ASSOCIATION FOR PET LOSS AND BEREAVEMENT INC

What ASSOCIATION FOR PET LOSS AND BEREAVEMENT INC does

The Association for Pet Loss and Bereavement Inc (APLB) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1999 by Dr. Wallace Sife, Ph.D., following the death of his miniature dachshund Edel Meister, to provide free grief support to pet parents. Headquartered in Albany, New York, with a general office in Brooklyn, APLB operates with approximately 10 employees and is led by President Colleen Rolland (since 2014) and Vice President Dr. Michelle Crossley. The organization is the only nonprofit specifically dedicated to free pet loss and bereavement support in continuous operation since 1999.

APLB's service platform is built on a WordPress-based website that hosts professionally moderated chat rooms, video support groups, pet memorial pages, and a searchable Directory of Services covering counselors, veterinarians, crematories, animal chaplains, social workers, and related providers. The organization also runs a Pet Loss Grief Specialist Training Program that certifies professionals and publishes educational webinars and a Story Project on member grief narratives. Core technology components include real-time chat room functionality, video conferencing for support groups, a memorialization platform (with anniversary candle features), and a public directory; all services are delivered digitally to a global audience without geographic restrictions.

APLB operates a hybrid community-led, direct-to-consumer, and event-driven go-to-market model. Revenue is generated through a five-tier annual membership program (Bronze free, Silver $39, Platinum $99, Professional $169, Professional Plus $299) supplemented by tax-deductible donations and Giving Tuesday fundraising. Primary customers are grieving pet parents across sub-segments including seniors, children, singles/childless couples, and service animal handlers, with a secondary segment of pet-loss support professionals seeking directory listings and PLGS certification. The organization distributes services entirely through self-serve digital channels and grows through referrals from veterinary partners, including Not One More Vet (NOMV) and the International Association of Veterinary Social Work (IAVSW).

Name

ASSOCIATION FOR PET LOSS AND BEREAVEMENT INC

Legal name

Association for Pet Loss and Bereavement Inc

Website

https://aplb.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Association for Pet Loss and Bereavement Inc (APLB) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1999 that provides free grief support to pet parents through online chat rooms, video support groups, pet memorials, and a Directory of Services, funded by tiered memberships and donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Pet Bereavement Support Services

NAICS

Death Care Services (8122)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Bereavement & Grief Support Services (Hospice-Affiliated/Independent) (HLADAHAL)

Keywords

• Pet bereavement support
• Grief counseling services
• Pet loss support groups
• Bereavement training programs
• Pet memorial services

Headquarters

HQ city

Albany

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Subscriptions: Tiered membership program with annual subscriptions ranging from free (Bronze) to $299 (Professional Plus). Provides access to chat rooms, memorials, webinars, and directory listings
2. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Tax-deductible donations from individuals supporting the mission. APLB is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Participate in Giving Tuesday and other fundraising campaigns

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Association for Pet Loss and Bereavement Inc is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1999 by Dr. Wallace Sife and based in Albany, NY, providing pet-loss grief support services. Its core offerings include moderated chat rooms, video support groups, online pet memorial pages, a directory of bereavement services, Pet Loss Grief Specialist training, webinars, and the Story Project, delivered to grieving pet owners and pet-care professionals.

Product overview

The Association for Pet Loss and Bereavement (APLB) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization offering a membership-based platform for pet loss grief support. The core offering centers on a tiered membership model with Bronze (free), Silver ($39/year), Platinum ($99/year), Professional ($169/year), and Professional Plus ($299/year) tiers. Members access grief support through a Chat Room (Bronze+), Video Support Groups (Silver+), and Pet Memorial Pages for creating tributes (Silver: 1 memorial; Platinum: unlimited). Professionals can list services in the Directory of Services (Professional tier) with enhanced visibility options (Professional Plus). A Pet Loss Grief Specialist Training Course is available as an add-on for members seeking professional certification. The platform also includes webinars on grief-related topics and a Story Project for sharing personal pet stories.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Chat Room Support

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 20,000 visitors logged into APLB chat rooms in the past eight years
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Moose's MarchcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 August 2024Partnership announced August 20, 2024 to combat pet cancer and provide support. The Association for Pet Loss and Bereavement and Moose's March work together to serve grieving pet parents and improve access to early cancer screening in underserved communities.
• Not One More Vet (NOMV)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMany veterinary professionals are in crisis. NOMV provides the necessary support to all members of veterinary teams and students who are struggling or considering suicide. APLB was named NOMV's 2024 Partner of the Year, recognizing the partnership's work supporting veterinary wellbeing.
• International Association of Veterinary Social Work (IAVSW)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIAVSW is committed to supporting the well-being of professionals in the veterinary field. APLB's Vice President Dr. Michelle Crossley serves as Vice President of IAVSW, creating a deep leadership connection between the organizations.
• Moose's MarchminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMoose's March provides funding for pre-cancer screening tests to animal shelters and veterinary clinics in underprivileged communities. APLB partnered with Moose's March in August 2024 to combat pet cancer and provide support services.
• Bridging RainbowsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner'Give Animals A Brake' is a global traffic awareness campaign aimed at reducing animal road accidents and mishaps through compassion, sensitization, awareness and action. Launched January 11, 2022.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Blue Cross Pet Bereavement Support (UK): UK-based pet bereavement helpline and online resources offered by a major animal welfare charity; comparable mission and service model but geographically focused on the UK rather than North America.

Direct peers

• Pet Loss Support Group (University of Pennsylvania / Penn Vet): Penn Vet-affiliated pet loss support group meetings and resources; another institutional alternative serving the same target audience with similar support-group and counseling offerings.
• Lap of Love: Veterinary hospice and in-home euthanasia provider with a parallel pet-end-of-life mission; APLB lists in-home euthanasia providers in its Directory of Services, placing them in adjacent rather than directly competing positions.
• Tufts Cummings School Pet Loss Support Hotline: Veterinary school hotline providing telephone-based pet loss support staffed by students; competes with APLB chat rooms for the same bereaved pet owner segment, with academic credibility.
• Argus Institute (Colorado State University): University-based program offering pet loss counseling, support groups, and grief resources; competes with APLB for bereaved pet parents and is a natural referral alternative in academic veterinary settings.

Others

• Not One More Vet (NOMV): Veterinary professional mental health and crisis nonprofit that named APLB 2024 Partner of the Year; adjacent mission around veterinary wellbeing, channel partner and referral source rather than direct competitor.
• Pet Partners (Therapy Animal Organization): Therapy animal organization whose handler community includes service animal handlers—an explicit APLB special population; related ecosystem player but focused on therapy animal registration rather than bereavement.

Emerging players

• International Association of Animal Hospice and Palliative Care (IAAHPC): Membership organization for veterinary professionals in animal hospice; adjacent professional community that overlaps with APLB's Directory of Services for veterinarians and pet loss counselors.
• Pet Heaven / Pet Cemetery and Cremation Services: Pet cremation, cemetery, and memorialization services; overlapping with APLB's memorialization and directory-of-services offerings on the pet aftercare side of the bereavement journey.
• University of Tennessee Veterinary Social Work Certificate Program: Academic certificate program training professionals in veterinary social work including pet loss support; competing professional training pathway to APLB's Pet Loss Grief Specialist Training Course.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/APLB4U
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/association-for-pet-loss-and-bereavement-inc
• Instagraminstagram.com/aplb4u

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about ASSOCIATION FOR PET LOSS AND BEREAVEMENT INC