Blue Cross Launch Equine Bereavement Support Course
The Blue Cross have launched a new equine bereavement support course.
The support will supplement a range of courses for animal professionals to undertake, regarding their loss of a pet. The new course is recognised as a continued professional development (CPD) course for professionals and aims to enhance and refine skill when dealing with bereavement situations.
CPD is a requirement within nearly all animal-related medical professions. Also, the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) now see pet bereavement support as an essential skill for their accredited members. It has recently be made compulsory for RCVS members to undertake pet bereavement training to meet Client Experience Standards. Therefore, the new course should see horse-owners be able to access pet-loss support from their local vet, which is tailored to horses.
Currently, the Blue Cross do provide their own pet bereavement support service. Owners can contact the charity through email and telephone regarding the loss of their own pet, receiving support from professionals. However, the new bereavement course shows the charity’s concern for owners when grieving for their horses. The new course will see increased access to support in equine-loss situations.
Pet Bereavement Support Service Manager at The Blue Cross, Diane James, commented;
We are excited to announce new training dates for our courses and webinars coming up this year. It is vital for anyone working with pet owners – from vets and vet nurses to groomers, pet sitters and dog walkers – to help them support their clients with the loss of their pet or making difficult end of life decisions. Whether through death or loss of a pet due to a relationship breakdown, theft or change in circumstances – many owners struggle to cope. These courses are designed to build confidence when facing a grieving owner and learn core techniques to support them.”
The equine-specific bereavement support course is set to cover issues leading up to and during the process of saying goodbye to a beloved horse. It will cover quality of life and planning in advance of horse’s passing away. It will also address difficult issues such as euthanasia and end-of-life options. Supporting the owners through the difficult period will be an essential topic covered within the webinar too.
The course is set to run for an eight week period. This year, there are currently two dates for the equine, bespoke course; 22nd May and 25th September 2019. Training courses will be available through an e-learning and webinars format. Alternatively, face-to-face sessions can be organised, for those wanting additional support on how to provide the best advice during horse-loss situations. Shorter courses and those surrounding generic pet-loss have been designed and will also be running throughout the year.
For more information surrounding the Blue Cross Pet Bereavement Service or new Equine-Bereavement course, visit bluecross.org.uk
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Reporting on equestrian news stories, Abby also produces a variety of engaging content for the magazine.