Grief is a normal experience after any loss. The process of mourning is difficult and can be exhausting. In some ways, it is like a tunnel; you must go through it to get to the other end. Efforts to take short cuts and avoid the pain usually result in some form of prolonged grief or depression.
Rather than feeling completely at the mercy of your emotions, we suggest you think of yourself as having work to do, and the following are important aspects of this work: Accepting the reality of your pet's death, allowing yourself to suffer the pain of your loss and finding ways to adjust to the environment in which your pet is no longer a part.
At the completion of the mourning process, you will be able to enjoy happy memories of your pet and your life together, and you will feel capable of choosing another pet if you so desire.
Various support services are available and staffed primarily by trained veterinary students who offer an empathic ear and non-judgmental support, feedback and referrals. Three such resources can be accessed via the following links:
Being faced with the death of a pet can be a devastating emotional experience and the following information is provided in an attempt to make this difficult time easier.
Remember, National Pet Memorial Day, designated by the International Association of Pet Cemeteries, is the second Sunday in September.