Deepen Your Impact in Pet Loss Care this Summer

The PLPA Pet Loss & Integration Short Course returns July 17–20, 2026 for an immersive 3-day program—and registration is now open.

Join us for meaningful education, connection, and inspiration designed specifically for pet loss professionals.

Secure your spot today. We look forward to seeing you this July!

2026 Schedule of Events

  • 2:00–5:30 PM
    Registration & Check-in  
  • 4:00–5:00 PM  
    Orientation  
  • 5:00–6:00 PM
    University Reception  
  • 6:00–7:00 PM
    Dinner  

  • 8:00–8:45 AM
    Breakfast  
  • 8:45–9:00 AM  
    Short course introduction from Lauren Blevins, CCFE, CPLP  
  • 9:00–10:30 AM
    Practical Technology in Today's Business – Pierce Dempsey, CCrE
    Pierce will show you how even the tech-illiterate can use AI.  Through live test cases, you will have a better understanding how to use AI tools to better serve families.  This isn't pie-in-the-sky technology. AI can make your business more family-focused, and Pierce is here to show you how.
  • 10:30–11:00 AM 
    Break   
  • 11:00 am–12:30 PM
    Practical Technology in Pet Loss – Pierce Dempsey, CCrE
  • 12:30–1:30 PM 
    Lunch 
  • 1:30–3:00 PM
    Establishing Relationships to Ensure Success – Andrew Parsell
    Pet parents. Someone who loves animals and has an inherent bias that ties them to their own pets. As deathcare specialists, why are we not servicing the "Pet Parent?" With over 1.5 million pet cremations per year according to The Foresight Companies, we know the demand is here. This seminar will help you to identify your market needs, understand the foundation needed to create a pet program, and how to service and grow your pet program successfully.
  • 3:00–3:30 PM
    Break 
  • 3:30–5:00 PM 
    Best Practices in Pet Loss Integration – Lauren Blevins, CCFE, CPLP
    Figuring out which way to begin when starting a pet program can be difficult. Lauren will share some examples of do's and do not's from experience of starting a pet program with a funeral home as backbone. We will also discuss how running the successful pet program can have positive effects on your funeral home.
  • 5:00–6:00 PM
    Dinner 
  • 7:00–10:00 PM
    Student Night  

  • 8:00–8:55 AM
    Breakfast
  • 9:00–10:30 AM
    Pet Cremation 101: Tips, Tricks, and Operational Best Practices – Larry Stuart Jr.
    Get ready to level up your skills and learn how to run a pet cremation operation like a pro! This fun and engaging session will cover everything you need to know—from keeping your equipment in tip-top shape to ensuring each process is smooth, safe, and respectful. We'll also dive into the art of handling pets with care and compassion, all while staying eco-friendly and compliant with regulations. Whether you're just starting out or have been at it for years, this presentation will leave you feeling confident, knowledgeable, and ready to shine in your role!
  • 10:30–11:00 AM 
    Break
  • 11:00 am – 12:30 PM
    Pet Cremation Operations: Advanced Strategies – Larry Stuart Jr.
  • 12:30 – 1:30 PM
    Lunch 
  • 1:30 – 3:00 PM
    Creating Spaces for Pets in Cemetery Development Plan – John Bolton, CCE, CCrE, CSE, CXE
    Pets are important. Americans spent $124 billion dollars on pet products and services. Among Americans yet to purchase a home, nearly 42% admitted that their pet or the desire to have one would be a key factor in their decision to buy a house. So with the pet industry continuing to grow rapidly in the US, what are we doing to help facilitate memorializing a pet as they go to the Rainbow Bridge? In this informative session, John will share the thought process, development components and return on investment potential of adding a pet burial and cremation area to your cemetery.
  • 3:00 – 3:30 PM
    Break
  • 3:30 – 5:00 PM
    Phone Etiquette for the Pet Loss Profession – Brent Thomas
    This PLPA course focuses on the importance of phone skills excellence, empathy and professionalism. Data collected from 100s of phone calls to the pet loss profession illustrates the specific areas where we need improvement to create a positive pet parent experience. Essential areas that will be covered are:

    • Initial Answer
    • First Engagement
    • Pricing
    • Follow-up Information
    • Lead Information
    • Closing the Call
    • Phone Etiquette

    We will dissect real live examples of phone calls to determine what to do and what not to do when taking a pet loss call. You will leave the course with skills to implement immediately back at the funeral home or vet office.

