Anyone who has ever owned a dog can state that the dog is a member of the family.
And of course, the death of an animal is too difficult for owners. Whether the animal died suddenly or of an illness, it is always too difficult to accept.
Some people may advise you to «deal with it» or tell you that «it’s just a dog.» These people don’t understand what it’s like to lose a pet. They do not know that the pet was a member of the family, and the owner’s pain is awful.
A scientific study shows that the grieving process a person goes through after losing a pet is very real.
Sometimes it is much more difficult to lose a pet than the loss of a human being.
This may sound crazy to some, but that’s just one of the findings of the study.
We are connected to animals in the same way as humans. When we interact with animals or people, hormones and chemicals are released in our brain, and we feel connected and loved. And we naturally feel a deep loss.
There is no “acceptable” way to mourn this loss, which is why it can be more difficult to deal with the death of a pet than that of a human being.
When we lose a family member or loved one, the community helps us to overcome the difficult period, and their kind words can help ease the pain.
When a pet dies, we don’t have the same support, and we must just continue our life. Often, we return to work immediately and live as if nothing had happened.
We feel them in our house or in the yard. Certain noises can lead us to think that we hear them everywhere.
Sometimes people have to make the difficult decision to end a dog’s suffering. It’s a humane decision, but it doesn’t make saying goodbye any easier. Pets are members of our family. And by losing a pet, we understand what heartache is.
What you are going through is understandable. Even science agrees.