work of pet bereavement support in Hong Kong. 

One of the core events are support groups, which allow pet owners to share their inner thoughts, yet due to the lack of promotion and funding, it is not easy to maintain the service.

See this article to understand more about the ambitions and struggles in promoting pet life education in Hong Kong.