Loss Of Your Pet---4 Ways To Allow Healing To Begin

We all know that at some point death will come for us all. But to say that the death of a beloved pet is difficult does not even come close to describing the pain. Here are 4 ways to cope with the loss.

Cry---There's no question you'll do this a lot. But don't be embarrassed by it, and don't try to hold it in. Crying is a very healthy way to deal with loss. Anyone who has lost a pet or anyone dear will certainly understand and empathize with the deep emotional attachment that has been transformed by death. Even death can't cut you off completely from your pet..

My 9-year old daughter made an excellent point this week when our 12 year old Golden Retriever died. She said, "Even though Carson is not with us, we will always carry him in our hearts." Then she looked up at me and asked why she was suddenly sounding like me.

Your pet will always be a part of you, and even though you can no longer see it, it will forever live through your memories. This may seem like precious little comfort at this point, but time will help.

Laugh---Laughing releases endorphines in the brain which ease tension, help us relax, and make us feel happier. The funny stories are never far from the surface and can make you feel better even if it's only for a moment. Laughing and sharing memories with others is so helpful right now, so do it often..

Connect with your friends. Ask them to remember funny stories about your pet and send them to you. Make a memory book with these stories and pictures. This alone with help keep death from erasing our precious memories over time. Having a scrapbook that keeps the memories fresh is a great way to hang on to precious memories.

My mother-in-law would often share stories about her childhood dog, Buddy. She used to get a particularly big chuckle when she would tell us about the time he swiped a candy bar and left the paper in a very obvious place. So even though her dog had been dead for almost 60 years, his memory lives on through us.

Talk With Other Pet Owners---These are people who know what it is to love a pet and to lose one. Anyone who has been down this road is usually more than willing to share their experiences. Most of all they are usually good listeners because they've been in the same spot.

This is also true for people who care about you and know how important the relationship with your pet was. They will usually listen patiently because they feel that it is the only thing they can do to help.

On a day when everything was reminding me of my Golden who had just died, I asked my friend if he was tired of hearing me talk about Carson. He immediately replied no and said Carson was a part of me and always would be. The gift of listening is one of the nicest gifts another person can give at a time of loss.

Adopt A Shelter Friend---Sometimes the mere thought of loving another animal seems disloyal, somehow a betrayal of the love we felt for our friend who is gone. The truth is that our hearts have an unlimited capacity for love, and loving another pet in no way diminishes the love that we felt and will continue to feel for the one who has left us.

So I will end with a cliche. But having been through it three times now, I can say with confidence that time will indeed make it better; not all better, just better.