Grieving over a Pet?
Unless you have been a pet owner and have had a deep relationship with a 4-legged furchild, you may not understand the depth of grieving that can take place when this companion animal passes on. Unfortunately, this is very common and many of our friends and family members will not understand what we are going through when we grieve for a pet. Many who don’t understand us fully have never had this bond and do not appreciate the companionship and unconditional love a pet can provide us.
In order to grieve this pet fully, you need to learn to stand up for yourself. That doesn’t mean arguing with others about whether or not your grief is appropriate (they’ll never understand anyway) but rather accept the fact that you may find your best emotional support for your grief from others outside your usual circle of family and friends. You may want to seek out others who have also lost companion animals, join a Pet Loss support group, or find others who will appreciate the magnitude of your loss and can help suggest ways to help you get through the grieving process.
Creating a Pet Memorial can help put your feelings into words and aid in the healing of a loss of a beloved pet.