Pets are not new to most people. You may not have raised a pet, but more or less all of your friends have a cat or dog. As we spend more time together, our connection and bond with our pets grows deeper. To us, a pet is not just a cat or a dog, but a family member. He is with us and brings us happiness. Whether you are happy, sad or miserable, our pets will be with us and comfort us with their actions. Therefore, the loss of a beloved pet can often be overwhelming, and everyone reacts differently to loss. The more important the companionship of a pet is to people, the more painful the loss will be for them.
According to statistics, 50% of UK households own a pet. Although people have pets for different reasons, the importance of pets to us cannot be overstated. Children have pets to develop a sense of responsibility and love, and pets grow up with them, often with a very strong bond between them. Older people have pets for companionship, widows and orphans, and the elderly are a very large group in society. Pets can replace their children's company for them. It is not that our pets need us, but that we need them. This emotional connection with pets supports most people's lives.
Why do you need to treat pet loss seriously?
The loss of a pet can change our daily lives. Most people are used to the companionship of their pets; you go for walks together, you confide in them, you watch a movie together. If your pet passes away suddenly, you will feel that your habits have been completely changed. It can affect our mood and mental state.
How long does the grief last?
Studies have shown that the loss of pet can often leave people in an extreme state, such as anxiety or insomnia. Some people think that the loss of a pet is a trivial event, but in fact, the loss of a pet is just as important as the loss of a family member or friend. However, society's comfort mechanisms for people who have lost a pet are very poor. Some people take excessive grief over the pet loss as a very childish thing and would be considered sentimental and immature. However, after the complete pet loss, the feelings of grief are usually more intense. The grieving process is not gradual, and it is possible that after your grief has slowed down, a small, insignificant event triggers your memories and sends you into heavier pain. So there is no absolute answer as to how long grief will last after the pet loss. Although facing the pet loss is an inevitable event, there are healthy ways to cope with the pain and ease your grief.
7 keys to heal your grief after losing a pet
1. understand why your pet went to heaven
If you're not sure how your pet died, you can have a full conversation with your veterinarian. If it is a terminal illness, it is something that cannot be undone and you do not have to feel overly sad about it. However, there are some people who do not take their pet's illness seriously enough to make it irreversible, and they feel guilty and sad about it. You can try to avoid this type of mistake the next time you get a new pet.
2. Accept guilty
Pet owners often think of themselves as the pets' parents. If their pet passes away, they think they are fully responsible and feel deeply guilty. If your pet died because they were sick and did not receive timely treatment, you will keep asking yourself "why didn't you take them to the doctor sooner"; if they passed away unexpectedly, you will also feel self-blame for not taking good care of them. This kind of guilt can affect our normal life, and we have to try to accept it.
3. Let yourself grief
Don't try to hide your emotions and don't avoid talking about your pets. Some people think that forgetting will slow down their grief; in fact, this is not a very good way to go. Try to accept the loss of your pet, it will make you happier. You can share memories of your pet with your family or friends, and surprisingly, everyone has their own unique memories of their pet. The empathy for your pet makes you feel comforted and companionable, and you are not alone in your grief.
4. Get support from others
If you are in pain, you should ask for help from those around you. Family and friends are your first choice to talk to, and if they don't understand you, you can try to get more professional help. For example, you can go to church, an animal hospital, or veterinarian for help.
5. Hold a ceremony for your pet
Hold a funeral for your deceased pet and invite your family and friends to attend its funeral. Holding a funeral is a way to honor your deceased pet, and also a way to comfort yourself. If you have children, you can involve them in planning the funeral of your pet. If a family loses its pet, the saddest are usually the children, because they are still psychologically immature. We need to help them get out of their grief as soon as possible through some rituals. Tell them that the death of a pet is a natural thing and that everyone dies of old age one day. But the deceased pet turns into a star looking at us in the night sky, and it does not leave us, but is with us in a different way.
6. Mourning your pet
You can spread pet ashes on a memorial tree, let this pet grow with the tree. Purchasing memorial keepsake jewelry can be another way to memorize your lost pet, such as pet urn necklace, pet keychain, pet memorial stone, etc. Search pet cremation jewelry on Google, and find one you like. Personalized pet urn necklace has a mini urn inside the necklace which can be used to hold a small tablespoon of pet ashes. Wear this personalized pet urn necklace, you will feel your pet is always by your side. If you want to know more condolence gifts about pet loss, read "10 Meaningful Pet Memorial Gifts".
7. Try to raise a new pet at the proper time
When your pet gets old or sick, facing the loss of your pet is an inevitable event. However, with the passing of your pet, your life must go on. When you think you are over the loss of your pet, you can try to get a new pet. Having a new pet doesn't mean you forget about the departed pet; the new pet will be with you as you continue your life.I once had a dog, Mario, who unfortunately left me forever. I was so uncomfortable when it just left me. He would no longer greet me at the doorstep of my house after work. He made me feel what life is fickle, yet the good memories we had will always be with me. When you realize that you are laughing more and more and sad less and less, maybe you have slowly come out of the sadness of losing your pet. We have to try to cope with our grief after losing pet, smile and face life.
