Pet Loss and dealing with Grief

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[blgallas]

Some pets are the only family a person has.

[Chopperdoll]

I own our company with a partner. We give 5 days for the loss of a pet. We also pay for the cremation of the pet. ❤

[kkccentral]

I lost my cat on his 16th birthday to kidney failure. This was in March and I still feel devastated whenever I think of him. I’m sorry to all the others who read this who have lost a loved one and I want you people to know that we all care ❤

[justyoureverydaycasualship]

My dog, my best friend, died a few years ago very unexpectedly and it was one of the hardest things I’ve ever gone through. I mourned that dog more than some family members, and still I don’t think I fully processed it.
Humans bond with animals like they do with family and friends, and still it can be worse. Because pets are a pure, unconditional love. It’s a creature you spend every day with, that provides emotional and physical comfort. Grief of a pet is an extremely profound grief.

[leah]

When my soul cat passed suddenly and traumatically, I quit my job as a veterinary assistant and didn’t work for a month. I had to switch careers, I couldn’t see suffering anymore. I could barley exist, much less work. I have never been so devastated. He’s been gone 9 months and I still can’t believe he isn’t by my side anymore.

[anashatrab]

So true ❤
Grieving the loss of pets can be more painful 😢 because it often goes unacknowledged 😢

[pythomas]

AGREED!! I lost my boy (2) weeks ago 07/01/2024, the worst day of my life. Everyone knew it. I’m enrolled in grief counseling thru my job. 16 years and 7 months of UNCONDITIONAL LOVE! He wasn’t a pet. He was my son, my soul,
I love him more than myself. He saved me and I’m forever grateful and thankful we were placed together. God knew I needed him, we saved each other! RIH MU SWEET ANGEL! Dylan 11/14/2007 - 07/01/2024.❤ I never imagined life without him. He did everything with me. I’m also grateful for all the support since his crossing.

[christinat.]

They are our family members who give unconditional love every day. ❤

[ShibaInuGoddess]

I had to say goodbye to my first dog in 2017, the next day I had to go to work. I was devastated and I cried a lot that day. Thankfully I was in the kitchen of the deli I worked at, but it was still hard to keep up with the demand on a Sunday. Years later someone lost their cat and called out for a few days. The department manager wasnt happy and showed no empathy, she had pets of her own as well.

[cjane]

Losing a pet is painful enough but when you have to make the decision to put them to sleep, you also have to deal with the guilt. I still cry when I think about my dog that has been gone over two years now.

[aleenanewman]

my dog died of IMHA. cried for 6 months every day all day. she was the love of my life

[doggiedinnerandtreats]

During COVID I lost three of my dogs avg age 16yrs old within weeks of one another. I was told that this happens because they were all raised together since they were puppies.. Seeing them grieve their loss as each one passed, was gut wrenching. My work at that time was not empathetic and made comments like, ' it's just a dog.' or 'they lived longer than most dogs'. Clearly that did not help.

I bought a wind chime which hangs on the deck in the summer and when the wind blows and the chimes make this beautiful noise I smile because I know they are stopping by to say hello. Wishing you a peaceful heart during this difficult time.

[Nick-cwog]

Completely agree. We should not feel ashamed or embarrassed to ask for time off when our little critters pass away. They are just as important as our family members because they are our family members too! Frustrating that so many can’t look past the “oh they are just animals.” I’ve had my chihuahua for 19 years and she’s still going and has always slept with me in my bed. Imagine going from her sleeping with me for 19 years hopefully 20 to an empty bed. Not going to be an easy adjustment or something that pet owners can simply get over. They become part of our everyday lives.

[teecee]

I lost my baby girl 12 weeks ago. It still hurts like hell. I had her from 2 weeks old. Bottle fed her for 9 weeks, etc. She was just over 12 years old. She had a runny eye, was sneezing & her meow sounded hoarse. Took her to the vets, they said she had an infected tooth, and it needed to come out. Booked her in for the operation. The day came & I took her into the vets, early in the morning. I got a phone call, a few hours later. The vet told me I needed to go in asap. My heart sank. I started crying. I knew it wasn't good. The vet took me into a room and told me she had an incurable mouth tumour. And she only had days left. I broke down. My poor baby girl. She must have been in so much pain. And I had no idea.

I miss her everyday. I feel broken. I can't stop crying. People around me don't understand. They think "it was just a cat". No, she wasn't just a cat. She was my baby. My child. I loved her. Adored her. I will never stop missing her. I was so lucky to be her mum.

[noldaker]

It is devastating...Been through it a couple times...So sorry about Murray...Pets unlike humans give us unconditional love.

[angelakeely]

Its absolute torture, when you lose a beloved pet there are no words for it, especially when you have had that pet for years, people don't get it, I lost my beautiful dog of 13 and half years, I still miss her and I know I always will, they are your Family ❤

[annmariemitchell]

I miss every pet we have had in our 46 years of marriage….they bring comfort, joy and love

[DontUNVME]

I agree. My service dog passed away and I was a mess. I called into mental health services

[chrislucero]

I lost my baby girl a year ago to FIP, she was a beautiful tuxedo and a baby at only 11 months old. It feels like someone ripped a piece of my soul away every day.

[Justmemisty]

Took me 10 years to grieve my first dog companion. The love they give reaches into you in places no human could ever. Thus, the space they leave is deeper and wider, and so very hard to navigate this void. The lack of empathy in words like 'its just a dog' compounds the grief, isolating us further into the pain. A system needs to exist where pet grief counseling is an option, assistance in cremation, and closure aspects, like a Celebration of Life.