Veterinary Chaplaincy

Introducing the first-ever textbook in veterinary chaplaincy, a new field of spiritual care focused on the unique needs of the pet-keeping community. Our animal companions bring love and joy to our lives, and losing them can be heartbreaking. Yet many of us struggle to find the emotional and spiritual support we need when we lose a pet. Veterinary Chaplaincy: Interfaith Spiritual Care for Pet Loss is a response to this abiding need. Based on the scholarship and hands-on experience of Pet Chaplain® founder and chaplaincy educator Rob Gierka, EdD, this groundbreaking book offers a foundational education in the principles of veterinary chaplaincy and practical tools you can use to support pet keepers in clinical and community settings. Veterinary Chaplaincy is a call to action for anyone interested in this work, including professional caregivers, people who work or volunteer in the animal care and services industry, and everyday people who wish to provide spiritually inclusive comfort and support to their family and friends. Praise for Veterinary Chaplaincy: "I have a library of spiritual care books, and none compare to the value of this one. It is clear, inclusive, gentle, wise, knowledgeable, and beautifully written. Decades of study and experience, reading and practice, learning and self-reflection have all come together in a deceptively simple and straightforward book." - Fran Prem Professional Chaplaincy Supervisor and Clinical Pastoral Educator Melbourne, Australia "Veterinary chaplaincy has been a transformative part of not just my professional life as a veterinarian, but also myself personally. I use what I've learned every day in every conversation with my clients. Helping people say goodbye to their pets is a complex and beautiful experience." - Christine Scott, DVM In-Home Euthanasia Specialist Detroit, Michigan Veterinary Chaplaincy is the final book in the Pet Chaplain® Learning Series, a four-volume set that explores pet keeping and loss in the modern West and offers instruction in interfaith spiritual care for pet loss. The series is the brainchild of Rob Gierka, EdD, who founded Pet Chaplain, a community service and educational organization, in 2004. A pioneer in the emerging field of interfaith spiritual care for pet loss, Dr. Gierka has served pet keepers and veterinary workers in both clinical and community settings. Visit petchaplain.com to learn more.