The grief of losing a pet is crushing; and yet it is too often minimized. This talk explains why the pain of pet loss is different and why it is valid. Dr. Hoggan has been an emergency veterinarian for over 20 years. Many people meet her on the worst day of their life; when their pet is injured, when no else is available, and when it is time to say goodbye. Her career of dealing with critically injured pets, and their frantic families, gives her a compassionate perspective that only comes with experience and helping many animals to have a soft goodbye. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx