How to Cope With Pet Loss

Coping with the sudden loss of a beloved pet can be very difficult. You may experience brief, intermittent, or long bouts of grief, depression, and sadness. To deal with these emotions constructively, follow this advice during your healing and grieving process.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Give yourself plenty of time and space to grieve the loss of your pet. The death of a family dog or cat, for example, can be painful. It is only natural to have occasional crying spells or periods of extreme sadness and depression. Remember, there is not one way to grieve and each person in your family may cope with the loss differently.

2. Talk about your loss with family members, counselors, ministers, friends, and other loved ones in your life. Sharing your pictures and memories can be most helpful in the healing process. It may take much time to get to the point of acceptance. Lean on others, reach out and allow family members to console you. Don't forget that they are coping with the loss as well and need you to be there for them too.

3. Keep the memory of your pet alive. Celebrate and memorialize the life of your pet with framed pictures, a memorial website, or a beautiful memorial stone engraved with your pet's name. Hold a family project night and create a photo collage of memories. Find time to pray or meditate about your loss. You could even have a pet memorial service to remember your pet.

4. Channel your grief into a positive way to share your love of animals with others. Volunteer one hour a week at an animal shelter or donate to an animal charity in your pet's name. Consider adopting a new pet who needs a loving home that you could offer.