In a recent episode of All My Children Wear Fur Coats, Courtney and David Roché shared their personal accounts of pet bereavement, and explained how Whisker & Fang aids individuals who are grieving the loss of a pet.
Courtney and David Roché are the co-founders of Whisker & Fang, a company that produces personalized memorials for pets. Their pet bereavement journey began in 2020, when their beloved boxer, Ruby passed away following a tumultuous battle with cancer. Devastated by their loss, they searched for a memorial that could honor Ruby’s character adequately.
They wanted something that could display the thing closest to Ruby – her collar. Discouraged by a lack of suitable options, David took matters into his own hands. After some therapeutic craftwork in his garage, the Halo Collar was conceived. The Halo Collar consists of a circular picture frame that holds your pet’s collar, and a commemorative photo displayed in the middle.
Courtney shared her experience with anticipatory grief. She recalled the difficult emptions that accompanied Ruby’s diagnosis, including guilt, fear, and sadness. Courtney highlighted the importance of finding a support group where one can express their feelings without judgement. In their time of grief, Courtney and David found it difficult to locate the assistance they needed. To circumvent the grief experienced by other pet parents, Courtney and David opted to feature many resources for pet bereavement support on their website, including hotlines, Facebook groups, and charities.
Whisker & Fang also features its own charitable component. Ten percent (10%) of all sales are donated to Veteran Companion Animal Services, an organization that aims to enrich the lives of veterans and homeless animals through the power of the human-animal connection. Their program pairs supportive dogs with veterans suffering from mental health challenges. In turn, the veterans provide a loving and stable home for the animals.
If you would like to learn more about Whisker and Fang, or to obtain a Halo Collar, visit WhiskerAndFang.com.
Please protect your pet with a Pet Trust! Visit ACT4Pets.org for more information.
