Ways to Deal with the Loss of a Pet

Losing a beloved pet is like losing any other cherished family member. After years of giving love and being present for all of life's ups and downs, our best friend eventually comes to the end of his or her life. The grief can be overwhelming.

But grieving doesn't have to be a bad thing. There are ways that we can memorialize our dear friend that will help us to remember them with a smile. Anything from an expensive burial plot with a headstone to a private moment of remembering can help us to find comfort and help release the sadness of losing our pet.

If you want to go all out and buy a headstone for your pet, or even a plot in a pet cemetery, the cost may be worth it to you. But be prepared to pay dearly for it. The costs can range from hundreds, to possibly even thousands of dollars, depending on the options you choose.

You may choose to place an epitaph on a "virtual cemetery" for your pet. It will not only help with your loss, but may help others as they lose their pets too.

When I lost my dear cat Champ after his battle with feline lymphoma, I chose to have him cremated and spread his ashes underneath a beautiful tree I planted in my yard to memorialize him. Now, every time I look at the tree, I can remember Champ with a smile, knowing that there is still beauty in my world to remind me of him.

Another great way to memorialize a pet, while sharing her memory would be to make a donation to a local pet shelter or the Humane Society in their honor. This way, their memory can contribute to helping other animals find loving homes and get the care they need.

If none of these options work for you, there's also the private memorial ceremony. You can choose to include others, or just participate alone.

Take some time to fully remember your pet, look at photos of them, remember the funny things they did to make you laugh, the times they comforted you when you were sad and the ways they made your life better. Allow yourself to fully feel your loss before letting go of it.

Then afterward, make an effort to follow sad feelings about your pet's death with happy memories. Eventually, the pain will subside and the happy memories will live on.

There's one more common way to memorialize the loss of a pet. Adopt a new pet. The new pet won't take the place of the deceased pet, but it will often help you to get over the loss more easily.

There's no right or wrong way to grieve for a beloved pet. Whatever way feels most comfortable for you is the correct way. Just remember that the pain will eventually lessen. It just takes time.