Supporting you through your
loss and grief
We are so sorry for the loss of your beloved pet and companion.
It can be an incredibly painful experience to lose a pet and we hope you are surrounded by family and friends who can provide the love and support you need during this time.
Grief for our pets is no less than any other grief. Let’s be honest, we’re closer to our pets than most people, which is why their absence tears our lives apart. Not only have we lost a pet, but we have also lost a sense of comfort, security, unwavering companionship, emotional support, and love.
Everyone will grieve differently and the level of grief will be unique. This is a result of the relationship we had with our pet, the circumstances of their death, other stresses in our life, and our support network.
For those who have had the upsetting responsibility of choosing Euthanasia, you may be experiencing a sense of guilt. Be kind to yourself. Trust and accept that you, your family, and your vet, made the right decision.
As long-time pet parents who have also experienced pet loss, the below suggestions helped us through these difficult times, and hope they may provide the same for you.
Explain your pet’s loss to children in a way they will understand.
We had 3 young children when we had to make the difficult decision to euthanise our dog Keeta. Though it was tempting to protect them from loss, death is a natural part of life, so it was important for us to be honest with them. We explained the situation and gave them the choice to be involved or not.
Allow you and your family to grieve.
Naturally, people will tend to push their pain away and bury their feelings. Grief is persistent and when resisting a feeling, it can often become stronger. If you allow yourself to accept it, grief can also be a place where you can own the memories and the gifts that your pet gave you.
Express your emotions through mourning.
Where grief is what you feel on the inside, mourning is the expression on the outside. Ways in which we can mourn include;
Talking to other people who loved your pet
Expressing yourself by keeping a journal
Create a memorial book or box for your pet
Honour your pet with a ceremony or memorial.
Honouring your pet’s memory can offer you and your family a sense of closure. Hold a ceremony, create a memorial or plant a living garden. Give your children the opportunity to be involved. Our children wrote letters, drew their favourite memories, printed photos, then buried these where they planted a memorial plant.
Loss and grief is not something we ‘get over’. It will always be there, reminding us of the love we had for our beloved pet.
For anyone who is unable to move forward in your grief, don’t be ashamed. It is normal and necessary. There are many ways you can reach out for support such as;
Talking with family, friends or other pet lovers,
Join a Pet Loss Support Group – there are many groups on Facebook or
Seek a Councillor, such as Tracey Woods from Pet Eden, who specialises in Pet Loss and Grief Support.
Through mourning and remembering, we will heal.
Keeping you in our warmest thoughts,
Blue Leaf Water Cremation xx