Most of us have endured the pain of losing a beloved pet at some point in life, and depending on the type of relationship we have with our pet, it will undoubtedly measure how much pain we endure after the loss. Some people develop a deep bond over time with their pet, while others simply enjoy having them around and usually recover from grief fairly quickly. They can even replace your deceased pet immediately to help them cope and get through the grieving process more quickly. Everyone has their own unique way of coping with pet loss.
The loss of a special animal companion can leave a devastating headache and most people will grieve in silence fearing they won’t be taken seriously just because the loss was not a human loss. There are many people today in situations where their pets mean as much to them as any human being. Many have been let down by those around them, so they turn to an animal for unconditional love, companionship, and as a confidant. This is quite normal as animals have qualities that our fellow humans do not seem to indicate.
Companion animals have now become an accepted part of our family and when a pet passes away we feel it as such. I lost my pet lizard just over a year ago, and the pain I felt was so great that I didn’t want to continue. I felt the best thing I could do for myself and on behalf of my deceased pet was to write about the loss of a pet and become a “Pet Loss Counselor”, which I just started studying at an online university. The bond I had with my pet lizard ran deep.
Our pets or as I prefer to call them “family members” teach us a lot about ourselves if we are open to allowing them to educate us. Even after they pass into spirit, the lessons themselves are more vivid and real. Heartbreaking grief over the loss of a pet is not something to hide or be ashamed of. Pets are our family and we grieve for them that way. There are groups you can join on social media like Facebook. This gives bereaved pet sitters the opportunity to air their grievance in a safe, non-judgmental social setting.
We now live in a very different world than it was twenty years ago, no one needs to suppress their emotions for fear of being ridiculed or mocked. Animals are not classified as “just pets”, but as our best friends and our confidants and, above all, our mentors.
