Pet Bereavement.
My personal belief is that there is a lack of services available to individuals who are struggling with the loss of their pet, which is surprising considering it's estimated that 12 million (44 percent of) households have pets, with around 51 million pets owned.
The bond between owner and pet is simply unique and, for some, often the only relationship in their lives that offers total acceptance and love. So when that relationship is lost..... what then?
It can be hard to imagine life without our pets, when they mean so much to us. Its not uncommon for people to feel that they have more of an emotional attachment to animals than other people. Our pets offer us something unique and irreplaceable. They all have their own little personalities that keep us laughing, although maybe not at the time. They give us unconditional love, they do not judge us on what we are wearing, how much we earn or what we have done in our lives. They accept us for who we are, warts and all. So, it isn't really a surprise that, when that relationship is no longer there, that we feel lost, devastated and hurt. Not only have we lost our little friend but we have lost one of the most precious kind of relationships that anyone could have.
Grieving for our pets can be made even harder when we live in a society that tends to view pet bereavement as something we should be able to get over easily. Sometimes friends may not understand just what were going through and ask questions that we feel are tactless when really they are just trying to help in the only way they know how. It can be hard to come to terms with the loss of this special relationship, especially if we have had to make that hard decision to have them put to sleep.
Over my lifetime I have had lots of different animals and each one has left a sizeable hole when they’ve passed away, so I truly understand just how devastating it is. I have worked with many people to help them process their pain and loss, so please do not feel that you are on your own.
Bruno
Steve and Mabel
