Coping With A Pet Loss

Coping With A Pet Loss

One of the hardest things in the world to deal with is losing a beloved pet. Its just as hard as losing a family member. No wait, pets are family members, at least to those of us that truly love our animals. (And you know there are people that just have a pet to have one)

But how do you really cope?

I've had animals in my life as long as I can remember. My earliest memory is of my mom's poodle Pierre. So at 35 I've had a string of pets, dogs, hamsters, guinea pigs, cats, bunnies and turtles. That means I've lost a lot of animals. The one thing that's the hardest with them is that you always wonder, could I have done more for them? Did they know how much I loved them. After all, a cat, dog or whatever can't tell you that they love you in the normal ways. But believe me, they know. Whether its a loud purr or kneading of your legs or a warm nose on your lab, animals have a way of conveying their love for their human friends. So the first thing you have to put out of you head is that your pet didn't know that you loved them.

The next thing you must do is let yourself grieve. You have to cry, when the urge hits you. This animal was a part of your life, it's natural to cry. Crying doesn't make you any less of a person. In fact, I think it makes you more so. If you have animal loving friends, talk to them. Talk about how you feel. They'll understand that you are hurting.

The last thing you must do when the grieving is finished and if you are a true animal lover, is to let another furry creature into your life.

I can never understand people that say "I will never have another cat or dog because this one died."

OK, so you will never make friends with people either because they may die or fuck you over? I've never found that way of thinking rational.

I'm not saying run out and get another animal the instant that your pet dies, but if you are an animal lover when the grieving process is complete, a new furry friend should be in the offing. I've always believed that my animals would want me to care for another animal after they were gone.

I don't know about you, but these are some things that have helped me cope with my losses over the years. I'm not saying that right now I don't feel like my heart has been ripped out of my body and tossed on the floor, but I'm coping. I know my Mutchka was well loved and well taken care of in the 15 years he had to share with us.