OUR SOCIETY IS TURNING PETS INTO PSEUDO-CHILDREN: Their Job Is to Help You Grieve Your Pet: Though still rare, social workers in animal hospitals are growing in their ranks.

Ms. Maxwell is a veterinary social worker, a job in a little-known corner of the therapy world that focuses on easing the stress, worry and grief that can arise when a pet needs medical care.

Pets no longer exist at the periphery of the human family — to take one example, a survey in 2022 found that almost half of Americans sleep with an animal in their bed. As that relationship has intensified, so has the stress when something goes wrong. Those emotions can spill over at animal hospitals, where social workers can help pet owners work through difficult choices, such as whether to euthanize a pet or whether they can afford to pay thousands of dollars for their care.

Though still rare, social workers in animal hospitals are growing in their ranks. Large chains, like VCA, are beginning to employ them, as are major academic veterinary hospitals. The service is typically offered for free. About 175 people have earned a certification in veterinary social work from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, which is a center for the field.

I predict rapid growth. I don’t really approve of people treating animals like substitute children — it smacks too much of Children of Men and I think it’s socially destructive — but it’s a huge trend.