Pet Loss: How to Overcome Guilt

You had no way of knowing that a car’s backfiring would frighten your dog so badly he’d jump the fence, get lost, wander on to a busy street and be tragically struck by a car and killed.

Or that your cat would be caught and torn up by a pack of coyotes.

Or that the hay you bought from a reputable dealer was laced with an unknown plant that poisoned your horse.

As a responsible, caring and loving steward of your animal companions you always do your absolute best for them. That’s why the sudden, unexpected death of your companion can often be devastating beyond words. And to further compound the tragedy you are overcome with guilt and blame yourself for the death of your animal companion.

Guilt is a natural reaction when tragedy strikes. And it can serve you if you learn from what happened and choose differently in the future.

However, a little guilt goes a long way. If you find yourself overcome with guilt and unable to properly grieve and recover from your companion’s death here are 2 steps that will help you take action and free yourself from guilt’s numbing grasp.

Step 1: Let Empowering Questions Help You Heal

Your thoughts create your feelings. If you find yourself thinking the same things over and over again like, “If I had only...” or “Why didn’t I...” or “How could I have...” STOP. You are only entrenching yourself further in the guilty feelings.

Instead use empowering questions to redirect your thoughts and emotions. Empowering questions are questions you ask yourself that engage your Creative Self.

Actively ask yourself empowering questions like: “What is my favorite memory of my companion?” or “How can I feel better right now about this?” or “What can I do in this moment to release the guilt?”

Ask yourself empowering questions any time you find yourself having thoughts of guilt and self-blame.

As you ask empowering questions your creativity is stimulated and your thoughts are naturally redirected in a manner that automatically helps you feel better. You’ll quickly find yourself putting your guilt in the past where it belongs.

Step 2: Accept What Happened

Your beloved companion is gone from this world and no amount of guilt or self-recrimination can change that.

Now is the time to look deeply within and discover your true beliefs about death and dying.

Is it possible that your companion’s Soul or Spirit specifically chose this particular time and method to transition?

Do you believe that although your pet isn’t here physically, he/she is now enjoying life and romping around in the spirit realms? And you can still connect with your pet, just in a different manner than you are used to?

As you answer these questions and the others that will inevitably emerge allow your Soul or Expanded Self to help you release the guilt and grief. Perhaps you can now create a new relationship with your beloved pet. As you do, you’ll accept your pet’s physical death as a natural evolution of life and self-growth.

Although seemingly impossible at times, you can choose to move beyond the numbing effects of guilt created from the loss of your pet.