“Death care is community care, so we want to foster connections as much as possible,” Tracy Walker said.
BIDEFORD, Maine — The University of New England announced its latest certification program Tuesday.—Something that might surprise you.
A Bideford-based university is now offering a specialist certificate to become an end-of-life pet doula.
Tracy Walker, adjunct professor and subject matter expert at the university, said this is the first time UNE is offering this program.
Since last year, the university has offered a certification program to become a human end-of-life doula.
Walker, who has worked in death care for 10 years in both human and veterinary medicine, said there is a noticeable trend in interest in becoming a death doula.
“I've seen a real trend in death doulas in particular. I've been an educator in this field for about five years,” Walker said. “As death doulas, we provide medical, non-judgmental, holistic care.”
Walker says people who are already death doulas want to further educate themselves and become more prepared, as more and more human clients are contacting them about pet support. I explained that I had seen it.
“That's how it started for me. A former client would contact us and say, 'My dog has been diagnosed with cancer. Can you help me?'” And that's it. We're starting to understand more and more,” Walker said.
Death doulas specialize in a variety of areas, including dealing with infant and child deaths, traumatic deaths, wakes, paperwork, and dementia care. The other thing is the animals and companion animals that UNE will provide in the future.
The new six-week online program was designed in response to a survey completed by students who took a human death doula course and expressed an interest in end-of-life care for animals.
Walker said the program will teach practical and emotional support skills. We will focus on the practical tools needed to prepare both pet parents and companion animals for the most comfortable death and smooth transition possible.
Topics include preparing students for challenges such as hospice care, palliative care, quality of life assessment, final days, euthanasia, mortuary disposal options, and home burial. But the program also includes an emotional component to help people deal with emotions such as grief, coping, and bereavement.
Additionally, this curriculum prepares future pet death doulas how to deal with their emotions.
“Often, before we can support someone and have that open space, we have to deal with our own traumas and triggers, so we tap into the emotional parts of the participants in our courses. Also talk to them and make sure they understand their feelings and can deal with them.”
Students can expect program content such as recorded lectures, textbooks, diaries, quizzes, and business building. Also, participate in discussions with your classmates to build connections.
“Death care is community care, so we want to foster connections as much as possible,” Walker said.
The program also includes a practice component to keep students engaged during online courses. Students are tasked with finding pets to take vitals, researching options for body disposal in their area, and learning regulations for burying pets on property.
Walker said anyone can take the course, including veterinarians, human death doulas or concerned pet parents. The program also serves as a stepping stone for those looking to turn this into a career.
“To make this into a career, we find that pet death doulas tend to work with hospice veterinarians, veterinarians who perform home euthanasia and emergency veterinary care, but only a few ,” Walker said. “It's an emerging field.”
UNE's new End-of-Life Pet Doula certification program is offered three times a year in January, April and September and costs $550. The first program will run from April 1st to May 12th.
If you would like to participate in the first program, please be sure to apply by the registration deadline of March 31st.
Click here for more information about the program.
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