|
For many of us the loss of a loved one in the family is to horrible to imagine.
We would prefer to think of that as something that happens to the other guy, not you.
But it happens nonetheless to many people every year and the grief they feel when it does happen can seem unbearable.
The unused drinking bowl in the corner, his favorite scratching post or maybe that annoying squeaky toy laying motionless in the middle of the floor all serve as painful reminders of how life used to be.
Okay,I guess you have realized by now that I am talking about the loss of man's best friend, cat, budgie bird, pet iquana or virtually any other loved pet, as opposed to the loss of a family member.
But wait a minute.To the majority of pet owners that is just what their pets are... loved and cherished family members. With the loss of a pet the feelings can range from grief to grief and guilt depending on the situation. There are times, unfortunately, when a pet has to be put down, either for its own good or for the good of the public. In such a case feelings of guilt and anger can be felt and unfortunately the best cure for this is simply the passage of time. In the instance of having to put a pet down for the good of the public or because of a sickness, one can rationalize that it was the best thing to do for all parties concerned and prolonging the situation would have only made things worse.
In times of a tragic and sudden death the loss may be even harder to accept. You tell yourself that you will never have another pet again and leave yourself open to the agony of losing it. But in many cases that is just what is required to sooth the painful feelings and bring things back on track again. Leaving reminders of your pet around for a short time after the death instead of throwing everything away also may help to appease you by helping you to feel close to him and help you to remember the good times.
Try talking to other pet owners that have went through the same things you are now to see how they dealt with their loss.
The experience of owning and loving an animal and taking it into your family is one that should be realized by everyone. Your life will be that much richer for it.
Inevitably with life comes death, and we all have to learn to accept this as an unavoidable part of life when daring to love.
| 
