Dealing with the loss of a pet can be extremely difficult. A pet is a member of the family. It is a loyal friend. When your pet passes away, it can feel like there is a big hole in your life.
The bonds that we create with our pets are powerful. They love us no matter what we are going through. Therefore, if you are struggling to cope with the loss of your pet, it is only natural. You’re not alone. There are some things you can do to try and cope with your best friend’s departure. With that in mind, continue reading to discover everything you need to know.
Give your pet a great send-off
One thing that you can do is give your pet a good send-off. This can help you to cope with the loss because you’re honouring your pet’s life. You can get urns for pets online, and you may even want to do a little ceremony for your pet as well. Of course, some people prefer to keep this private, others get the entire family involved. It is completely up to you.
Do you have children in your family?
The grief from the loss of a pet can be overwhelming. It is a very delicate situation for any children you have as well. If there are children in your family who are struggling to cope with the loss of a pet, there are some things you can do. The first thing that you need to do is explain the loss of your pet to young children in a manner that they understand.
Sadly, death is a natural part of life. Therefore, it is vital to be honest with your child. While you may be tempted to protect the feelings your child has by telling them that their little dog, cat, or rabbit simply went away, this is only going to create more confusion, guilt, and heartache in the long run. You should be honest yet gentle when dealing with your child’s feeling. Also, share some of your feelings as well, i.e. let your child know that the loss of your pet is hurting you as well. This will help them to understand that their feelings are normal.
Make room for the expression of your emotion
Aside from this, there is no denying that you are going to be sad due to the loss of your pet. Guilt, despair, and other emotions can start to crop up while the new reality of life without your pet begins to dawn on you. Instead, rather than dismissing your emotions and trying to be strong, why not express them?
By expressing your emotions, you will be able to deal with them. One of the ways you can do this is by keeping a journal. This helps you to take the weight off your shoulders. You can express how you are feeling so that you do not keep it bottled up inside. This is especially helpful for introverts who do not like to share their feelings and emotions with other people.
Enable you and your family the opportunity to grieve
The loss of a pet can be very traumatic for everyone involved. There is no reason why you or anyone in your family should simply be expected to move on and forget about it. Allow yourself and your family as much time as is required to grieve.
Should you feel like you are struggling to grieve, there is help available. There are counsellors who are trained in dealing with grieving over the loss of a pet. You can talk with them either in-person or over the Internet.
Think about finding a pet support group
If you do not like the idea of talking with a therapist, another thing that you can do is find a pet support group. Speak with your local shelter or your veterinarian to see if there are any pet support groups in your local area. Such a get-together will provide you with the opportunity to be in the company of other people who can fully empathise with your loss and the emotions you are feeling.
If you do not feel like visiting such a group in-person, there are plenty of forums online where you can find the support that you need. This will enable you to speak with people that understand what you’re going through. You can offer support to one and other, yet you can do so from the comfort of your own home.
Keep the typical schedule for any other pets you have
If you have any other pets, be it of the same breed or a different type of animal, they could be grieving over the loss of their friend as well. You may notice some symptoms of this, for example, they may have a loss of interest in their typical activities, decreased appetite, and they may be more sluggish than usual.
It is vital to make sure that you keep to your typical feeding schedules and such like with any other pets you have, as this will help them to feel less settled. Also, don’t forget to give them a bit of extra love! After all, they are suffering as well, so any extra care or attention will be very well-received.
To conclude, there is no denying that coping with the loss of a pet can be extremely difficult. However, there are some things that you can do to try and ease the pain you are dealing with. We hope that this will help you through this challenging and worrying time.
Remember, if you are feeling like you are not able to cope, there is help available. A lot of people do not consider using the services of a pet therapist because they don’t realize such professionals exist or they feel like they should not need this sort of aid. However, we can all do with a bit of help from time-to-time.
I really appreciate not only this article but your help with the passing of my pet. I was the owner of the almost 10 year old German shepherd that came into your office last week. I’m still devastated about having to help my girl pass on and second guess myself all the time. But your expertise, knowledge and kindness help to remind me we did the best we could for my girl. Thank you for being so passionate for animals and helping not only them but the families.