Holding Love After Goodbye: The Story of Our Pet Loss Hearts
Dear pet loving community,
As a veterinarian, I’ve had the honour of walking alongside pet families through some of the most tender and emotional moments—saying goodbye to a beloved pet. In these sacred moments, I look for gentle ways to bring comfort, connection, and care. Pet loss hearts offer something tangible to hold onto—a small reminder of love, comfort, and connection that endures long after a final farewell.
Pet loss hearts are handmade felt hearts made with kindness and compassion for pet families to hold at their time of loss ~ May it bring you comfort ~
A Heartfelt Beginning
My first encounter with the Loss Heart Initiative was years ago, during my third pregnancy, when I joined Dancing for Birth classes by Leslie Switzer. The idea—creating a small, hand-stitched heart to hold in times of loss—deeply resonated with me, as I had experienced pregnancy loss myself. In that space, I saw how something so simple could carry profound meaning and comfort through grief.
Leslie Switzer, the founder of The Loss Heart Initiative
In 2020, when I founded Black Creek Mobile Vet, I knew I wanted to bring that same sense of warmth and care to the families I serve. That’s how the Pet Loss Hearts began—a heartfelt way to honour the bond, the life, and the love shared with a companion animal. Each heart is handmade by members of our community, stitched with compassion, and offered as a tribute of love. Over time, I’ve heard countless stories of families keeping their heart beside an urn, in a special memorial space, or tucked under a child’s pillow. These small symbols hold so much emotion and connection.
From One Heart to Many
What’s been equally beautiful is seeing how healing the making of these hearts can be. That’s why we now host Pet Loss Heart Sewing Bees—gentle, creative gatherings where pet lovers come together to stitch, share, and connect. Whether you’re crafting for your own healing or creating a heart for someone else, there’s something quietly powerful about coming together in kindness.
Our very first Pet Loss Heart Sewing Bee, hosted by Black Creek Mobile Vet in St. Marys was on January 21, 2025.
Feature article from the St. Marys Independent highlighting Black Creek Mobile Vet’s community Pet Loss Heart initiative and Sewing Bees, bringing comfort and connection to grieving pet families across Perth County. January 30, 2025
For many, creating or stitching a heart becomes a way to honour their own pet’s memory—a quiet act of remembrance that transforms grief into love shared. By giving back in this way, you help another grieving pet parent, caregiver, or guardian feel supported and understood during one of life’s hardest moments.
Joining Our Community
Our Sewing Bees rotate locations between St. Marys and Stratford (and sometimes Sebringville), with each event offering time to relax, create, and reflect. We also bring along selections from our pet loss support lending library—books for both adults and children to browse or borrow.
Our Pet Loss Lending Library offers free access to carefully selected grief support books for both adults and children—helping families find comfort, understanding, and healing after pet loss.
You don’t need any sewing experience—just a kind heart and a willingness to create something meaningful, and of course a love for animals.All supplies are provided, and donations of felt, embroidery floss, stuffing, or small pet-themed embellishments are always appreciated.
If you’d like to join our community, there are many ways to get involved:
🐾 Attend a Sewing Bee
🐾 Create hearts from home and drop them off, or
🐾 Donate supplies
Join our Facebook group: Pet Loss Heart Creators to stay connected.
For updates on Sewing Bee dates, drop-in times, and locations, please follow us on social media and watch for our event announcements.
“The Pet Loss Heart community has become a living expression of love—one that continues to ripple outward. Together, stitch by stitch, we’re helping others feel a little less alone through their loss.”
A Glimpse Into Our Community
Each image in this post tells a story of love, loss, and remembrance. The photos of Cole, Mindy & Molly, Ellie, and Porter show how families have chosen to display their Pet Loss Hearts—sometimes beside a photo, urn, or keepsake, and always surrounded by love. These hearts are handmade by community members, each one created to bring comfort and connection to grieving pet parents, caregivers, and guardians.
You’ll also see the business card of Leslie Switzer, founder of the Loss Heart Initiative that first inspired this work, and a feature from the St. Marys Independent recognizing our community Sewing Bees and their impact. Together, these moments represent a growing circle of compassion—where every stitch, every heart, and every story helps another family feel a little less alone.
With love and gratitude,
Dr. Erica
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