How To Handle The Death Of A Pet

Anyone who has chosen to have a four-legged friend in the home will sooner or later experience the death of a pet. But do we all experience grief in the same way? The answer is no. Grief is a universal phenomenon, but there are many different ways of dealing with it that depend on cultural and religious factors, among other things.

We handle the death of a loved one in different ways, and the same applies when we mourn an animal. But what is it that makes you mourn the death of a pet? The reason is that the bond created between the owner and the animal makes the owner feel that this animal is part of the family.

Thelma Duffey is a doctoral student at the University of Texas, and believes that the death of a pet is a genuinely painful experience. We should also keep in mind the cultural taboos that exist regarding mourning an animal. It is a grief and a pain that is not understood by the rest of the population, which makes the process even more difficult.

There are many who have a special emotional bond with their pets, but there are also people who do not have it, and who therefore do not appreciate the relationship that can arise between humans and animals. They underestimate the person’s pain and say things like “It was just a dog”, “Get a new one” and “Why are you so sad about an animal?”.

The death of a pet can be a very painful experience for many, even when it is not considered the same thing in society as if a human had died. According to a study conducted at the University of Hawaii, 30% of owners mourn for more than six months, while 12% experience the event as very traumatic.

The grieving process consists of four stages:

• Denial. At this stage, they have not yet understood what has happened and they deny the death as a kind of defense mechanism. A practical piece of advice here could have been to get rid of the pet’s toys.
• Emotional expression. Sadness, depression or anger. One should not try to hold back the tears and one should also not try to pretend that everything is okay when it is not. You have to let go of the emotions and experience them. You have to feel what has happened and let the tears flow, because it is part of the recovery process.
• Reconstruction. During this stage, we begin to accept the emptiness that the pet has left behind. One thinks of all the daily routines of which the pet was a part and which became such an important part of life. Routines such as going for a walk with the dog, playing in the park and taking it easy on the couch. Now we have to create new routines.

• Relate to the memory of the pet in a different way. This is about looking to the future and recovering. You will then remember the great love you felt for the animal.

We all go through the same kind of situation in different ways. Not everyone takes the time to mourn the death of a pet.

Some choose to get a new pet, others to be without. You should not feel sad if you decide to get a new pet. One should realize that it is not about “replacing” one’s former pet. It is instead about finding new routines and experiencing life with your new pets.