Coping with The Death of a Pet

Elizabeth Barrett Browning once said, “His ears were often the first thing to catch my tears.” For anyone grieving the death of a pet, the pain can be overwhelming. Many dog owners view their dogs as much more than animals. To them, they’re members of the family. Losing a companion and best friend is heartbreaking and leaves a sense of emptiness and loss.

Animals provide companionship, acceptance, emotional support, and unconditional love. Working dogs, service animals, and therapy animals all play important roles in our lives, and we will grieve not only the loss of a companion, but also the loss of a coworker, independence, or emotional support. Grieving is a highly individualized experience, and some people find that grieving the loss of a pet comes in stages. The person may experience feelings of guilt, anger, depression, or even denial.  "If someone has never experienced this kind of relationship, they genuinely don't know how important it is to those of us who have," says Moira Anderson Allen, author of "Coping with Sorrow on the Loss of Your Pet."

According to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), active mourning will move you on a journey toward reconciling with the loss of your pet. Here are a few suggestions to help with the journey:
• Acknowledge the reality of death; the grieving process could take weeks to months.
• Move toward the pain of the loss rather than pushing away from the death.• Continue your relationship through memories by embracing both happy and sad memories.• Receive support from others by joining a support group or talking with other pet owners who have lost a pet.

Just how long the grief last varies for everyone. For some, bringing a new pet into the home sooner rather later can help ease the pain. For others, it takes longer to open up their hearts. Just remember, it’s completely natural to mourn the loss of a pet.

Allow yourself time to grieve. When you are ready to find the next special companion, the local animal shelter or rescue is a good place to begin.

Read more:
Coping with the loss of a pet. [Internet]. American Veterinary Medical Association. [cited 2021 Dec 16]. Available from: https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/pet-owners/petcare/coping-loss-pet

Allen A, Moria M.Ed. Ten tips for coping with pet loss. [Internet]. Pet-loss.net. [cited 2021 Dec 16]. Available from: https:/pet-loss.net/