Why We Need to Take Pet Loss Seriously

[Super Nova]

We treat our pets as family members and they have a right to be happy and safe.

I have to say when my pets die I grieve. i even cried hard when my favorite cats died. (20 years ago) It was odd as it was just after my mum died so I think the cry was a hangover from that. I am the eldest and had to deal with all the issues and pretend to be strong.. .you know... man shit.

i am saddened when a pet dies and for a while you really notice they are gone.

I also noticed recently that while my family was away, usually I have the dog to follow me around the house, take for walks and stuff, she was with a friend and the house didn't feel the same. It felt lonely for the 3 days before family and dog returned.

The article link below discusses the topic.

Anyone had any similar feeling when your pet has died?

I also learned what death was and what grief was as a kid as we had lots of different pets over the years. A good education on life and death is provided through pets because of their short lifespans. My daughter will get the same experience when her beloved dog passes. So they also provide a life experience for our kids. Makes you think and appreciate how fragile life is. She is 10 and talks about how her and Peppa will get a house together when she grows up. Completely unaware of her lifespan.

Why We Need to Take Pet Loss Seriously
How to handle grief after a pet’s death—and why we all need to change our attitudes about it

Worth a read.
https://www.scientificamerican.com/arti ... seriously/

[BigP]

You shed a tear then dig a hole and bury it, pop a little cross there if it makes you feel better, Then head out and get a new one,,

[sprintcyclist]

The death of a pet is a loss.
There is grief.

[The Mechanic]

if you start treating pets like Humans then I think you need to get some help..

that doesn't mean that you don't luv your pets and are a part of your family life...

but get a grip...

my family still talks about our first ever dog... he was my dog... I called him snoopy

but he was a family pet still...played cricket with us... chased the birds out of the back yard when I said "sick im"

chased cats out of the back yard.. except ours...

if we hit the cricket ball up the back yard he'd go and get it and bring it back... if you were nasty to him he'd bite you.. .he once launched at my brother and bit a hole in his shirt after throwing half a brick at him...

everyone has a story about "Good ole Snoopy"

since then I've had other dogs come and go into our lives...

Scruffy was a good mate of mine... gees he was a great dog...

I now have Murphy... he's such a loving dog...

He'd rather a hug and a pat than a Feed...

[Black Orchid]

It's natural for normal people to grieve over the loss of a pet. They love us unconditionally which is something that most people cannot comprehend, let alone understand and practice.

[Gordon]

Another aspect to grieving for pets is they link us to other human people.

I had a kelpie that I got as a pup about 3 years before my childhood dog died, so the kelpie was raised by that dog and to me, they were connected.
My sister died, then a few years later, the kelpie died of old age.

To me, it was hard because the kelpie was a direct link to the childhood dog I shared with my sis

[sprintcyclist]

SuperNova - I am with you.

I have lost a few pets and it does not get easier. Some I have had a wake for.
2 died in my arms.

Grieving is awful hard work

[boxy]

I work with dogs almost every day. They are my constant companions, and for what it's worth, I spend more time with my dogs than any human. I keep them well after they should be retired, even if their commitment to "helping" becomes unhelpful.

I grieve their deaths, even if it's me who finally ended it for them. They're my friends.

If only it was legal to treat our human family as humanely, when it comes to the inevitable end...

[Agnes]

We treat our pets as family members and they have a right to be happy and safe.

I have to say when my pets die I grieve. i even cried hard when my favorite cats died. (20 years ago) It was odd as it was just after my mum died so I think the cry was a hangover from that. I am the eldest and had to deal with all the issues and pretend to be strong.. .you know... man shit.

i am saddened when a pet dies and for a while you really notice they are gone.

I also noticed recently that while my family was away, usually I have the dog to follow me around the house, take for walks and stuff, she was with a friend and the house didn't feel the same. It felt lonely for the 3 days before family and dog returned.

The article link below discusses the topic.

Anyone had any similar feeling when your pet has died?

I also learned what death was and what grief was as a kid as we had lots of different pets over the years. A good education on life and death is provided through pets because of their short lifespans. My daughter will get the same experience when her beloved dog passes. So they also provide a life experience for our kids. Makes you think and appreciate how fragile life is. She is 10 and talks about how her and Peppa will get a house together when she grows up. Completely unaware of her lifespan.

Why We Need to Take Pet Loss Seriously
How to handle grief after a pet’s death—and why we all need to change our attitudes about it

Worth a read.
https://www.scientificamerican.com/arti ... seriously/

Totally agree with that SN sometimes the grief associated with losing a pet can hit hard and be overwhelming all consuming- I had my kitty for 15 years- losing her was terrible and I cried on and off for a full year~

[IQS.RLOW]

A dead pussy would be a terrible thing to have.