To me, like to many others, pets are like children. They are little angels in fur coats that love you when you come home in a bad mood and when you wake up groggy first thing in the morning. They are always there loving you the way you are, no matter what. Pets are part of our families. They are our companions in life. Unfortunately, the life span of some pets is much too short. For a pet owner, the lifespan of a pet is never long enough. One day, inevitably, we must say good bye.
Grieving
Grieving the loss of a pet is similar to grieving that of a person. It is not uncommon for a grieving pet owner to experience the stages of grief -
Denial
Anger
Bargaining
Depression
Acceptance
As a bereaved pet owner, you may start to feel isolated from those who do not understand your bond with your pet. You may feel sensitive, lonely and hurt inside.
Some Helpful Tips to help you deal with the death of a beloved pet
Take time to grieve. Do no rush to get another pet right away. Use this time to mourn the departure by creating a special ceremony, whether you cremate or burry your pet. Saying goodbye is important in order to have closure.
If you do not have a picture album, you may want to put your pet’s pictures in a scrap book or in a picture frame and look at them often. Keeping toys or other pet belongings is OK. A big mistake that people make, is trying to bottle up their feelings and memories of their pet, hoping that their grief will decrease.
Avoidance only makes it harder to deal with your pet’s departure. If you have children, it is important to let them share their feelings openly. You may want to read the book Freddie the Leaf by Leo Buscaglia to your children. Do not discourage children from believing that their pet has gone to heaven.
You and your departed pet will be together through life connected by the lesson you have both learned - To love unconditionally.
Copyright: Guru in Jeans, 2008
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