Pet Loss
“Animals have come to mean so much in our lives. We live in a fragmented and disconnected culture. Politics are ugly, religion is struggling, technology is stressful, and the economy is unfortunate. What’s one thing that we have in our lives that we can depend on? A dog or a cat loving us unconditionally, every day, very faithfully.” – Jon Katz
Loosing a pet can be like loosing your best friend. Pets have unconditional love and forgiveness. When you walk in the door your pet is always excited and happy to see you. Pets are free of the the worries and stress that we have.
Pets are great for families. Children can learn responsibility. Our fur babies are considered family members. They are great walking companions, and they can join us at stores, restaurants, and parks. The other day I spoke to a woman who has two cats. She told me the running joke is that they have spent more money caring for their two cats than their children.
When we own a pet there is a certainty that we will have to deal with losing them because their life span is much shorter than ours is.
To help you prepare for a pet loss it is better if you know and think it will occur someday. It is better to prepare for their loss that will come one day. It is an undertaking to prepare for when loss happens.
When you lose a pet allow yourself to feel. You may have a full range of emotions. It’s okay to grieve.
Create a season for the loss of your pet. Allow yourself time to grieve and feel. You may want to have a funeral for your pet. Allow friends, children, family members to talk about your pet. There is always laughter at funerals when people tell stories about loved ones who have passed. Take a day off from work to mourn. Allow your children to take a day off of school.
Connect with loves ones. They can help you process the loss. Hugs, sharing the loss, emotional support and resources can also help. There will be an adjustment after the loss of a pet as you enter a new phase of your life without them. Family and loved ones can help with the transition.
Create a memorial for your pet. It can be a plaque, a picture, poems, gravestone, or an urn. Anything that helps you celebrate your pet’s life.
Fond Memories can help you remember and honor your pet family member.
Fond Memories can provide Cremation Services, Cemetery, Urns, Clay Pawprints, Remembrance Jewelry, and many more memorial products.