Susan, your host, welcomes Dr. Michele Pfannenstiel to today's episode. Dr. Pfannenstiel is a veteran veterinarian turned business coach and food safety strategist. The products Michele has created have been transformative, generating millions of dollars in revenue for her clients in just a few years. Dr. Pfannenstiel is known in her industry for being an innovator, and she is on a mission to transform the lives of veterinarians across the country.

Dr. Michele Pfannenstiel is sharing today her grief story which includes her father and her soul pet. She explains how to evaluate if it is the right time to let your pet go, and speaks words of love and wisdom referring to the sadness and emptiness left when our beloved pets pass away.

Key Takeaways:

• Through the grief of our pets, we grieve other losses.
• Dr. Pfannenstiel shares the grief journey when she lost her soul pet three months after losing her father.
• Dr. Pfannenstiel tells how she always considers the grieving owners when she puts animals down.
• Dr. Pfannenstiel needed to grieve her dad and dog, and also share the grief of her community after a shooting in her hometown.
• Dr. Pfannenstiel shares a poem called Rainbow Bridge.
• Dr. Pfannenstiel talks about the controversial topic of euthanizing pets and how to evaluate the lifestyle of your pet when it is getting older.
• The hardest thing for Veterinarians is seeing people who wait too long to let their pets go.
• Dr. Pfannenstiel talks about the very difficult situation when owners don't have the monetary resources to care for their pets.
• Dr. Pfannenstiel talks about memorial services for pets and a Pet Grief Hotline that was created in Michigan ten years ago.
• There are many ways to honor the human-animal bond; Dr. Pfannenstiel shares some of them.
• Learn to recognize the anticipatory grief you feel while you look at your elder pet.
• Do not shame or humiliate yourself for your grieving; listen to your body, and allow the sadness to happen. Leave space for the grief.

Resources

Tendrilsofgrief.com

Email Susan: [email protected]

"7 Things Your Deceased Pet Would Want Your to Know," by Dina Fantegrossi

Pet Loss Hotlines

Meet Dr. Michele Pfannenstiel

Dirigo Food Safety