PET LOSS
Dealing with the loss of your companion animal
Losing your beloved pet is one of the most hearbreaking occurences you will ever experience. Please accept our sympathy for your loss.
We want to help you by giving resources for making tough decisions, dealing with grief, and memorializing your pet. Whether you are afraid of a possible loss, have just experienced a loss, or are dealing with ongoing grief, we hope that we can help you.
If you need to speak to someone right now about your grief, please CLICK HERE for a list of pet loss support hotlines.
Stages of Grief
Dr. Elizabeth Kubler-Ross, in her book Death and Dying, identified several common stages of grieving. You may experience only some of them. You may have all of them, but in a different order than what is listed here. The important thing to know is that grieving is a process. It will take you time and you should not deny yourself the process.
 |
Denial - This isn't happening to me Anger - Why is this happening to me? Bargaining - I'll be a better person if this will just stop happening to me. Depression - I don't care Acceptance - I'm at peace
|
Suggestions to help you cope with your grief
Talk to others who will let you discuss your real feelings. Unfortunately, many people are still not very sympathetic over the loss of a companion animal. Seek out friends, chat rooms, message boards, and hot lines that will provide you with support.
Take photos of your pet. Especially have someone take pictures of you with your pet.
Keep a journal or blog.
Make a memorial to your pet. You can buy memorial items (see below), donate to a charity in your pet's name, or make items. For suggestions,
click here.
Helpful Pet Loss Sites
-
The Grief Forum at the Feline Diabetes Message Board (FDMB). Register for this community of loving cat caretakers.
-
-
-
-
Recommended Reading
-
Animals and the Afterlife by Kim Sheridan.
-
Absent Friend by Laura and Martyn Lee.
-
Death of an Animal Friend by the Society for Companion Animal Studies (SCAS)
-
When Only the Love Remains: The Pain of Pet Loss by Emily Margaret Stuparyk
-
Goodbye, Friend: Healing Wisdom for Anyone Who Has Ever Lost a Pet by Gary Kowalski
-
Cat Heaven by Cynthia Rylant. A "children's" book for everyone. Warning: Some reviewers at amazon.com thought the book was depressing when read during their active grieving stage.
-
How to ROAR: Pet Loss Grief Recovery by Robin Jean Brown.
-
The Book of My Pet by David Marshall & Kate Marshall. A fill-in journal to tell the story of your pet's life.
|
|
 |
Pet Memorials
-
Personalized high quality video/audio DVDs commemorating your pet's life are available from Furr-ever Memories.
-
Glass pendants containing a sample of cremains are available at Memory Pendants.
-
Blown glass memorials incorporating some cremains are featured at Memory Glass.
-
You can have cremains made into a gemstone as seen at LifeGem.
-
-
-
Stained glass pet cremation urns and memorials at Rays of Joy.
-
Pet Urns for cremains may be found on E-bay, at Custom Pet Urns and many other places.
-
Dichroic glass jewelry with handpainted images of cats at Dichroic Art Jewelry by Dave. Stock items are about $10 and custom items (e.g. image of your own cat) are $15-$25.
-
For instructions on making memorial items yourself, see the Pet Memory page.
|
Go to the Pet Memory page.
If you have a related link or suggestion, please email the webmaster.
Last updated 3/23/08
