Anicare Veterinary Hospital

 Support for the Humans in Pet Loss 

Grief is a healthy and normal response. Trying to hold in these feelings can extend the grieving process. Losing a pet can leave us feeling lost and exhausted. Where once we had a routine and a being to care for, now we feel unanchored and unable to move forward. In time we will find a new pattern, but in the meantime the feelings of loss feel like they will never leave. 

 Grief can cause changes in appetite, sleep, and health, all of which should be addressed if left too long. Feelings of intense loneliness, isolation, and a sense of being “out of control” are often spoken of with grieving. This is all a normal process of grieving and is different for everyone. 

Guilt is often encountered with loss as well. We often second guess the decisions we make around our pets and their death, wondering if we made a decision too soon or too late. It is important to know that each experience is unique and it is truly a rare event that euthanasia is unnecessary. When you make this decision, the support of friends, family, and your Veterinarian is so important. Euthanasia is a difficult decision and should never be made lightly, but all the second guessing about “what I could have done” only heightens guilt. Inevitably all creatures die, their lives are so much shorter than our own, and euthanasia is a kind and peaceful end.

 If feelings of grief and loss start to impact your life, and daily work and family function is impaired, reaching out to a friend, counsellor, or a pet loss support group, or reading supportive books are all good options for support. We are only human and this sense of loss can often feel overwhelming. Here are some links that may help you through this difficult journey: 

https://bcbh.ca/grief-support/pet-loss-support/ 

https://www.pet-loss.net/resources/Canada.shtml 

https://rspcavic.org/learn/grieving-for-a-lost-pet/ 

https://counsellingbc.com/counsellors/location/victoria-33/practice/grief-and-loss-pets-133 

http://www.tinypetmemories.com 

https://www.smilingblueskies.com/resources/pet-loss-support-books-and-resources/

British Columbia Bereavement Helpline  (www.bcbh.ca) 1-877-779-2223

Here are a few suggestions to memorialize a beloved pet:

• Keep pet tags and put them on a key ring.

• Make a donation to an animal welfare organization in the pet’s name.

• Record the happy memories in a journal.

• Create a collage of photographs or a photobook.

• Write a poem about the pet.

• Plant a new life in their memory, like a tree or flowering bush.

Visit the spot where the pet is buried or place the urn containing their ashes in a central location in the home. Know that your furry family member had a wonderful life and was deeply loved.

[Information in part courtesy of The Ohio State University- Veterinary Medical Center - "Coping with the Loss of a Companion Animal -Support Guide for Families" ]