It is a blog on how to cope with pet loss. Here, I have shared my own story about how I tried to cope with pet loss.
I have been through many of my pets passing away too early. It is a topic that no pet lovers want to think about or even express the grief they have suffered. My two cocker spaniels – Prince and Duke – Suffered heart failure, and the second died of aging. They were the best I could ask for in my life as a true friend or a companion.
Now, I totally agree with Gene Hill, Author of Hunter’s Fireside Book. He once said –
“Nobody can fully understand the meaning of love unless he’s owned a dog. A dog can show you more honest affection with a flick of his tail than a man can gather through a lifetime of handshakes.”
Trust me, deep pain and sheer emptiness follow your pet’s loss – a dog or a cat. Coping with pet loss is not easy as it seems. Grieving is part of life as we are all mortals. We all have to go one day, but it is a different journey with your beloved pet when it comes to pet.
You own a pet, and soon it becomes like your own child, a best friend, and a companion. They have short life and live for about 14 years. In human life, you can calculate it as 98 years. You know they have already found a place in your heart, and not easy to let go of your emotions when you lose your pet.
Losing anyone, be it a friend, a close relative, or an acquaintance can pose a void in your life. It has a similar effect when you lose your beloved pet. The experience can be traumatic not only for you as an adult, and if kids are involved, it can be beyond words. There is a need for solace and comfort for each other over the loss.
There are different stages when one wants to cope with pet loss. It can manifest in anger, denial, guilt, and depression. The grieving process is necessary as it is the only way to overcome the pain and anguish you face after the loss.
While your pets are around you, especially dogs, they are your protection and more like a shield. They can sense danger and will be around you to ensure you are safe. There are countless accounts of dogs protecting and rescuing humans in real life.
Using them in combat zones for therapy are some classic examples of what these dogs as pets can do for you. That’s something you will never be able to forget as long as you are alive.
Every pet owner knows what pets bring into their lives. They bring happiness and unconditional love, and how it brings out the best in you in terms of patience, understanding, responsibility, care, and most importantly, your unconditional love towards your pet.
You may sometimes get upset with your pet having damaged or scratched your sofa or chairs, but the guilt on their face makes you forgive them and move on. Can you imagine it’s not the same for your human companion?
You may get upset, torn apart, and have conflicts and stay apart until either one decides to reconcile. It is not the same with your canine friend; you may scream or shout at them, but the dogs only react by showing their wide-open eyes and stooped ears.
Dogs forget what they did and wonder why you are barking at them. You will forget what happened and reconcile faster compared to your human companion. That’s what pets bring into your life; a loss is unimaginable.
Suggested Read – Is homemade food safe for your pet?
Stages of Grieving – Coping with Pet Loss
No one knows better than you when you suffer a loss. The process of coping with pet loss has stages, as mentioned earlier.
People with no pets will not understand and may not share their grief as their feelings may not appeal to you. They may say, get another pet to get over the tragedy. You may find such statements offensive. You will never forget them for years to come.
We mentioned the above stage of grief that a pet owner goes through, and they are as follows:
Anger is part of grieving for pet owners, and their main question is always concerned with why and how their pet passed away. They can’t seem to accept the fact and anger often surfaces in their quest for the answers. It can often lead to a tense and stressful situation.
Denial is another way you feel your grief. It would help if you did not deny your pain at a loss. As a pet owner, I was confused and did not know what to say or how to cope with pet loss. Often denial takes over, and you don’t express anything; stay quiet and grieve. In other words, your tears have dried up.
Many pet owners will feel extreme sadness and an unexplainable stage of grieving. They will feel loneliness or sadness for their departed pets. They often look for their dog or a cat at the door, imagining they are still alive. It can also be called depression.
You will never forget their memories and often talk about them, a sign of becoming an average person. After many years of their absence, you will reach the acceptance or reconciliation stage. The thought of bringing a canine or feline companion may be considered at this stage.
When the cat you love becomes a memory, that memory becomes a treasure.
Your age and personality play a crucial role in the personality and age of your pet. Some pet owners who may have their therapy dog will take longer to reconcile. Some seniors who live alone may take longer to cope with pet loss.
Loss and grieving of specialty pets will significantly impact the pet owners as they were companions to them and their vital link in their lives.
Conclusion – How To Cope With Pet Loss
The discussion on “how to cope with pet loss” has come to end now. If I want to summarize this blog, I will say you should donate to shelters or pet homes for coping with pet loss. You can also adopt pets from a shelter or you can adopt any rescue dog.
You can remember them in various ways. Some pet owners will ensure their pets are cremated and keep their ashes in a special place in their homes. Some will have a creative and symbolic gravestone, and plant a tree in their memory. Put their pictures in a frame and see them revive your days with them.
If this article, “how to cope with pet loss” seemed to be informative and helpful to you, kindly share it with your friends or families. It makes me happier and motivates me to write more about pets.
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