What can I do for someone whose dog died?

Send a sympathy card. The rest is very personal on how they grieve.

About the only thing you can do is offer your sympathy, and promise to be there for them if they want to talk. The key part to all of this is meaning it.

@RocketGuy Flowers and a card are a nice sentiment to show her you care.

I’d offer to take her to lunch, as I’m not big on supporting Hallmark.
Personal contact > cards, whenever possible.

Edible Arrangements are always a hit (the pineapple flowers are pretty bomb). More useful than real flowers.

I understand what @Seek_Kolinahr is saying but I actually found the cards a comfort when Prince died. other than that, I think just honoring the fact that someone is grieving and letting them talk about it is a great help.

Take her to a boardwalk amusement park, that’s what I did for myself.

@janbb – I think that is what I will do.
@stellamedusa – my wife would kill me if I did that!

Thanks for the great ideas.

If she is likely to get a new pet, give her an open ended gift certificate for the local pet adoption center.

Open ended so she can use it when she is ready.

A sympathy card and flowers are a nice first gesture. Then after a few weeks has passed, ask if you can take her out to lunch or for coffee and ask her how she’s doing. And if you are really feeling like you want to do something slightly bigger, you can send a donation in the name of the dog, to your local humane society or national veterinary research college/hospial that specializes in cancer patients. But make sure you just keep checking on her to see if she needs to talk or hang out or cry on your shoulder, don’t push, but gently check on her.

A couple of close friends of mine gave me cards with money knowing how much in vet bills that I had spent during my dog’s illness. It was greatly appreciated.

Anything you mentioned in the details or a card would be lovely.

If she cremated the dog, a gift certificate from here might be most appreciated!

You could always find a copy of The Rainbow Bridge poem and frame it for her.

Give him a few days or maybe weeks to grief and buy a new dog for him. He won’t like it at first but in time he will.