January 21, 2024 | By R. Lewis
Losing a pet is hard, losing one at a young age or earlier than expected is even harder. Many people may never understand why the loss of a pet would bother anyone. Yet, there are also many people who understand the hole left in your heart. Part of loving a pet deeply is grieving their loss; however, no one teaches you what to do when your pet dies.
Acknowledge Your Feelings
What should you do when your pet passes away? Allow yourself time to process the loss. You loved your pet so much, it is okay to feel sad and heartbroken. There will be an intense level of grief that you will need to sit with for a while. Walking around your house and seeing an empty spot where your friend used to be is hard. It is okay to be sad. But it is important to understand why you are grieving. It is because you loved your pet and need to feel sad right to cope with the loss.
In the early stage of mourning, watching touching movies or shows, listening to music that reminds you of good times with your pet, and even just sitting and feeling sad in the moment. One approach is to look at all the photos and then sit and journal as all the memories come flooding in. Everyone must spend the time grieving but grieving is different for everyone.
Memorialize Them
There are many ways to memorialize your pet and each way is just as unique as the pet you love. Make sure to pick something that makes you feel and recognize the connection you had with your pet. Some of the more common memorial options are online memorials, a special urn with your pet’s ashes and mementos like their collar or favorite toy or you could frame a picture of you and your pet at a place you enjoyed playing or a picture of something you enjoyed doing together. Another option would be to have a Memorial service with close friends and share your memories and feelings.
Reach Out
With some time, you may want to share your feelings with people who can understand the loss. When you reach out to your friends who understand, talk about what you miss the most and what your pet taught you. Celebrate with them why your relationship with your pup was special and tell their stories. It is also a great time to talk about how you will memorialize your pet. This is just one of many ways to grieve after the loss of a pet.
Let It Out
Another way to deal with our pet’s death and gain closure is to write it all out in a grief journal. Writing down how you feel about your loss can be cathartic. There are many books about grief and journals as well. The National Canine Cancer Foundation offers a free downloadable journal. A blank book is a fine thing to use as well. Here is a list of things you might want to journal about:
Happy memories
Things that remind you of your pet
Sad feelings
Reasons you loved your pet
Stay Busy
It is important to keep yourself busy. This should not be just to avoid or refuse to deal with your loss. However, you also cannot spend all your time down in sad feelings. Keeping active you will accomplish two different things, keeping your mind off your grief and starting to feel good when doing things for yourself.
Some ways to take your mind from your grief:
Doing physical activities
Working on hobbies
Doing household chores
Consuming your favorite media
Summary
Process with friends and family.
Honor and memorialize your pet.
Stay busy when you start to feel the heaviness of the grief.
Do something that makes you feel good. Grieving is unique to everyone and takes the time it takes.
Don’t be afraid to reach out for support. Understanding friends are happy to help when they know you need it.
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