CALGARY -- Sorting through feelings of loss and sadness associated with the death of a pet can be a complicated process.

Dawn Mitchell’s beloved dog Remi died suddenly in April 2019.

"There's moments I can have really good days and I can tell stories about what a goofball Remi was, and there's other days that I don’t want to," said Mitchell.

She started going to therapy a few weeks later and is part of a pet loss group meeting monthly through the Calgary Humane Society.

"You can tell your story if you want to tell you story or you don’t have to," said Mitchell.

Remi Calgary dog

Dawn Mitchell’s dog Remi died suddenly in April 2019.

The program started in February and is open to those who have lost a pet or own a palliative animal, in an effort to help people work through their grief.

"We find the grief sits in the body and until you express it and work through it, it’s going to stay there," said therapist Straja Linder King who leads the sessions.

Her two dogs Twillow Rose and Tala Rain are on hand to offer extra comfort.

"Grief is a broken heart it’s not comparative whether it’s human or animal. When you have a broken heart you have to work through it and this is a place to do that," said Linder King.

The sessions are $55 or $65 for a family.

"I have learned through group therapy that I’m not alone. I’ve learned that it’s okay to cry," said Mitchell, who adds she is beginning to feel open to owning another dog.

She's recently starting looking online for animals that are available to adopt.

"I think that’s a step forward," she said.