Frequently Asked Questions

Both hospice care and palliative care are valid approaches for your animal companion that can be adopted when your goal shifts from cure to comfort. Palliative care refers to relieving or soothing the symptoms of a disease at any stage of an illness or a natural decline in health whereas hospice care begins after a terminal diagnosis is given and curative measures are ceased. 

Both approaches include caring for the entire family--animals and their closest pet caregivers--on the physical, emotional, psychosocial, and spiritual levels.

The following most frequently warrant hospice or palliative care for animals:

• cancer
• organ failure (kidneys, liver and heart are common examples)
• mobility issues
• cognitive dysfunction or dementia
• situations in which geriatric animals are gradually approaching the natural completion of their life
• any life-limiting condition that gradually contributes to an excessive burden of caregiving 
• treatments or interventions that the family deems unacceptable
• any condition that negatively affects quality of life to the point where it has the potential to cause suffering.

Many animal caregivers choose hospice care in order to have the time to say goodbye to their companions, to plan for their death, and to ensure that all decisions about the animal’s needs are guided by their personal view of the animal’s particular requirements. If you have the resources to support comfort care, the time and desire to care for your animal during the last days or weeks at the end of life, and a good support team in place, then hospice care may be the right choice for you and your companion animal.

Making after death care arrangements ahead of time helps you prepare emotionally so you won’t have to be confronted with these decisions during the time when you are grieving and most vulnerable. Consider memorializing and paying tribute to your animal companion’s life to promote emotional healing, as well as a richer understanding and validation of your family’s loss. Dr. Kathryn Marocchino will be lecturing about aftercare, memorialization and remembrance in Module 8 (see Curriculum).

The following IDT members can benefit from animal hospice education and experience:

• Animal Caregivers
• Animal Communicators
• Animal Hospice Case Workers
• Animal Chaplains and Clergy
• Counselors and Companion Animal End-of-Life Doula Professionals
• Integrative / Alternative Therapy Practitioners (i.e. those who use Bach Flower and other Essences, aromatherapy, animal communication, medical intuition, etc).
• Grief Counselors and Bereavement Support Facilitators for Pet Parents
• Healing Touch Massage Therapists Specializing in Dogs
• Pet Cremation Specialists and Pet Crematory Staff
• Pet Massage Therapists
• Mental Health and Social Workers
• Pet Loss Specialists
• Pet Sitters and Pet Walkers
• Animal Rehabilitation and Warm Water Therapists
• Animal Reiki Practitioners and other Animal Energy Workers
• Animal Rescue Staff, Animal Shelter Staff, and Animal Sanctuary Staff
• Animal Spiritual Counselors
• Photographers Specializing in Senior Pets and Pet Memorialization
• Veterinarians
• Veterinary Assistants
• Veterinary Nurses/ Technicians
• Veterinary Practice Managers
• Veterinary Client Liaisons
• Veterinary Clinic Office Managers
• Veterinary Pharmacists
• Veterinary Receptionists, Support Staff, and Kennel Staff
• Volunteers for Animal Related Organizations

You will be qualified to become a member of an interdisciplinary team (IDT) and by working alongside veterinary practitioners, you will be able to provide comprehensive hospice care for your own or for others’ animals with confidence and competence.

Graduates who earn their “CAHP” are well-qualified to collaborate with caregiving families and all team members to contribute to the shared goal of achieving optimal quality of life until the end of life for animal family members.

For example, offer your services in collaboration with:

• Animal hospitals/clinics
• Animal sanctuaries, shelters, and/or rescue centers
• Animal holistic care centers or stores
• At-home consultations with families and their animals
  
• Develop social media support groups and offer support
  
• Add to your continuing education if you are already an animal professional
• And, many other opportunities 

There is a signup for each Discussion Group and you will be emailed the Zoom link each time.

You are required to attend a minimum of 8 hours of Discussion Group meetings during the time you are doing the Coursework (Level 1 Foundations). Although, you are more than welcome to attend every Discussion Group meeting while you are completing the modules.

The Discussion Groups are held two to three times per month from 75 minutes up to 2 hours (depending on topic and facilitator).

The AHG Animal Hospice Certification Programs are structured into three levels, each with specific requirements and qualifications:

Level 1 - Certified Animal Hospice Foundations: This is the initial level where students must complete Modules 1-9 and pass a comprehensive examination to earn the "Certificate of Completion" and "Certified Animal Hospice Foundations" (CAHF). This certificate allows students the flexibility to advance to Level 2 at any later time.

Level 2 - Certified Animal Hospice Counselor: After successfully completing Level 1, students can progress to Level 2, focusing on more advanced animal hospice care concepts, pet caregiver support, role-playing, and practices.

Level 3 - Certified Animal Hospice Practitioner (CAHP): Upon completing Level 2 and passing further assessments and assignments, students earn the title of “Certified Animal Hospice Practitioner” (CAHP). This level helps you focus and really hone on your future role in the field and signifies a higher degree of expertise and proficiency in the field of animal hospice.

Each level builds on the previous one, providing a comprehensive framework for professional development in animal hospice care.

Taking Modules 1-9 and obtaining an AHG Level 1 Certified Animal Hospice Foundations - Certificate of Completion will give you the tools and knowledge to confidently and competently care for your own animals as well as guide family or friends in caring for their animals through chronic illness, aging and the end-of-life journey. 

Pursuing Level 2 Certified Animal Hospice Counselor (CAHC) certification along with earning your Level 3 Certified Animal Hospice Practitioner (CAHP) certification, provides two significant advantages. First, you'll achieve the designation of AHG Certified Animal Hospice Practitioner (CAHP). Additionally, you'll gain proactive skills that can enhance your knowledge for additional companion animals in your life (or future), or your professional development, preparing you for roles as a pet-related client liaison, support staff at a veterinary practice, a volunteer at an animal shelter/rescue, an entrepreneur, and much more!

This program will definitely help you! Please visit our curriculum page to read about the various lectures offered. Many of these lectures will provide the guidance and the emotional support you seek.  Please follow this link: https://www.animalhospicegroup.com/site/curriculum

Yes, it will. Decision-making is a topic addressed in many of the lecture topics. Please visit the Curriculum page at https://www.animalhospicegroup.com/site/curriculum

Our program will definitely offer you the guidance you need to choose a hospice-supported natural death for your animal companion. It will also offer you the tools and knowledge to determine under what circumstances the euthanasia procedure may become appropriate. Hospice-supported natural death, euthanasia-assisted death, and quality of life are all topics throughout the Curriculum and the Internship but especially by Dr. Amir Shanan and Gail Pope in Modules 4, 5, and 6 (see Curriculum).

Yes, Michelle Nichols and Dr. Kathryn Marocchino will be lecturing on grief and how it affects individuals of all ages in Modules 7 and 8 of the Curriculum. Children learn responsibility and love while caring for their family pet. Similarly, aging, illness and death provide rich lessons about the cycle of life. As is the case with adult caregivers, children can learn techniques to remain involved with their animal friend’s care so they feel important and even inspired by this tender and memorable time. Depending upon your child’s temperament and your careful preparation, consider allowing them to be present at the time of death. If you would like other opinions about how to assist with coping and grief work based on your child’s developmental stage, you might consider a child therapist professionally interested in pet grief and loss.