Losing a cherished animal friend is hard enough. Not having your grief heard, witnessed or listened to makes it even more difficult.
With pet loss, sometimes it can feel like you don’t have anyone to talk to about how much you are hurting.
I am here to listen.
Here are some words from people who have shared their feelings with me while experiencing or after experiencing the loss of a cherished animal friend.
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“He was my best friend. Best friend. Slept with me on the bed and everything. I miss my dog. He was family.” ~ M
“My dog died last year and I am still so upset. My hair started falling out, and I wasn’t sleeping. I had to get some help for it because I was such a mess.” ~ L
“Every time I start to think about it, I cry.” ~ D
“It tore me up inside. I don’t think I could ever go through that again.” ~ G
“She became my daily companion, and I became her trusted person. Her death was the first loss in my life in which I allowed myself to truly feel and express my grief. I still sense her in my home.” ~ W
“I don’t think I truly understood how deep my attachment was until she was no longer physically beside me. The intensity of the pain made me want to understand what was happening to me.” ~ G
“Just writing it down and telling you about it in writing was so cathartic, to just be able to tell someone how I feel without worrying about judgment or anything like that.” ~ B
“I am so lucky we found each other in this lifetime. What a true gift it was. Death is an inevitable part of life just as grief is an inevitable part of love.” ~ A
“When she died, I was afraid in ways I had never been before. I stopped walking alone in the woods. We loved walking together, and I know she would be heartbroken if I stopped. Little by little, I found my way back.” ~ J
“My animals taught me the human-animal bond can provide safety, connection, and acceptance. They also taught me to pay attention to what animals communicate through their body language. ” ~ D
“The connection is unique, pure and selfless. And its a shame it isn’t longer. And it hurts like hell when its gone.” ~ E
I think one of the biggest lessons he left me was that grief doesn’t disappear. He taught me grief comes in many different forms for everyone. Each person handles it differently, but it is all painful for each of us. ~ C
“Having an animal with you daily, depending on you, and loving you unconditionally can create an unbelievable bond if you are open to it and willing to accept it. To me, there is nothing else like it.” ~ S
“Sitting beside her during her euthanasia was one of the most painful experiences of my life, yet one of the greatest privileges. She spent many years showing me calm, compassionate presence. I was able to offer that same gift back to her in her final moments.”
“I was lucky enough to hold her in my arms when she died. My vet and her staff loved her and understood what she meant to me, so they gave me plenty of time to sit with her. She was one of my two “soul dogs” and I’m crying as I write this.” ~ C
I feel his loss and presence all at the same time. The grief is loud and quiet, big and small all at once. I think of him every day. ~ L
“She shaped my soul in ways I can never repay, and I believe I am a better person because of her. I try to be worthy of her. I still miss her all these years later, but this writing brings her to me, which is a precious gift. ~ E