For many of us, our pets are beloved family members with whom we share our daily lives and lifestyles. Our furry, finned and feathered friends are our constant and loyal companions in whom we confide and with whom we share our feelings and secrets. They may serve as guides, teachers, friends and healers. We, in turn, are their caregivers.
Most young children are more curious than sad when a pet disappears. However, it is a major turning point in their development when they see how adults deal with the loss of a pet. Remember, they are looking to you to see how to develop values, ethics and standards of behavior.
Are you lonely, sad and depressed from the death or loss of your pet? These feelings of pain and anxiety are perfectly normal, but you can find peace again. Do you view your pet as a member of your family, your closest friend, and constant companion? If you or someone you care about has pets, there will be a tremendous sense of loss when that pet dies, runs away or has to be euthanized.
For many of us, the loss of a pet is like losing a close member of the family, and so it can be very important to have something special to memorialize the special time they spent with us.
People who suffer a loss of pets go through the same emotional pains as those who suffer the loss of a human loved one. But unlike those who suffer the loss of a human, sometimes those who suffer a loss of pets are ridiculed by people in their lives. A co-worker may say, “It was only a dog.” A spouse may say, “She lived a good life.
