How to Cope with the Loss of a Family Pet

It is natural to grieve and feel sad and devastated after losing a beloved cat or dog, especially if you share intense love and bond with it. For a pet lover, a puppy isn’t just a dog but a beloved family member that brings joy, fun, and companionship to the family. A pet can keep you social and active and help you overcome various challenges and setbacks in life. So, it is natural to feel sad and grief when a cherished pet dies. The loss of a beloved animal can overwhelm and trigger all sorts of difficult and painful emotions. While grieving is an inevitable part of pet ownership, there are healthy ways to cope with losing a beloved animal. Here are some suggestions:

● Seek Professional Help

The pain of losing a pet can be so intense that you can’t function. If so, it is recommendable to seek help from a mental health professional or doctor for depression evaluation. It also helps to seek out professional help when it comes to providing your furry friend with compassionate at-home euthanasia in Boston so that you and your pet are both in the best headspace. This can also make it easier to cope with the loss of your pet. 

● Maintain Your Routine

It is normal to become distressed following the death of a cherished pet. However, increasing play times, exercising, and maintaining your daily routine can help you overcome grief. These activities can also help boost your mood and outlook, as well.

● Join Pet Loss Support Groups

Your family members or friends may not be as sympathetic about the loss of your pet as you are. In such a case, find someone who is. Check out for others who have undergone the same experience on pet loss support groups, hotlines, and online message boards. Someone who has undergone the same experience may better understand what you’re going through and help you overcome grief.

● Allow Yourself to Grieve

Don’t let friends or family members tell you how to grieve the loss of your pet. Your grief is yours, and no one else should dictate how to overcome it. Therefore, express your feelings without judgment and embarrassment. It is okay to cry or not to and be angry. Others may decide to find a moment of joy, laugh, or let go following the death of their beloved animal.

● Create Memory

Sharing the memories, you enjoyed with your dog or cat by compiling a photo album, planting a tree in their memory, or preparing a memorial service can help you to move on eventually. Holding a funeral service is also an opportunity for you and your family to express your feelings for your beloved friend. Don’t mind people who think holding a funeral for a cat or dog is inappropriate. Instead, do whatever you feel is honorable for your beloved pet.

● Get a New Pet

A great way to cope with losing a beloved furry is to get a new animal companion or volunteer at a pet shelter. While every pet is unique, getting a new furry can bring love and more energy into your home. You can decide to get another furry creature shortly after the death of your pet. But that doesn’t mean your cat or dog isn’t hugely missed.

● Help Your Children Grieve

Losing a pet can be more devastating to your child than to you. Remember your child used to play and spend time with the puppy or kitten. Therefore, allowing your child to express their sadness and how they feel about their fallen friend is right. Letting them do something physically like releasing a balloon into the sky, making a clay paw print, or drawing a picture of the pet can help overcome pain.

● Take Your Time

People take varied time to grieve a pet. Some may take days or weeks, while others take months or even years to get over it. Pet owners should grieve as long as they want. Never rush to get over your sorrow. Your grief is a personal experience, and you may not find comfort in what others find. For example, leave fur on the couch and muddy footprints on the floor if you’re not ready to get over them.

It is normal to mourn the loss of a beloved animal. Sometimes the loss can be so significant to the extent it hurts you. But luckily, these tips can help you cope with it.