One of the things that can prolong the grief after the death of a pet is the lack of understanding you may encounter from people around you.
After the loss of a human family member you can usually get sympathy, understanding and support from the people around you – at home, at work, and from friends. Unfortunately, the depth of grief after the loss of a pet is generally not understood, accepted or supported. You might be lucky enough to have contact with someone who understands your grief, but most people will expect you to just “get over it”. The stronger the bond between you and your pet – the stronger the grief. You are only grieving so deeply now, because you have loved so deeply.
When your pet is more than a pet – when your pet is a life companion and an indispensable part of your life, then the grief you experience can be even stronger than after losing a human relative. That’s because the bond between human and animal, and the love between them is pure, unconditional, and nonjudgmental. Something we rarely experience to the same degree with other human beings.
What you can do now
If you feel alone in with your grief, reaching out to others can bring you much comfort. You can look for supportive and like-minded people for instance
- in your local area,
- in forums and support groups in the internet,
- and you can also work one-on-one with someone who understands what you are going through and can help you through your grief.
If you are interested in getting personal help to cope with the grief after the death of your pet then see Healing Pet Loss Sessions or contact me via the contact form.
