There are no words that can appease your inner pain when you lose a beloved pet.
- They were your friend and confidante, going through and sharing life with you. Those that are close to you will try to tell you that your furred family member had the best life ever and was loved and adored.
- While your logical self acknowledges that, your emotional state can be like a roller coaster of pain.
- The grieving process is difficult but you need to know that with time, you will replace the sadness with happy memories.
- Living life with your pet involved daily routines and this is the first thing that you will experience that creates a sense of emptiness.
- You and family members will need to understand that while this is the circle of life, it also means that you will have to redirect those energies and love to each other.
Losing a pet has been compared to having a hole in your heart and when you reach in to touch the void, it brings tears and anguish.
One of the things that should not surprise you is the belief that your pet’s spirit is around you.
Many report the sound of a collar or bell, a wispy shadow where your pet used to hang out or sleep or even the sound of your pet calling out to you.
For some, this is reassuring and they look to this as a way that your pet is trying to tell you that they are ok.
You will want to assure any younger family members as they often have a difficult time understanding the loss and spending moments with them to explain can help them get through their grief.
If you have other pets in the house they will be confused and lonely, often wandering around seeking out the companion that they knew. Spend extra time with both the kids and other pets; lavishing attention and love to help them in the transition.
One of the natural processes of grief is to relive your pet’s last weeks and months.
You will ask yourself if there was anything more that you could have done, examine the actions that you took, and look deep inside to make sure that you made your pet’s last moments the very best possible.
Allow you and your family the time that you need to get through your grief.
Talk about your pet with each other and with friends, as talking and personal exchange is part of the grieving process. You may want to create an area to honor your pet with pictures or plaques.
This is a wonderful way to keep them in your heart and remember the great times that you all shared.
Our pets do not have the same lifespan that we have and they look to us with unconditional love. Know that as you and your family make the journey through your loss, time indeed will help to heal.
It will not be all that long before you bring up memories of the funny things that they did or the moments that were cherished.
This will happen and in remembering the good things, you are keeping your pet alive in your heart.