It’s okay to grieve the loss of a pet

December 3, 2014

by Natalie Secretan

Losing a pet is never easy, but when those around you do not accept your grief, it can be even harder.

If you’ve just lost a pet, sharing your experience with someone who understands will help you move on.

Online pet communities can be a great source of support and a safe environment where you can start talking about your grief and how much you miss your pet.

Grieving helps with the healing process, so it’s important to talk about it with people you can trust.

Over the years after losing many beloved pets, I’ve learned not to share my grief with those naysayers who think I’m ridiculous for feeling so sad over the loss of my dog. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard people say, “It’s only a dog! Why are you so upset?” Ouch! That hurts!

Surround yourself with people who understand, the kind of people who have gone through something similar, who love their pets as much as you do and don’t think it’s weird to think of them as a member of the family.

This time, I’m grieving for the loss of my dear, old Chihuahua, Joooge. We shared many adventures over the past 16 years and he was a fighter right up till the end. He suffered from congestive heart failure and was diagnosed about a year ago. We knew he only had about a year left to live, but it gave us the time we needed to contemplate his departure and come to terms with it.  

This was not the case with his brother Stanley, who died two years ago. His death was sudden and traumatic, we had no idea, so the impact was much deeper and it took longer to come to terms with it. 

There’s no shame in grieving for your pet and there’s no knowing how long it will last. It all depends on the relationship you had with your beloved pet and the circumstances surrounding their death. So be patient with yourself, find someone you can talk to and remember the good times you and your pet shared.

Photo Credit: Natalie Secretan: Joooge and Stanley (Good Times)

Source: Coping with Pet Loss