Bereavement Counseling

Community members are invited to call Matty Giuliano, MCSPCA’s All Faiths Chaplain or our community partner Bob Szita, Pet Loss Counselor with concerns about seriously ill or aging pets, euthanasia decisions, or grief over the death of a pet.

Matty Giuliano, MCSPCA’s All Faiths Chaplain

While working in our Humane Law Enforcement division for 10 years and having handled approximately 2,000 animals cruelty complaints, Matty was “called” into a different line of work and received his interfaith ordination from the Universal Life Church in August, 2014. He became the Chaplain of the Law Enforcement Division in October of that year as well as the Chaplain for PBA Local # 394. In March 2015, Matty retired from the Law Enforcement Division to focus solely on his position as Chaplain and since that time has been named the Chaplain for the entire Monmouth County SPCA.

In addition to being an Ordained Minister, Matty holds two distinct Animal Bereavement Certifications and is continuing to further his education through his current enrollment in the Animal Chaplain Program at Emerson Theological Institute. His services, which are always free of charge, include pet blessings, pet funerals and memorials, bereavement counseling, and spiritual and emotional support. For further information, or to request any supportive services, please call 732-616-3166 or email [email protected]

Bob Szita, Pet Loss Counselor

Bob Szita, MS, LPC, Co-Director of Contemporary Counseling Center located in Marlboro, NJ and Pet Loss Counselor for the Monmouth County SPCA will return calls at no charge to the public. He is available by phone to address a variety of pet loss issues, including: how to talk with children about the death of a pet, understanding the impact on the elderly when a pet dies, making life and death decisions about seriously ill pets, and how to deal with anger, guilt, and sadness after a loss. To request a callback from Bob, please call 732-577-1076.