PULLMAN, Wash. — This weekend, the WSU Veterinary Teaching Hospital is hosting a memorial ceremony for people who have lost their pets. It's an event that helps pet owners of the Palouse heal from their losses.
Scott Campbell is a veterinary chaplain at WSU's Vet Teaching Hospital. As a chaplain, he feels the connection between humans and their pets on the Palouse day in and day out.
"We tell our companions things we wouldn't tell another soul and they love us and they think we're the wonderful people that we want to be," Campbell said.
For as common as that is, Campbell's job is not. "Based on what I've heard, there are only three other people that are doing something similar to this," Campbell said.
That makes his connection with people like pet owner Nichol Hibbard that much more meaningful. "I have a 13-year-old dachshund named Harriet," Hibbard said. "He was this tiny little three pound daschund when we brought her home. So, we've had her her whole little life."
It's more than enough time to grow the deep connection Campbell sees.
"Honestly, it felt really validating of how much I love and adore my pet to have that type of care," Hibbard said.
Care not only for Hibbard, but for Harriet too.
"I don't know if I'm going to be here tomorrow when Harriet goes into surgery and one of the things that Scott offered was, he said 'I can go pray with her quietly before she goes under anesthesia,'" Hibbard said. "That moment of comfort of just knowing that someone is going to be there for her in that way just means everything."
Campbell is making meaningful connections of his own with, of course, pets and people. Now, he's making connections with other chaplains.
"I've set on this as being my focus and I set up the American Association of Veterinary Chaplains in order to build this as a profession within chaplaincy," Campbell said.
He hopes to bring care and connections like this beyond the Palouse.
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