When your pet dies, it hurts. Sometimes more than you expect it to.

Your pet was not just an animal who lived in your home. They were part of your everyday life. They were there when you came home. They were part of your routines. They were someone you talked to, sat with, laughed at, worried about, and cared for.

Grief is the normal and natural emotional response to loss. And while most people think of grief as something that only happens after a person dies, the death of a pet can create just as real of a grief response.

You might notice:

• Trouble concentrating
• Sleeping more or less than usual
• Changes in appetite
• Feeling numb
• Sudden waves of sadness
• Reaching for them out of habit
• Forgetting for a moment that they are gone

You may also notice that the people around you are not reacting in the same way you are. Even in the same family, grief looks different from person to person.

Why Pet Loss Can Feel So Lonely

Pet loss is often discounted by people. That means the depth of what you are feeling may not be recognized by those around you.

You might hear things like:

• You can always get another one
• At least they are not suffering anymore
• It was just a pet
• Give it time

Most people mean well when they say these things. They are trying to help. But instead, it can leave you feeling like your grief is being brushed aside or misunderstood.

It is very common for someone to suggest getting another pet right away. But replacing a pet does not resolve the grief you feel about the one you lost.

The Problem with Waiting for Time to Heal

You have probably heard that time heals all wounds.

But if time alone healed emotional pain, you would not still feel hurt about losses from years ago.

Grief is emotional. It is not something you fix just by understanding what happened or reminding yourself that your pet lived a long life or is no longer in pain. Logic does not resolve emotional pain.

Unresolved grief can:

• Make happy memories feel painful
• Affect your willingness to bond with another pet
• Causes you to make future decisions out of fear
• Impact your relationships with both people and animals

Moving from the Head to the Heart

After your pet dies, you might feel relief that they are no longer suffering while also feeling heartbroken that they are gone. Both of those feelings can exist at the same time.

Recovery does not mean forgetting your pet. It does not mean loving them any less.

Recovery means being able to:

• Remember them without becoming overwhelmed
• Talk about them without shutting down
• Make future choices without fear running the show
• Decide whether or not to get another pet from a place of peace

The goal is not to replace the relationship you had. The goal is to become emotionally complete with it so that your memories bring you comfort rather than pain.

Will You Ever Feel Better?

Grief Recovery is about learning new skills for dealing with loss. Most of us were never taught how to do that.

Taking small and correct actions can allow you to:

• Honor the relationship you had
• Say what may have been left unsaid
• Let go of guilt or regret
• Remember your pet with more love than pain

You may always miss your pet. That reflects how much you loved them.

But it is possible to remember them without the memories being painful.

And it is possible to feel better without feeling like you are forgetting them.

If you are ready to take the next step in your recovery, you can learn more about the Grief Recovery Method Online Course here:

https://programs.griefrecoverymethod.com/online-course