The Loss of Beloved Pets

Losing a pet is sorrowful and tragic. Pets eventually get old or become terminally ill. Most people see their pets as family members. A pet is your best friend, and will never judge you. It is sad when a beloved pet cat or dog dies, and you feel the loss and don't know what to do. Its okay to grieve for the loss of the pet. Its okay to grieve openly and to express your feelings and memories about the pet that has just died or had to be euthanized. Its, also, okay to talk about your pet to friends and family, who knew the pet. There are support groups that are available online to help you cope with the loss of your pet. There are pet bereavement counseling services and support hot lines that help with the grief of the loss of a beloved pet. Its normal to feel the loss of a pet. Its not easy to lose a beloved pet, such as a cat, dog, hamster, or any other pet animal that you loved.

The loss of a pet can be just as devastating as the loss of a family member, and the pet owner may go through the five stages of grief that people go through with the death of a family member. The five stages of grief are: denial, anger, bargaining, depression and finally acceptance. Some people may grieve for a short time, while other people may grieve for years.

Here are some ways to help with the loss of a pet: Remember that its okay to grieve for the loss of your pet, and its, also, okay to grieve openly, write about your pet, talk to friends and family about your pet, hold a memorial service with friends and family, have your pet cremated or buried in a pet cemetery that is close enough so that you can visit your pet's grave. There are some people, who choose to have their beloved pet stuffed by a taxidermist, but that might not be what a lot of people would want. There are always support groups that can be found online, so that you can talk and share about your pet with others, who've gone through the same thing that you are going through.

I have read on the Internet that there is a growing field of hospices that are designed for pets, much like the hospices for people with terminal illnesses. The hospice for pets does in-home care for ill animals and is administered by a hospice vet in conjunction with the pet's veterinarian. The pet's life may be made more comfortable, the pet's life may be extended for awhile, so that it can stay at home and its owners can have a chance to say good-bye.

I had a white cat named Pinky. Pinky lived to be 19 years old. I am glad that he (Pinky) did live as long as he did. At the end his life his back went out on him. He tried to jump up to the kitchen counter and fell back down one day. I knew, then, that he was dying. I was supposed to work one day, but I wanted to stay home with Pinky, because I knew that if I went to work, Pinky would be dead, before I got home. Pinky died that day around 3:08 in the afternoon. I didn't want Pinky to die alone, so I made sure that I stayed home and spent his last remaining moments of life with him. I never forgot Pinky, and I will always miss him.