When a person we know and care for passes away, it is natural to experience feelings of sorrow, express our grief, and receive understanding, support, and comfort from our family and friends. 

When a family pet passes away, we also experience a sense of loss that is accompanied by sorrow and grief; however, it is not common to receive the same level of understanding, support, and comfort from those that are part of our lives. 

Some people think of a family pet as “just an animal”; however, for those that take an animal in, make it a part of their lives, and care for that animal, that being becomes a part of our family. Pets are loved ones, too. 

If you have recently experienced the death of a pet, we offer our sincere condolences. In this brief guide, we will provide you with information that may aid in the coping process of dealing with the death of your family pet.

The Bond

If you are reading this, it is quite likely that you developed a tight bond with the animal that you have recently lost. We come to care for and love our pets to such a high degree that we often consider them to be members of our family. It is likely that you have taken several pictures of your pet, provided them with loving gifts throughout their lifetime, and possibly, even celebrated certain milestones in their life – such as a birthday. 

Pets provide us with companionship. They are openly very loving and accepting. They offer the humans around them with a high level of emotional support. The bond that you develop with your pet makes it evident that their absence will be felt when they pass. 

The first step to coping with the loss of a family pet is to know and understand that it is perfectly acceptable to grieve when the animal passes away.

The Grieving Process

When you suffer from the loss of a loved one, there is a grieving process that is experienced. Counselors and other specialists have established that this same grieving process occurs when a family pet dies. 

The second step to coping with the loss of your family pet is to allow yourself to experience the grieving process and not feel as if you are abnormal or have to explain it to others. 

You are sure to suffer from denial, bargaining, anger, guilt, and sadness. Eventually, you will experience acceptance of your loss. You should not put a time frame on your grief. Accepting the reality of a loss and learning to overcome the negative emotions associated with loss is never easy. 

The third step to coping with the loss of a family pet is to allow yourself to take all of the time that you need to go through the grieving process.

Be sure to return next week for the second installment in this series. If you would like to learn about creative ways to remember your pet, visit: http://tearcatcher.com/blog/coping-with-the-loss-of-a-family-pet/