Death of PetsDeath of pets is a sad and poignant experience. Our pets are our family, for a lot of us, and we miss them almost as much as our human family members when they are gone.I think that the grief process might be a little shorter duration in the case of pet death. Unlike the role of a human family member, many people find that the death of pets can be eased by getting another pet. Others need a longer time to get over the loss, and may in fact feel like they are being disloyal to the lost pet if they “replace” them too soon.
Our Personal ExperienceWe have personally experienced the death of pets several times. When we lost our first cat, we already had another cat and a dog, so acquiring another pet wasn’t really a consideration. The second time was our dog, and we still had one cat left. It was a pretty traumatic experience and we really didn’t want to set ourselves up for another go at it.Death of pets affects us differently at different times, and this was an interesting process. Several months after Caesar died, our son came into our room one night crying his little heart out. He really missed his doggy. A few days later he was helping a friend with his newspaper route, and came home with a little dog, who he “found wandering around”.
And then there was Nacho. . .The dog had a tag and we discussed how he belonged to someone else, and he would have to be returned to his owner. The dog question was answered, and thus we began our search for our next dog.We found Nacho. We were looking for a poodle, a dog that didn’t shed, and didn’t have a lot of dander for our allergies. Nacho was one of a lot of poodles in a house just out of town. He was quiet and stood up on his hind legs to peek over the playpen he shared with his sister. We were smitten and went to the local restaurant to wait for him to be groomed. We looked at the menu and chose the name Nacho because he was apricot colored.
And then came Tess. . .For each death of pets, a different decision had to be made. After Chou Chou died, we opted to stay with one pet, Nacho. But when he died, we were certain we wouldn’t ever have another dog. Traveling was easier, and we didn’t need to board or hire a pet sitter. Our children were grown and it was time to be petless.
Then my husband retired and spent a lot of time alone, he needed a companion. That is how Tess became one of our family.
and Tigger......Several years later, we felt that Tess needed a companion herself, since we were gone more and she was left alone. We thought a little dog would be a good idea.We weren't able to find any miniature poodles, but we found an ad for pugs in the local paper. We went to look at the litter of pugs. Well, that was as they say “all she wrote”. We could barely wait for the 6 weeks to be up so we could pick up our little Tigger. Now, since we have had to say goodbye to Tess, Tigger will be the only dog in the household. We are pretty certain that will be the case, but you can never say never!
There are always trade-offs. . .Living with pets, and experiencing the joy and laughter they bring to our lives eventually means death of pets, bringing sadness and grief.Each of us needs to weigh the trade-offs even though there are many other factors that go into choosing to add a pet to your family. If you do your research, choose a pet that is a good fit for your family and can provide for the pet's needs during it's lifetime, then you will find that the years of joy are worth the few weeks of pain. We urge you to look to your local shelter when you are ready to adopt a pet. Help provide loving homes for the many pets who need one. In this way you can help the problem of pet over-population and find a wonderful friendship in the process.
Sympathy in the Loss of a Pet Managing appropriate sympathy for someone who has lost a pet. Death of a Pet Poem Poems dealing with the loss of a pet. Death of Pets Managing the death of a pet, thoughts and feelings. Death of Pet Sympathy Card How to choose a pet sympathy card/ Pet Grief Dealing with the grief of losing a beloved pet. Pet Memorial Poem Memorializing your pet in verse, share your own and read others poems. Photo Pet Memorials Put your pet photo on a permanent memorial page. Pet Sympathy Gifts A broad assortment of sympathy gifts appropriate for pet grievers. Pet Memorial Stone Thoughtful and touching choices to remember your pet. Pet Memorial Stepping Stone Find a fitting stepping stone for your yard or garden. Engraved Pet Memorial Ideas for choosing engraved pet memorial tributes. Pet Memorial Candle Suggestions for designing unique memory candles as sympathy gifts for pet grievers. Dog Park Therapy A delightful visit to Salem's Minto Island off leash dog park and the four footed funlovers who frequent it. Pug Pictures Share our love for pugs and send in your own pictures. |
Pet Sympathy Candle