  • 8:00–8:55 AM
    Breakfast
  • 9:00–10:30 AM
    Creating Pawsitive Impact: Leadership, Personal Growth, and Building Animal Welfare Relationships in Your Community to Strengthen Your Success – Nancy Lohman
    Discover how strong leadership, personal growth, and meaningful community partnerships can elevate both your professional impact and your pet loss business. This session explores effective communication, overcoming adversity, and building lasting relationships with animal welfare organizations to strengthen community connections, inspire others, and create long-term success.
  • 10:30–11:00 AM 
    Break
  • 11:00 am – 12:30 PM
    Embracing Pet Loss: Bringing Families Back – Tony Armogida
    Discover unique opportunities to guide families from pet cremation services to preplanning their own funerals. We'll share strategies and tips for initiating conversations, reengaging your families, and transforming a moment of goodbye into a discussion on preplanning for their services. This session offers practical advice on bridging the gap between pet cremation services and funeral preplanning.
  • 12:30 – 1:30 PM
    Lunch 
  • 1:30 – 3:00 PM
    Setting Your Key Performance Indicators and Behind the Scene Best Practice for Running a Pet Business – Lauren Blevins, CCFE, CPLP
    Pet loss services are one of the fastest-growing opportunities in deathcare—but success doesn't happen by accident. Behind every strong pet program are the metrics, partnerships, and operational habits that quietly make the business work.In this session, Lauren Blevins will share the key performance indicators that matter most when building or scaling a pet loss program—from veterinary relationships and case volume to service mix, pricing strategy, and operational workflow. Attendees will also learn the behind-the-scenes best practices that separate pet programs that simply exist from those that truly thrive.Through practical examples and real operational experience, this session connects the day-to-day decisions providers make with the financial performance of their pet business.
  • 3:00 – 3:30 PM
    Break
  • 3:30 – 4:45 PM
    Legal Matters with Pet Burial & Cremation – Poul Lemasters, Esq.
    The pet funeral profession continues to grow. The big question is what is pet deathcare growing into? No one can say for certain what the future will bring– but we can predict and try to be prepared. How do we predict? We look at the past. We look at the present. We compare other professions. We look for trends. By looking at all of this – we then can make predictions on where we may be heading. Why is this all important? With all the growth of pet funeral profession, there are also more and more risks. In our society, it is hard to provide more service without accepting more responsibility. The pet funeral profession has leaped into the 21st Century, but the practices and procedures lag. As a result of the growth, and lacking procedures, there is an increasing area of liability risk for everyone. If we do not prepare for the future, then we are doomed to repeat the past. This seminar analyzes past, present, and future issues that are changing and re-defining the liability issues for pet funeral providers. The focus is on "real" problems causing lawsuits and the prevention measures needed to prevent.
  • 4:45 – 5:00 PM
    Course Wrap-Up and Certificate Presentation – Lauren Blevins, CCFE, CPLP
  • 7:00 – 10:00 PM
    Sports Night

Registration is open!

Registration for the for the 2026 PLPA Pet Loss & Integration Short Course is now open—and this year, we’re bringing you three full days of in-depth learning, discussion, and hands-on insights.

Registration fees includes all classroom training, materials, and three meals a day; starting with dinner on Friday and ending with lunch on Monday, including refreshments during breaks and at Sports Night.

Online registration closes on Wednesday, July 8 at 11:59 PM ET. Onsite registration will be available in Atlanta.

Registration Rates

Registration Type Price
ICCFA members $1,500
Non-members $1,725

HOTEL INFORMATION

The ICCFA room block is now closed. Please contact the Emory Conference Center Hotel directly to inquire about cancellations or room availability.

Emory Conference Center Hotel at Emory University

1615 Clifton Road NE, Atlanta, GA 30329

Equipped with state-of-the-art technology, meeting space, dining facilities, and comfortable guestrooms, the Emory Conference Center Hotel provides an ideal setting for learning from industry leaders, connecting with peers across the deathcare profession, and building lasting relationships that define the Short Course experience.

Phone: 404.712.6000
Toll Free: 1.800.933.6679
Fax: 404.712.6025

PLPA Short Course Yearbook

Relive the memories from the 2025 PLPA Pet Loss & Integration Short Course!