Losing any family member, even a beloved pet, is a very traumatic experience. Feelings of sadness and grief, or even depression and despair are common. Take heart that you are not alone in these feelings. And that there are organizations, as well as individuals, who empathize with these feelings and have special training to help you in this time of need. These people and places are called grief counselors and grief support services and they offer psychological and/or spiritual services from different therapeutic and cultural perspectives. Grief and support counseling aims to help people deal with the heartache and mourning […]
Dealing with Feelings
Grief can be the most overwhelming of all emotions. It can leave us feeling completely lost and helpless regardless of whether we grieve for the loss of a person or a pet. Unfortunately, there remains some stigma over getting help for grief and other emotional distress, particularly as it pertains to the loss of a pet. It is easy today to find a variety of resources on grieving in general and grieving over the loss of a pet specifically (see the end of the article for links to many resources). A variety of people and professions say that they are […]
We all love our pets and want them to be with us forever. We sometimes forget that we will live much longer than most of our pets. It’s important that we know what to do and how to handle the death of a pet. This article will divide the subject into two parts, mental/emotional preparation and practical preparation. Mental and emotional preparation Mental and emotional preparation involves helping everyone in the family understand that death is a part of life.That everyone dies and that it’s okay to be confused, scared and sad or to feel any other emotion about the […]
When faced with the loss of a pet, family members must deal with a variety of emotions and choices. The disposition of your precious pet’s remains is one of the difficult decisions to make at this time of loss. Pet owners often choose to bury their pet and must consider a variety of factors to determine which option works best for their family. Providing a dignified funeral and burial for your pet can be a comforting farewell for your family. Gathering the right information is important. Speak to your vet, local funeral homes or pet cemeteries about option on where and […]
The death of a pet is the loss of a beloved family member and dealing with the loss is as difficult as with any member of the family. In families with children, often the children have known the pet their entire life. It’s very important that every surviving member of the family have a way to “say goodbye” while remembering the all the good experiences with the pet as a family over the years. Remembering and celebrating your pet is an important part of the grieving process. Keeping your pet’s remains “close by” can be a special way to memorialize […]
After my 16-year-old Labrador mix, Shiloh, died in 2009, I searched the internet, shopping malls and local dog groups looking for a suitable way to keep the memories of my beloved friend alive a little longer. I found a massive range of products, services, charities, activities and other ideas to memorialize the best friend I’ve ever had or ever will have. After my 16-year-old Labrador mix, Shiloh, died in 2009, I searched the internet, shopping malls and local dog groups looking for a suitable way to keep the memories of my beloved friend alive a little longer. I found a […]
After losing a pet, it’s quite common to feel sadness, guilt, anger or disconnected from family, friends and other favorite things. Whether you have lost your pet to death, it is missing or stolen, or you have had to surrender your pet, a permanent separation has occurred and that sense of loss can be felt for days or years to come. Many things can help alleviate the emotional pain we feel as we cope with the separation from our family pet; this article will focus on creating an online tribute for your best friend. An internet search for “online pet […]
When we bring home a furry friend for the first time, we are entranced by the new little life in our home. The comical antics and pitiful cries are met with our “coos” and smiles as we happily scoop them up. As our pets grow, we cherish the experiences we have together—first walks on leash, going to the dog park, chasing toys or the laser pointer, cuddling. When we bring home a furry friend for the first time, we are entranced by the new little life in our home. The comical antics and pitiful cries are met with our “coos” […]
Scientists define the human-animal bond as, a mutually beneficial and dynamic relationship between people and animals that is influenced by behaviors essential to the well being of both. This definition encompasses all human-animal relationships including livestock and wildlife. This definition seems too broad for the scope of this article so, it will address only domestic house pets, particularly dogs. It’s possible that people and domestic animals have been living together for as much as 20,000 years. Scientific evidence now leads us to believe we first domesticated the dog back when all dogs were wolves and they competed directly with people […]
You may have heard references to the five stages of grief (also known as the Kubler-Ross model)—denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. According to Kubler-Ross, not everyone goes through the grief process touching on every stage or in any particular order. What is true is that when grieving, everyone goes through at least two of the stages. When we lose a treasured companion suddenly, the stages of grief may blur from one to the other or they could be distinct and obvious. The sudden loss or death of a pet can cause grief and the difficulty associated with it. For […]