Our pets are family members. When one of our pets becomes critically ill or crosses the Rainbow Bridge, it's completely natural that we grieve for our companion. Grief involves five distinct stages: Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, and Acceptance.
When you're grieving for the loss or impending loss of your pet, no matter what stage you're in, it's often helpful to have somebody to share your feelings with and even ask advice from.
There are difficult questions that we face when our pets become severely ill or injured. It's sometimes extremely difficult to know what the right thing to do is for a loved companion. This is governed by many factors: how ill or badly injured your pet is, your financial situation, whether your pet is suffering or not, and others. Often, we don't know the right questions to ask our veterinarians, or even whether it's OK to ask them. Many times, our friends and relatives don't understand the depth of our grief and loss.
Questions that we might need to ask include:
- What can I do to keep my pet as comfortable as possible as the end draws near? What medications might help? What foods might help? What sorts of supportive care can I provide?
- How do I decide when the time is right to help my pet to cross the Rainbow Bridge? Can I count on my vet to advise me?
- What options do I have when the time has come? Can I be with my pet when I release him or her?
- What can I do to preserve the memory of my pet?
- What will be done with my pet's remains?
No matter where you might be in the process of loss and grief, if you would like some help, please feel to email our Pet Loss Grief Counselor.
Pet Loss Grief Counseling is a free service. Your privacy is important to us and we will never reveal any of your personal information to any third party without your prior authorization.
Pet Loss Grief Counseling is a service offered without charge by Sheltie Rescue of Utah.
