“Fluffy went to the farm.”  “Rover went to sleep.”  “Fido ran away.”  These white lies are often told by well-meaning parents who don’t know how to address the death of a pet truthfully with their child.  WHEN A FAMILY PET DIES by JoAnn Tuzeo-Jarolmen (October 2006, Jessica Kingsley Publishers, Paperback Original, $14.95; ISBN-10: 1-84310-836-4; 112 pages) gives parents an easy-to-read guide on how to handle the loss of a pet more directly.  Losing a pet is often a child’s first experience with grief.  The proper support and care during this difficult time teaches children how to survive the inevitable tragedies life will bring.  The parental instinct to protect your child from sadness can often lead to more problems.  If the grief is not acknowledged or given an outlet, it can have long lasting effects.

Children grieve for pets as seriously as they would for a family member.  In WHEN A FAMILY PET DIES, Tuzeo-Jarolmen suggests practical age-appropriate strategies for sensitively addressing the emotional needs of children.  The grieving process for adults and children is not the same.  Tuzeo-Jarolmen explains the grieving process in children along with the different feelings and behaviors that might occur.  She explores the arguments for and against replacing a pet and offers advice on how to encourage children to “move on.”  She concludes with the ten most important facts to keep in mind when dealing with children’s loss.

JoAnn Tuzeo-Jarolmen, Ph.D., L.C.S.W., has 25 years’ experience as a therapist and is a certified grief counselor working with children who have lost a pet.  She earned a Masters Degree in Social Work from Fordham University and Doctorate in Social Work from Rutgers University.  She a member of the faculty at Dominican College.  Ms. Tuzeo-Jarolmen lives in Ridgewood, NJ.