"I know you miss your loyal and beautiful companion." "It is hard to say goodbye to such a special companion." "My thoughts are with you at this time of loss." "May fond memories of your beloved pet warm your heart always."
Pet Loss: What to Say To a Grieving Friend or Loved One
You want to acknowledge their loss and let them know that if they'd like to talk about it, you are there to listen. Words like “I am so sorry for your loss” or simply “I'm so sorry,” are a good place to start.
I'm so sorry to hear about the loss of your (pet, dog, cat). I hope the happy memories bring you comfort as you grieve. Our sincere condolences on the loss of (pet's name). We loved (his/her) big personality and will truly miss seeing (him/her) at the office.
“A pet is never truly forgotten until it is no longer remembered.” “If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went.” “Don't cry because it's over, Smile because it happened.” “The risk of love is loss, and the price of loss is grief.
“A companion is gone … but the memory lives on.” “The most difficult thing about having a dog is the goodbye.” “Grief is not a sign of weakness, but the price of love.” “If the kindest souls were rewarded with the longest lives, dogs would outlive us all.”
Here are some examples of what not to say when a pet dies: "Don't cry." Crying is part of the grieving process for many people. "It's just a [dog/cat/etc.]." A comment like this that downplays the loss is mean and thoughtless. You don't know what the pet meant to that person.
Some people find grief following the loss of a pet comes in stages, where they experience different feelings such as denial, anger, guilt, depression, and eventually acceptance and resolution. Others find that their grief is more cyclical, coming in waves, or a series of highs and lows.
Ecclesiastes 3:18-20
All go to one place. All are from the dust, and to dust all return. This verse may be the most appropriate when attempting to ensure a grieving pet-parent that their pet is in Heaven, as it plainly states, "all go to one place."
It may be difficult for them to understand your feelings of loss. Remember, it is as perfectly normal to grieve over the loss of a beloved pet as it is over the loss of a beloved person.
If you've lost a pet, chances are you've heard of the Rainbow Bridge. This bridge is a mythical overpass said to connect heaven and Earth — and, more to the point, a spot where grieving pet owners reunite for good with their departed furry friends.
On this golden land, they wait and they play, Till the Rainbow Bridge they cross over one day. No more do they suffer, in pain or in sadness, For here they are whole, their lives filled with gladness.
Real-life 'Rainbow Bridge' hidden in enchanted mountain wonderland in NC. The 'Rainbow Bridge' is a familiar poem given to many misty-eyed pet owners on the day they say goodbye to their beloved, furry family member. However, many people don't realize a real Rainbow Bridge is right here in North Carolina.
If you want to help in some way, offer to do shopping, cleaning, or activities your loved-one might not have the energy to do. Talk about the pet. This will actually help your loved-one to feel better. Write down something you remember and liked about the pet and give it to the person whose pet died.
And yet the death of a family pet can remind us of how vulnerable, precarious and precious life is. It's that process of acceptance and letting go that builds the resilience necessary to navigate an array of life's obstacles. We hone an ability to adapt to the evanescence of our lives with grace and hope.
Psychologist Julie Axelrod has pointed out that the loss of a dog is so painful because owners aren't just losing the pet. It could mean the loss of a source of unconditional love, a primary companion who provides security and comfort, and maybe even a protégé that's been mentored like a child.
Why do humans feel such a deep loss for their pups? Because dogs are so much more than pets. As psychologist Julie Axelrod writes in a blog post, the loss of a dog is so painful because people are losing a little life that we were responsible for as well as a source of unconditional love and companionship.
Answer: Fortunately for us, dogs do not understand they are going to be put down and what happens after they are given the injection that puts them to sleep.