Black Creek Mobile Vet Clinic recruiting Pet Loss Heart creators

Anyone who can sew, quilt, and craft is encouraged to help Black Creek Mobile Vet Clinic make pet loss hearts.

By Emily Stewart

A regional mobile vet clinic is looking for crafters of all skills to help comfort those grieving as they say goodbye to their beloved pets.

Black Creek Mobile Vet Clinic will host rotating monthly Pet Loss Heart Sewing Bees. The crafting sessions involve participants making hearts for those who experienced pet loss.

The pet loss hearts stemmed from Leslie Switzer’s Loss Hearts Initiative. Dr. Erica Dickie, practice owner and hospice vet of Black Creek Mobile Vet Clinic, met Switzer through a Dancing Through Birth circle where participants talked about pregnancy difficulties and pregnancy loss. Switzer made loss hearts for bereaved parents, and eventually Dr. Dickie asked about making pet loss hearts.

"One of the parts of loss afterwards is walking away, whether it's a pet loss or a human loss,” she said. “Is walking away from the hospital without anything. To be able to hold onto something is just a special way to recognize and honour that loss and that grief."

Switzer held Sewing Bees where crafters made loss hearts, including pet loss hearts that have rainbows, paw prints, or other pet symbols stitched on top. However, the demand for the loss hearts grew and Dr. Dickie decided to hold her own Sewing Bees. Her patients find the pet loss hearts monumental.

“People will share pictures of their pet’s urn or paw print or collar, anything that they have as their, kind of, shrine or memorial space for their pet and that loss heart sits there proudly,” Dr. Dickie said. “Or they'll share stories of their children sleeping with the hearts under their pillows or are holding them and how special those have been for the families."

Black Creek Mobile Vet Clinic mainly services St. Marys, Stratford, Sebringville, along with other municipalities in Oxford, Middlesex, Huron, and Perth counties. The first Pet Loss Sewing Bee occurred on Jan. 21 at Raise Your Vibe wellbeing centre in St. Marys and Dr. Dickie was pleased with crafters participating and sharing their own experiences.

"During that time, some people share their stories about their pets and pet loss,” she said. “Some just talk about other things and it's just beautiful because it's also, in a sense, a little bit of a pet loss support group,

“Some people would benefit from sharing their experiences but might not like the just sitting around in a circle type of thing, so being able to actively do something to help others who are also grieving or to help yourself is really special."

For those who are unable to make it for the Sewing Bee, they can either make their own at home for either drop-off or pick-up or contribute supplies. More information can be found by either visiting online via www.facebook.com/blackcreekmobilevet or by sending an email to blackcreekmobilevet@gmail.com.