Pet loss, no matter what the circumstances, can be a traumatic experience, and care should be taken to assure healthy grieving. Below are a few ideas for things to do to best cope with losing a pet.
First, recognize that, after losing a pet, it is natural to feel sad. Crying is okay, despite what society may be inclined to say indirectly. The feelings you have toward your pet are valid, no matter what they are, and no one has the right to judge you negatively if losing a pet makes you want to cry. In fact, artificially holding in tears after losing a pet can have a negative impact on mental health.
In most cases, the grieving period after losing a pet will last just a few weeks, but you should not worry if, even after that period, sad feelings return temporarily. If sadness persists consistently for more than just a few weeks after losing a pet, you may be experiencing mental health problems that are best addressed by a mental health expert.
Though some in our modern society may consider pet funerals to be silly, they can help ease painful grieving after pet loss happens, and you should therefore consider hosting one if you are so inclined. The ceremony need not be elaborate. A simple gathering of supportive family members around a small, backyard memorial display will typically work fine. At the gathering, all present can be invited to share funny stories involving the lost pet. Laughter and remembering fun times will make losing a pet a less painful tragedy than it might otherwise be. Many people, after losing a pet, have been known to wonder and ask if, perhaps, their veterinarian may be able to help them with the grieving process. The answer is, it’s worth a try. Veterinarians, while not trained in mental health fields of which human grieving is a part, share a pet owner’s love of animals in general and most are, very likely, pet owners themselves. In addition, they, by the nature of their work, see others experience the tragedy of losing a pet, first hand, virtually every week. So, a veterinarian is, certainly, worth consulting after losing a pet. Do not be ashamed to ask for an appointment with your veterinarian after your pet has died. He or she may have some nice ideas for ways to memorialize your pet. You should take special care, however, to remember that your veterinarian is not trained in matters of human psychology. So, while his or her ideas may be of use, they should not be confused for sound medial advice regarding any mental illness you may be suffering.
Many people, also, after pet loss wonder if immediately getting a new pet will help them recover from their grief. The answer is, quite possibly. While nothing will ever completely erase the sadness that comes from losing a pet, beginning quickly to establish new memories with a new ‘best friend is often a terrific start toward recovering from losing a pet.
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In most cases, the grieving period after losing a pet will last just a few weeks, but you should not worry if, even after that period, sad feelings return temporarily. If sadness persists consistently for more than just a few weeks after losing a pet, you may be experiencing mental health problems that are best addressed by a mental health expert.