My journey
I have been many things in this life –
a sister …
a partner …
a friend …
an intern to a managing director …
in various industries like hospitality, fashion, and technology.
But nothing shaped me more than being a dog caregiver.
Loving a pet teaches you what unconditional love truly feels like. Losing one reveals the true depth of grief we rarely talk about.
My dogs greeted me at the door like I was the best part of their day. They slept beside me, stole my food, gave me attitude when I botched their haircuts and yet asking for nothing but my presence.
When one passed naturally at 8 years old – the shock was deeply traumatic. I leaned heavily on my second dog for support until he too passed away a few months later at 17 by euthanasia. Their losses taught me how different every goodbye can be. Above all, they taught me how different every goodbye can be— and how little I knew.
Before each loss, I felt a grief that arrived early—a pain that stole my sleep and made every moment bittersweet. I questioned every decision, every sign, every hope. I did not have words for it then—I just knew I was drowning.
Later, I learned the word was “anticipatory grief”. Finding the word set me on a journey to understand—and to ensure the pain would not be wasted.
turning grief into guidance
I started learning—about pet loss, bereavement, hospice and palliative care. I spoke to hundreds of caregivers facing the same heartache.
What I realized: this is not a rare experience. It was 91% of pet caregivers go through anticipatory grief, and 66% reported caregiver fatigue. While many also said they didn’t feel supported by their veterinarian or community.
saudade paws was born from my own journey—but it exists for every caregiver who feels overwhelmed, exhausted and unseen.
It exists for the caregiver lying awake at 3.00am listening to their pet breathe and wondering if they’re doing enough. For the person memorizing small moments, holding joy and dread at the same time.
For those living in the quiet in-between—where love is constant, time feels fragile, and decisions deserve steadiness rather than fear.
Note: Statistic based on results from the saudade paws Your Story – Pet Questionnaire, 2025
Why this work matters to professionals too
A personal mission alone doesn’t build the support systems that are desperately needed.
I also saw the silent toll this takes on veterinary teams and pet service providers—leading to burnout, frustration, and client attrition.
This is where my past met my purpose.
For nearly 20 years, my career has been defined by solving complex operational and commercial challenges for global corporations. I’ve led multi-million dollar projects and built teams across luxury, tech and service industries.
My strength is creating structure where there is chaos—and delivering measurable results.
I launched saudade paws to bridge a critical gap in the pet care ecosystem. We apply a strategic, data-driven lens to one of the most emotionally charged moments in pet caregiving.
This mission is about more than grief and loss. It’s about building a system that supports caregivers and the professionals who serve them.
Message
pet caregivers …
If you are here, chances are you are carrying something heavy.
Maybe your pet is ageing.
Maybe you have already said goodbye.
Maybe you are somewhere in between, trying to hold it together while the world moves on.
This is the work of my heart. And you are the reason it exists.
Explore our Field Guides and Articles designed to be your compassionate companion. There is more to come soon.
Schedule a free 30-minute introductory session. This is a judgment-free space to be heard, ask questions and explore how I can help you in your situation.
Pet service Professionals…
If you are here, you know the weight of the conversations that happen in quiet exam rooms.
You see the gap between medical care and the profound human need for guidance through hospice, palliative care and pet loss.
The system often leaves us without the tools to fully support the most difficult part of the journey.
This is the gap we exist to fill.
Connect with us to provide a truly complete circle of care for your clients, transforming their most difficult experience into one of supported grace and deepening their lifelong trust in your practice.
About the Author
Jayne Law is the founder of saudade paws and a certified Pet Bereavement and Animal Hospice Care Professional.
The profound loss of her own dogs revealed a critical gap in end-of-life support, driving her to become a Pet Palliative Care & End-of-Life Consultant. She now works to equip veterinary and pet service professionals with the tools they need to better support caregivers.
Through her Field Guides for Pet Caregivers and resources, she also educates pet parents directly—ensuring no one has to navigate this difficult journey alone.
Our Field Guides
The journey of pet caregiving – especially in the final stages – can feel isolating and overwhelming. You don’t have to navigate it without a guide.
These three Field Guides were created to be your compassionate, step-by-step companions, transforming the chaos of this experience into clear manageable paths forward. It will be messy, but will ultimately lead you to make decisions with less fear and more love.
