It’s only natural to feel devastated with feelings of grief and sadness when a beloved pet dies. Here are some suggestions that can help you cope.
When someone you love passes on, it's common to feel distress, express despondency, and expect friends and family to give comfort and understanding.
Unfortunately, that understanding isn't always present when a pet passes on. Some people don’t understand how central animals can be in people's lives, and many may not understand why you're lamenting over "just a pet".
The pain of loss can often feel overwhelming and trigger painful and difficult emotions. While some people may not understand the depth of feeling you had for your pet, you should never feel guilty or ashamed about grieving for your animal companion and family member.
Family member, companion and friend
Most people adore their pets and consider them part of their family. Pet owners regularly celebrate their pets' birthdays and carry pictures of them in their purses or wallets. So when an adored pet is gone, it's natural to feel overwhelmed by the intensity of your loss.
Animals give companionship, emotional support, and unlimited love. Those who understand this bond between people and animals, have a better insight to those adapting with pet loss: understanding that it’s okay to grieve when a pet dies.
Finding ways to cope with your misfortune can bring you closer to the day when memories bring grins rather than tears.
The grieving process
Sorrow and grief are normal and natural responses to death. Similar to the grief we experience for friends and loved ones, grief for our animal companions can only be dealt with over time. The process ordinarily starts with denial, which offers protection until people can realize their loss.
Some pet owners may try dealing with a higher power, themselves, or even their pet to reestablish life. A few feel outrage, which may be directed at anyone involved with the pet, including family, companions, and veterinarians. Pet owners may even feel blame for what they did or didn't do; they may feel that it’s unseemly for them to be so upset.
After these sentiments fade, pet owners may experience genuine sadness. They may become withdrawn or even depressed. Acceptance happens when they acknowledge the reality of their loss and remember their animal companion with decreasing sadness.
While grieving can be an individual experience, you don’t need to face your loss alone. Numerous forms of support are accessible, including pet-bereavement counseling administrations, pet-loss support hotlines, local or online pet-bereavement groups, books, recordings, and magazine articles.
Here are a number of suggestions to assist you in coping with your loss:
Acknowledge your grief and give yourself consent to express it
Don't delay reaching out to others who can lend a thoughtful ear. Do an online inquiry and you'll discover hundreds of resources and support groups that will be supportive
Spend time with people who care about you
Call your veterinarian or neighborhood animal society to see whether they offer a pet-loss support group or hotline, or can refer one
Seniors
Coping with the loss of a pet can be especially difficult for seniors. Those who live alone may feel a loss of purpose and a colossal vacancy. A pet's passing may trigger painful recollections of other losses and remind the pet owner of their own mortality. What's more, the choice to get another pet is complicated by the possibility that the pet may outlive their owner, and deciding to get another pet pivots on the person's physical and budgetary capacity to care for a new pet.
For all these reasons, it's critical that senior pet owners take immediate steps to cope with their loss and recapture a sense of purpose.
If you're a senior, interact with friends and family, call a pet-loss support hotline, or volunteer at a neighborhood animal society.
Should you get another pet?
Rushing into this choice may not be fair to you or your new pet. Each animal has their own personality and a new pet cannot replace the one you lost. You'll know when the time is right to embrace a new pet after giving yourself time to grieve, considering whether you're prepared, and paying close consideration to your feelings.
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