Pet Bereavement: Losing a pet
We generally live longer than our pets, so most pet owners experience grief from a beloved animal companion in their lives.
Pets fulfill our need to nurture, and are a valued family member, often being more important to us than people. We love them because they love us unconditionally. They are our best friends regardless of how we dress, our social standing, or if we have had a bad day at work.
The powerful feelings that arise from such loss are often overlooked, or dismissed. Common responses to pet loss are ‘Well, it’s just a dog. Surely you can just get another one.’ or ‘Cheer up, you’ll get over it.’
Our pets are by our sides through thick and thin. They listen to our woes, comfort us when we cry, and share our joy when we celebrate happiness. For this reason, losing our ‘animal buddy’, our best friend, leaves a huge hole in our hearts.
Coping with pet loss
Grief is grief. Losing a pet is just as devastating, or more so, than losing someone we hold dear. Grief waves over us, like a Sunami. Over time, these waves lessen, come less frequently, subside more gently, as we come to understand our own individual way of coping. It is said that ‘grief is love with nowhere to go’.
Sharing your experience with a therapist, like me, who ‘gets it’ can really help. I understand the impact of pet loss: I have lost much-loved animals in my life. As a therapist, my role is to support you as you find a way of understanding your feelings. I can guide you through the process of bereavement, helping you to find a way forwards, to acknowledge the pain of your loss.
As an animal lover, I share your tears. We will find a way to love them still, and enjoy wonderful memories, to keep them forever in our hearts.
Please contact me if you would like help coping with pet bereavement.
Anxiety
