A thread for loved and lost pets
I know just how painful losing a beloved pet can be and the pain is as real as losing a loved one. It was a very long time before I stopped grieving for my beautiful dog.
Share your pain with me.
Lucy2
@lucy2
I lost my favorite cat, Jasmine, last year. The grief I experienced was almost as bad as when my mom died. Her little paw prints have left a permanent mark on my heart. Did you have a ceremony to honor your dog's life?
Hi there @Aloha303 <3
I really feel for you, only those that have suffered the pain know what we are talking about and it hurts like mad. Sadly I didn't have a ceremony, did you? maybe it would have helped me, I really don't know. {{{hugs}}}
Lucy2
To my beautiful cat, my bestest friend. I hope you know how much I love you and miss you. Thank you for being so magical. 18 years with you was a true blessing. I
That's so lovely @easyWater4109 {{{hugs}}}
Always here for you <3
Lucy2
@lucy2
Thank you 🌻🙏
@easyWater4109
You're very welcome, always here for you <3
Lucy2
I lost my girl Tillie on 4th Jan this year and Im finding it so hard when I go home and shes just not there. No one running to see me all excited or talking to me. She was mine from the age of 8 and now I feel like theres just silence.
Hi @calmWriter373 
It's so tough isn't it?. We miss their little ways so much, the unconditional love they give is something we often take for granted until it's too late, really sorry {{{hugs}}}
My little one was called Tillie as well
Lucy2
Thank you @lucy2 for creating this space.
Sometimes I think about my pets I loved dearly.
One of them was taken from me and put down behind my back, the other one was sold behind my back, too.
Sometimes I think about them and feel terrible about being mean to them in the past, as I was more impulsive and angry back in the day. I wish I had been more patient and systematic in taking care of them. If only I hadn't been too depressed to requite their unconditional affection.
Sometimes I recall how fun it was to have them around and how soft their coat felt. And how uplifting it was when they'd put their heads on my shoulder or lap.
It is important to appreciate your pets. I miss mine dearly and despise what I did in the past.
I hope you will all remember and recall the light your pets have brought into your lives and take as much time to heal as you need.
Up: A picture of a statue dedicated to Hachiko The Dog, a Japanese symbol of lifetime loyalty.
Thank you @greenEyes2019
I'm so glad you felt able to write your post and I really hope that you feel better for it. We don't always appreciate what we have at the time and for you, having pet taken from you is so painful. Think of them with loving memories now and you're welcome to pop in here anytime to chat about them.
Lucy2
I have two beautiful dogs. In September it was discovered that the one has cancer. She had a lump on her gum. We actually thought it was an access so she went to the vet. It goes down her throat and is inoperable. The vet said she doesn't have all that much time. So we've been working on a bucket list for her. While she's doing pretty good - there are things that we notice. Her sleeping more. She pants quicker. She still eats and drinks and begs for food lol and even has her silly moments
The thing is - I don't think many people understand what we're going through. They are my family these dogs. They are my world. Aside from coming here - I have no other friends. Family is - nonexistent. And - I mean the people I talk to here sympathize but I dont think they really understand the pain this is causing. Idk - I guess I just wanted to share that here
Thank You
@mytwistedsoul We lost our boy, a labrador mix, of thirteen years in July. We lost our cat, who we used to joke was the dog's pet, just a few weeks ago. Stanley had various old-age issues, Miss Kitty had stomach cancer. We were actually treating her with chemo, partly because we just couldn't take losing her so swiftly after Stanley passed. But I think she missed the dog almost as much as we did, and the treatments didn't buy her as much time as we'd hoped.
Losing a pet... it's not quite the same as losing a person... but it can be just as painful, if not more so. We rely on our pets for so many things that other people (who let's face it, have their own lives, too) simply can't give us. Like unquestioning love and affection. Pets rely on us for so much... a well taken care of pet, well, we are their entire world.
With a person, you can communicate your grief and sadness and oftentimes work through the loss with them and other people who knew that person and maybe shared your relationship with them. A pet doesn't understand what's happening, it's difficult to work through your grief with them. There may be other immediate family members who understand, but it is mostly a burden you carry on your own. The loss of a beloved pet - a friend, a family member - can leave a gaping hole that no-one else understands and that can't be filled... only time can help to close it.
I've lost several well-loved companion dogs over the years, and I can still feel the spots they hold in my heart. My advice to you would be to spend as much time with your pup as you can, don't dwell on the pain, enjoy the fun, and keep them comfortable. Make sure they know how much you love them. They will love you back for it. Best wishes, H
@Harper81 Thank you so much for your reply. I'm sorry to hear about Stanley and Miss Kitty :( Tbh - I have never grieved this much or this hard over a person. I think you're right - we do reply on our pets for many things. That unconditional love is probably the one that pops out most
We ended up saying good bye to her last Thursday and now the house is quieter and I hope above all else that she knew she was loved
@mytwistedsoul I am so sorry for your loss. Hope you have found some comfort in your memories.
What a beautiful place to grieve. In Mar 2019 we had to put our beautiful beloved cat to sleep because she had cancer. I still wear a bracelet every day with a glass bead that contains a little bit of her ashes, because it's comforting to have her near me. She was my baby. I'm so glad I got to know her and take care of her. She was my little lion-heart, so brave and resilient.
@moosprbrk
' a bracelet every day with a glass bead that contains a little bit of her ashes' What a lovely idea, I have never heard of this before, did you make it yourself?
Lucy2
@lucy2 I bought it from this place:
https://www.lockedinart.com/
It was a big splurge purchase for us but helped me go on!
@moosprbrk
Thanks so much!
Lucy2
After a really tough year in 2019, got a little dog in 2020. Also two new horses - one in 2019 and another in 2020. Sadly had to put down one of my original horses in Sept 2021. Life is better with beloved animals and overwhelming sadness when one becomes injured, sick and leaves this earth.
@barncat
Sorry you've had a tough year <3 Yes indeed, pets can heal and shape us but their loss is so hard to cope with, but life is still with than without pets.
Lucy2
