No one taught us how to deal with pet loss or how to say goodbye to someone who was once familiar, because a pet is not just a dog or cat that can be replaced by another in a few days, each animal occupies a space in our life, a privileged corner with memories, routines and seems impossible to forget.
A few days ago we were surprised by news related to the same subject, Variety magazine reported in late February that Barbra Streisand, unable to bear the loss of her puppy Samantha, had decided to clone her, and before the animal died, she searched for a clinic to extract a series of cells so that two months later she could have two clones of her dog Tulear Cotton.
“As long as someone does not love an animal, part of their soul will remain asleep. “Anatole France?
Currently, the singer expects the puppies to age to see if they have the same serenity and intelligence as Samantha, of course, each person can do whatever they want with their money, but is this the best way to overcome a loss?
The truth is that no one, animal or person, should come into this world for the sole purpose of being a copy of someone who is no longer there, every living being is unique in its form, exceptional in its life story and in every detail. Wanting to repeat this life story makes no sense and certainly leads to other complex medical and ethical dilemmas.
However, what we mean by this is that dealing with the loss of an animal in a healthy way involves implementing different strategies, such as trying to integrate this absence gradually, courageously and above all with responsibility.
The loss of an animal is usually paradoxical. When we lose a family member we can ask for two or three days of work leave, however, while there is no comparison, there are many people who live this experience traumatically, and become even more sad when they realize a person’s insensitivity. environment where there’s no shortage of phrases like, was it just a dog?or “this is solved by buying another one. “
On the other hand, there is a fact that is not talked about much and certainly happens quite often, currently pets are also a source of conflict when a couple separates or divorces, so much so that many times it is the judges who decide. Thus, the person who ends up without his pet also goes through a period of mourning, faces another loss, which is not easy to explain.
As curious as it may seem, the demand for psychological treatment to compensate for the loss of pets is increasing in the Anglo-Saxon world, they are psychologists specialized in human-animal bonding and, more specifically, in transitions, your help is focused on facilitating pet bereavement by the following:
With the loss of their pet, many people feel guilty. There is a feeling that “we could have done more for them. “Similarly, another complex fact to consider is euthanasia, the usual process with which we sometimes try to free the animal from unnecessary suffering.
In this sense, we must remove any shadow of guilt from our minds, accompany them in their last moments knowing that we can no longer do anything and let them go with love will help us a lot.
Guilt is one of the main feelings that arise when faced with pet bereavement.
Within the family circle, each member will cry for our pet in a different way, understanding and support are certainly paramount in these cases, just as it is important to pay attention to children and the elderly, in children, because they can face the figure of loss for the first time. At this point, we must clarify your doubts sincerely; eliminate a belief at the same time: the fact that they are children does not make their pain less intense.
On the other hand, in the case of the elderly, it can be said that these losses are usually traumatic, pets play an important role in the daily lives of the elderly and the effect of this vacuum can be more difficult to mitigate.
An animal takes up space in the house and in our routines, do they greet us fondly when we go home, they are by our side on the sofa or in bed, they are a worried presence that asks us for food or a walk at a certain time of day?One fact we will have to deal with is the emptiness of these interactions throughout the day.
Realizing, starting other routines and changing our habits can help us manage the pain of losing our animals.
Let us return to the case of Barbra Streisand, there is no point in replacing one animal with another waiting for the same impression as the original, the same character, the same appearance and the same personality, each animal is unique and we must allow time to cry, accept its death and keep its memories in a privileged corner of our heart. Later, if you wish, adopt another animal.
Now, adopting another animal right away is not the best way to cry for the animal that is no longer with us.
In conclusion, the loss of a pet causes severe and unmanageable pain, some people feel lonely and misunderstood, trapped in their own suffering because they do not say good-bye to a simple dog, a simple cat, a simple horse or a simple guinea pig, are significant lives that have accompanied them during a period of their life, offering the best of themselves , so ask for help if necessary to deal with your pet’s pain and move on with a heart full of beauty. Memories.