There are a lot of decisions that we have to make as pet owners. Which food do I feed my cat? Which toys are best for my dog? Where should I take my puppy for veterinary care? Who can watch my pets when I am away?
If a pet gets sick, we humans have a great responsibility in making the decision about when to let go of our beloved family member. We have to care for our pets as they decline and determine at which point are they suffering enough that we are being kind to euthanize them? Or, do we choose to allow our pets to decline in their own time And sometimes we don’t have a choice about the time that our pet dies. Sometimes it is sudden and no planning can take place.
Regardless of how a pet dies, there is always grief after a significant loss. And everyone grieves differently. Some people want to get a new pet right away, others want to take some time before they decide to invite a new member into their family. Some people cry, some people get angry, some people don’t have words, some people do. Some people feel sad a lot of the time for a long time and some people feel sad for spurts of time.
People can have a range of experiences with grief and loss. You can’t grieve wrong!
For more resources on pet loss, visit the Pet Loss Support Page.