Pet Loss
Grieving the loss of your pet
Losing a pet can be every bit as traumatic as losing a human family member. The passing of a pet usually triggers intense grief, which is a normal response to the loss of a source of companionship and unconditional love. Dealing with the loss of a pet is a process that can take weeks or even months.
There are five stages of grief. Each stage is distinct, but the stages may overlap, so they should be viewed as a kind of continuum:
- Denial, in which the pet owner may feel a sense of unreality
- Anger, which may be accompanied by feelings of guilt and/or fear
- Bargaining, in which the pet owner tries to strike a deal with God
- Depression, in which feelings of intense sadness and hopelessness take over
- Acceptance, when the pet owner finally starts to adapt to a lifestyle without their pet
Immediate Concerns After Pet Loss
Certain decisions must be made fairly quickly following the death of a pet. Pet owners have a choice between pet cremation, burial at a pet cemetery or home burial. If cremation is preferred, remains can be memorialized in one of the many tasteful pet urns available on the market.
Pet owners very often derive comfort from planning and participating in a pet funeral ceremony, either privately or with family and friends. Pet loss sympathy cards, sent through the Postal Service or even e-mailed, are much appreciated by pet owners at this time.
Pet memorials are an excellent way to help deal with grief, as they provide closure and are a lasting tribute to a cherished friend. Pet loss memorials can be as simple as a framed favorite photograph or as elaborate as an engraved headstone or statue for a pet’s final resting place.
Longer Term Pet Loss Considerations
There are a number of resources for dealing with the grief of losing a treasured pet. Some of these include:
- Pet loss support groups, which provide local meetings where a pet owner can share with and listen to others who are also dealing with pet loss grief
- Online pet loss message boards and chat rooms, which provide 24-hour access to others in the same situation
- Pet loss websites, which have options for memorializing one’s pet online, such as lighting a virtual candle or writing pet loss poems or stories in memory of the pet
Pet loss is a tragic life event and should be taken seriously. Taking the time to properly mourn and memorialize your pet will speed the healing process and allow you to move on that much quicker. Perhaps you’ll even open your home (and your heart) to another animal in need.
