Melissa and her partner are still grieving over the loss of their beloved dog, Kivi Tarro, who passed away three weeks ago after living for 14.5 years. As Melissa Starling, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Sydney, works through the pain of life without Kivi, she believes examining how pet loss affects individuals is vital. In a recent article for The Conversation, Melissa delves into a new scientific review and offers guidance to counsellors on how to assist individuals in dealing with the passing of a beloved pet. The review highlights the importance of the bond between humans and animals, which can be just as meaningful as human-to-human relationships, making the grief felt by pet owners just as deep. …