How To Cope With the Loss of Your Pet June 10, 2021

Dealing with the loss of a pet can be so difficult because of the times you have likely shared and the benefits they have provided. After all, for many, a pet is not just an animal but a friend, confidant and member of the family. They don’t judge you, and they are most often just happy to see and be near you.

Owning a pet makes owners more responsible and can help form better lifestyle habits. Pets provide emotional and psychological support. They can even expand social horizons for owners, connecting them with other pet owners in the neighborhood or area park.

The reality of the matter is that most owners will outlive their pets. That means at some point or another, they will have to deal with the death of a pet. These deaths can both be anticipated or unexpected. It is rarely easy.

Here are some steps you can take to cope with the loss of a pet.

• Use a Pet Loss Hotline. There are pet loss hotlines available to help you work through the loss of a pet. Part of their function is to listen and validate your feelings. Even close friends may not feel the weight of your loss where a like-minded pet-loss counselor may.
• Consider personal or group therapy. Like therapy groups for those who have suffered the loss of a loved one or family member, there are counselors and therapy groups for those working through the loss of a pet. If you are suffering, reach out.
• Surround yourself with supportive people. When you are suffering through the loss of a pet, it is not helpful to have people who either dismiss the loss, don’t understand it or are unsympathetic to it. Gravitate to people who understand, and perhaps have lost a pet of their own. You will have a kinship with these people which can be healing.
• Be kind to yourself. Don’t be hard on yourself if you are struggling with the loss of a pet. It is understandable. It is OK. It can be expected. It is fine that you invested so much emotion and affection into your pet. It is fine it was a unique relationship that perhaps no one else will understand.
• Memorialize your pet. Today there are more ways to memorialize your pet than ever. You can bury them in your backyard or have them cremated and keep their ashes in a beautiful urn. You can bury or scatter their ashes. You can even have their ashes made into a piece of jewelry or other keepsake. Whatever provides you a sense of love, comfort and peace of mind, feel free to do it.

Like with dealing with the death of any loved one, losing a pet can be challenging. You need not make apologies for it. Take the time you need to make the transition and surround yourself with supportive people. If having a burial or cremation ceremony for you pet provides comfort, just do it.

At the Cremation Society of Northern Kentucky, we provide thoughtful and respectful cremation services for pets. We want to encourage you to reach out to us with your questions about pet cremation in the Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky area.