If your pet has died, try not to obsess over “When am I going to get over this?”. Instead, focus on small steps in your adjustment process: put away the leash; be able to pass the park without getting upset; and, eventually, feel the urge to get a new one.
As long as you are living, something wonderful could happen at any moment. Life may have lows that you never expected and that you did not foresee, but it also will have highs that you never dreamed of that will bring you joy beyond your wildest imagination.
Sadly, death happens, and life still goes on. With your family and friends, support each other to give you all the strength and energy to get through these circumstances.
When a loved one dies, it’s important to remember you could not have changed the circumstances surrounding the loss. You could not have prevented it in any way.
Surviving pets can experience loss when a pet dies, or may become distressed by your sorrow. Maintaining their daily routines, or increasing exercise and play times, will benefit them and may help to elevate your outlook too.
Preparing a memorial, planting a tree in memory of your pet, or compiling a photo album or scrapbook, can create a legacy to celebrate the life of your pet.
A funeral can help you and your family members openly express your feelings for a lost pet. Ignore people who think it’s inappropriate to hold a funeral for a pet, and do what feels right for you.
When you’re grieving, don’t let anyone tell you how to feel. Your grief is your own, and no-one else can tell you when it’s time to “move on” or “get over it.” Let yourself feel whatever you feel without embarrassment or judgment.
Some people assume that pet loss shouldn’t hurt as much as human loss. The best support for your grief may come from outside your usual circle of friends and family members, and may be able to tell you how they got through the grieving process.
Locking away grief doesn’t make it go away. Express it. Cry, scream, pound the floor, talk it out. Do what helps you the most.