Pet Grief: More Common Than You Think
If you have lost a beloved pet recently, you might be surprised at the amount of grief you feel. You might also be surprised to know that pet grief is a lot more common than most people realize.
For a lot of people who are going through grief at the loss of a pet, one of the things they commonly feel is guilt. We’re not just talking about the guilt associated with the loss itself (“If only I had done thus-and-so, maybe ____ wouldn’t have died”)—although that is also common. Rather, the guilt we sometimes feel is about the grief itself. Sometimes people grieve over their pets more than they grieved over a lost relative, and that makes them feel guilty—like grieving the loss of an animal is somehow less legitimate.
Let’s be straightforward about this: you do not need to feel guilty for grieving the loss of a pet, particularly if you were very close to that pet. Loss is loss, and grief is a natural response to loss. It is no different with losing a pet than with losing a human; if you are bonded, and the bond breaks, it is going to hurt. That’s why pet grief is more common than most people think. Even pet owners sometimes do not realize how bonded they are to their pets until the pet is gone, and they are surprised to discover how painful it is. If that’s you, then don’t add to your pain by inflicting self-guilt. What you feel is natural, normal, and appropriate.
Thankfully, more and more people are realizing that pet grief is, indeed, quite common. As a result, there are more resources available to cope with the loss. There are now hotlines you can call for counseling and referrals, websites with helpful information and resources, and even funeral homes that provide services for pets. We’d also like to think we are part of that support system by providing pet memorials that can help with the grieving process. In fact, the reason the Loving Hearts Tribute Series exists is that pet loss is a very personal thing to us. We know what it’s like. We’ve been there.
If you are suffering from pet grief, know that you are not alone. It is very common, and there are people who can help you through it.
