Honoring the Bond

Our Services

The mission of the Honoring the Bond Program at The Ohio State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital is to provide support and education to companion animal owners. Through specialized training we also provide veterinary teams and students with the communication skills needed to promote quality veterinary care and veterinary career success.

What to Expect

Clients who are facing the serious illness, injury or death of a pet often require additional support and information from the veterinary medical team. The Honoring the Bond Program supports the client and the veterinary medical team by providing consultation to clients about difficult decision-making, euthanasia, coping with the death of a pet, helping children cope with pet and helping surviving companion animals cope with the death of a family pet. Consultations can be arranged by a member of your pet's veterinary team by contacting Joelle Nielsen, MSW, LSW, Honoring the Bond program Coordinator, or by contacting the CALL line at (614) 292-1823.

Service Highlights

• Full-time licensed social worker
• Providing applied learning opportunities to foster veterinary teambuilding and enhance veterinary team communication
• Providing non-medical outreach services, including grief education and support, for companion animal owners
• CALL (Companion Animal Listening Line), a student volunteer line providing non-medical support and grief education to companion animal owners
• Field training/internship site for graduate social work students

Hours of Service

• Office Hours: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday - Friday
• Pet Loss Hotline*: 6:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. Monday - Friday, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Saturday - Sunday
• Client consultations are available by phone, e-mail or in person during regular office hours. Appointments and phone consultation also available through referral by OSU or family veterinarian
• Honoring the Bond Program Coordinator:  Joelle Nielsen, MSW, LSW
  
  • (614) 247-8607
  • honoringthebond@osu.edu

*Hotline hours are dependent upon volunteer availability and are subject to change without notice.

Common Conditions & Procedures

Consultation services and educational resources are available for the following:

• Coping with the injury, illness or death of a pet
• Helping children cope with the death of a pet
• Difficult decision-making
• Euthanasia
• Do companion animals grieve?
• What to say to someone who has experienced the death of a pet
• Cremation and aftercare services

Help Honor the Bond

Honoring the Bond is nonprofit and relies on the generous support of pet owners, veterinarians and corporate and industry leaders. If you would like to contribute, please see the donation form .

Media Spotlight

Joelle Nielsen, Honoring the Bond program coordinator, was interviewed by OnCampus, Ohio State's faculty and staff newspaper. Out of about 20 job nomiations, the publication listed Nielsen's as one of the most unique careers at the university. Read the article.