Tips that Help with Pet Loss

The loss of a pet can be excruciating. There is a love like no other when it comes to our pets. They are our unconditional joy, an essential member of our family. 

Here are some tips that can help you get through the hard parts.

Acknowledge it’s a real loss, and it will take time to heal the wound you are feeling. It won’t always hurt this bad as the wound eventually heals and becomes a scar instead of an open wound.

Listen to what your body needs. Make sure you are covering the basics. Staying hydrated, eating, sleeping. 

Stick to the same routine as much as possible. It will give you some normalcy and direction each day. If you have other pets, they will feel it too and still need your attention. 

Don’t make significant decisions or have big expectations of yourself right now—plan on taking time to do nothing but feel the feelings and work on healing. 

Be gentle with yourself and know that the pain will likely come in waves. 

Tears release stress chemicals so let them flow. It’s ok to cry. We cry for a reason. It’s part of the process. 

Give yourself a break—lower expectations of yourself. You might feel spacy, lack focus, and feel unproductive. It’s ok to do nothing for a while while you process. 

Do comforting things. Wrap yourself in a weighted blanket, drink something warm, listen to music you love, be in nature.

Tell others what you need. When I’m hurting, I need a hug. When my partner and I lost our pet recently, we would just hold each other as we wept.

Writing through your feelings or talking with someone supportive can help sometimes. 

It’s ok to talk about your pet even if it makes you cry. Crying is a release of the pain.  As a deep feeler you will likely feel the pain is magnified. Honor your feelings and your needs.

It will hurt for a while, but as days pass, the enormity of the pain slowly lessens, and the happy memories you had will shine through again.

Remind yourself that you will get through it. There is no time limit. Let yourself feel what you feel, and be compassionate with yourself. 

Grief takes time, and everyone experiences it differently.

This self-compassion technique might help, and this Meditation for Intense Feelings and Meditation for Emotional Wounding

If it feels like too much, then it can be a good time to reach out to a professional to help you through this time or spend time in a loving community of other highly sensitive people.

I send you love and light in your healing. ❤️

Did you have a special way to remember your furry loved one? Love to hear your stories in the comments below. ❤️