Grief of Pet Loss: All pet lovers have to face the death of their pets, sooner or later. Other people don’t understand what it’s like. They may think that “it’s just a dog,” “only a cat,” or “just a rabbit.” But you and I know that the pain of loss that we feel is very deep and very real. You see, it’s not only the loss through the death of your animal…but also the losses of companionship, comfort, security and love…that cause your pain.
Many People Harm Themselves By Suppressing Grief of Pet Loss.
- People who experience intense grief over a pet who died (or will die) are weird. (You are normal and healthy when you feel this way).
- The loss of pet is insignificant when compared to the loss of human life. (The loss of a beloved animal companion can be as emotionally significant as the loss of a close human relative.)
- It’s best to replace the lost pet as quickly as possible to ease the pain of loss. (An animal companion can never be “replaced.” Every pet is different, with a unique personality.)
- You should mourn alone. Be strong and independent when it comes to this. Don’t burden others with your problems.
(Mourners can greatly benefit by the empathy, caring, and understanding of supportive others. - You should “just get over it.”
(When people say this to you, it’s based on the faulty assumption that you get closure to your mourning when you have only pleasant memories of your pet.) - You’re selfish if you euthanize your pet.
(Euthanasia can a compassionate and humane way to end the intense suffering or declining quality of life of a companion animal. It would be selfish to prolong the suffering of an animal in pain.) - The best way to cope is to suppress and bury your grief. Keep busy so as to not dwell on your troubles.
(Grief will not just go away. Sure, it may go away unresolved…only to come back haunting you.) - When people talk with sadness about missing their furbaby, it’s best to redirect their attention to pleasant memories they have about the pet.
(People who talk about their unpleasant feelings want receptive ears. Redirecting their attention reflects the discomfort of the listener rather than the needs of the mourner.) - Time heals all wounds. Just give it enough time and you’ll no longer feel so bad.
(Time by itself does not heal the pain. It’s what you do with your time that matters.) - The best way to protect yourself from the pain of pet loss is to not get another pet ever again.
This isn’t the solution. Though there’s a price for loving the pet deeply, the courageous act of getting another pet brings positive hope to the mourner. (Don’t do this too soon though. On page 127, reveals when the time is right to get a new pet.) - Children handle pet death rather easily. The experience will not be carried over into adult life.
(Children feel as strongly over the loss of a pet as adults do. You should not overlook this.) - It is best to protect children from the upsetting truth of what has happened to their pet.
(Without showing the truth to children, it will cause more pain to them. And they may unfairly blame themselves for their pet “running away.”) - Pets don’t mourn for other pets. (They will show some symptoms of mourning as people do.)
- There is no need for someone to work through their emotions step by step in order to deal with this.
(Grieving is a long, complex process.)
“Who Else Wants To Move Forward Through The Grief of Pet Loss…
Rather Than Sitting And Crying Helplessly?”
This Grief of Pet Loss guide will take you through the stages of grief — what to expect, what not to expect, and…most importantly…for each stage it will answer the question “Why do I feel this way?” By following the exercises and applying the ROAR methods to go beyond the five stages of grief…you’ll be able to accept your reality…and move toward recovery from the pain.
How to ROAR: Pet Loss Grief Recovery, you’ll discover nuggets of wisdom that will help you to…
- “Respect your loss and grief”
- “Own your reality”
- “Affirm yourself”
- “Reclaim your life”
Response Magic