PETS are often regarded as one of the family, so the loss of one can be devastating.

Dealing with that loss has become a ``pet project'' of Oxenford Psychologist and owner of Positive Psych Solutions Nadine Hamilton.

Nadine has become the first in Queensland to offer specialised services for people dealing with the grief of losing an animal after noticing increased demand surrounding the issue.

"There seems to be a stigma attached to the grief that comes with losing a pet," Ms Hamilton said.

"People think that they can't ask for help and they try to cope with the loss by themselves, which can be detrimental to their well-being.

"It's not 'just a dog' that someone has lost, in many cases dogs, cats and other pets are people's closest companions and friend, particularly older people who spend much of their time in their home.

"Numerous studies show that pets help people overcome things like loneliness, reduce stress and blood pressure, help people socialise, feel secure and in some cases stay fit, so when these animals die it can leave a huge hole in someone's life.

"Even family members who have busy lifestyles and only occasionally connect with the family pet can really struggle to adjust to life without them."

Ms Hamilton said she has heard of pet-loss counsellors in the Brisbane area where people can also get their animals cremated, but she didn't know of any other registered psychologists locally who specialised in pet-loss grief.

"We're starting to get some good publicity happening through our Facebook page, and the people following that seem to be really supportive of what we are doing," Ms Hamilton said.

"I am also currently studying some psychology research surrounding veterinarian well-being.

"Veterinarians have a high suicide rate and so we are working closely with vets to understand all the different aspects of being a vet, including having to euthanise animals and why that is so hard for them."

For more information and help, you can visit www.positivepsych solutions.com.au