Grieving A Pet: The Loss Of A Beloved Animal Friend

No one teaches us how to deal with grieving a pet. And no one teaches you how to say goodbye to someone who has been like a family member. A dog is not just a dog. We can’t just replace our cat with a new cat. Every animal has a special place in our lives, a small corner full of memories, wonderful routines and imaginations we will never forget.

Just a few months ago, we were surprised to read an article on just this topic. An entertainment magazine called Variety published an article about Barbara Streisand cloning her dog. Streisand felt he wouldn’t be able to handle the loss of his pet Samantha, so he decided to clone his dog before it died. Before the dog died, he asked a clinic to take cells from it. A few months later he had two clones of Coton de Tuléar.

Today, that singer says she expects the Puppies to grow into adults to see if the dogs are as calm and intelligent as Samantha. Of course, everyone is free to spend their money as they wish. But nonetheless, we need to ask ourselves, is this the best way to get over the loss?

No one, not an animal or a human, should come into this world as a copy of something that no longer exists. Each creature is unique and priceless. Trying to repeat the same life story makes no sense at all. And that’s not all, as it also raises some complex medical and ethical dilemmas.

Grieving the loss of a pet could be done in a healthier and more beneficial way. It requires different strategies and little by little, with courage and responsibility, we can accept the loss of our pet.

Image source: Variety.com

Grieving a pet in a culture that is so insensitive to animals

The loss of a pet is often paradoxical. If we lose a family member, we can ask for a few days off from work. But if we lose a pet, we may not have the same rights. For many of us, the loss of a pet is still quite a traumatic thing. The insensitivity of other people increases the strength of the trauma. We hear things like, “but it was just a dog” or “you feel better again when you get yourself a new pet”.

There is another common problem with pets that no one talks about. This question concerns who is allowed to keep a pet in the event of a divorce or other divorce. It is often such a serious problem that a court has to make a decision. In this case, he who does not get a pet also ends up mourning his pet.

Interestingly, “pet loss grief counselors” are becoming more common in Western countries. There are psychologists who specialize in the bond between man and animal and the change that takes place in these relationships. The help they provide focuses on facilitating the mourning process by following these steps:

Step one: don’t feel guilty

Many pet owners experience guilt when their pet dies. They have in mind the idea that they could have done more for their pet. The decision on euthanasia also affects this feeling. Euthanasia is meant to free an animal from suffering, but it can evoke a wide range of emotions in the person on whom this decision depends.

It is extremely important to remove all the shadows of guilt in our view. Be with your pet in its final moments, and know you can’t do anything else for your pet anymore. Let go of it with love.

Step Two: Respect that everyone handles the loss differently

Each family member treats the pet mourning in their own way. Understanding this and providing support is really important. It is also important to pay attention to how children and older people deal with loss.

This may be the first time children have to deal with a loss. We have to answer all their questions. Be sincere and honest. The fact that they are small does not mean that their grief is less intense. However, losing a pet seems to be more traumatic for older people. Pets play a significant part in their daily lives, which is why the absence of a pet can be so difficult to accept.

Step Three: Changing Routines

Pets are part of our home, but also part of our routines.  They eagerly meet us when we arrive home, and they keep us company on the couch or in bed. They are lively present, begging for food or going out at any given time… Grieving a pet means we have to face these absences of small interactions every day.

Being aware of the change is a way to make handling this easier. The next strategy is to create or change other ways to deal with our grief.

Step Four: We can’t just replace past pets with new ones

Let us return to the case of Barbara Streisand. It makes no sense for us to replace one pet with another. It is unrealistic to expect a new pet to have the same characteristics and personality, or to behave in the same way.

Each animal is unique and it is important to give ourselves time to mourn. We must accept the death of our pet and give a special place to our memories in our hearts. Later, if we feel like it, we can open the door for a new animal. In short, getting a new pet right away is not the best way to mourn something that is no longer with us.

Finally, dealing with the loss of a pet can be difficult and involves strong emotions. Some people feel alone and misunderstood about their suffering. After all, they don’t say goodbye to just a pet. These animals are a big part of our lives. If we need help mourning a pet, we should not hesitate to ask for help. In this way, we can remember all the good times, and move forward in our lives.