Let’s talk about the loneliness that comes with pet loss and grief. Pet grief can be a very lonely time.
In Ireland we have a cultural connection to grieving, it is part of our heritage. We’re a nation that engages in public mourning through wakes and funerals. Community members provided keening and support was offered to the bereaved.
Funerals and goodbyes may have changed over the years but there are a variety of ways that we now mourn our loved ones, however, this hasn’t extended to pets. For the most part we don’t have support of our community, we don’t have anyone paying tribute to our beloved companion, we don’t have visitors and we don’t have a public gathering.
In some cases, our friends and family don’t understand what we’re going through, furthering our loneliness. They often don’t see that we are grieving. Our workplaces don’t offer us time off for bereavement and we are expected to operate at full capacity even though our hearts are broken.
Sometimes we are met with comments like it was just a dog / cat / bird / rabbit when it feels like our whole world has changed and we have lost our family member or best friend.
The grief that we feel when we’ve lost an animal is real. It is painful. It is valid. It is heartbreaking.
I wish I could change society’s view of pet loss but please know that you are not alone. There are lots of people who understand what you’re going through. I’m one of them having experienced all of it myself. I truly want to help you and support you through this difficult and painful time.
If you’d like to explore this further, I offer a FREE consultation which you can book here. This is to make sure that I’m the right fit for you.
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The Loneliness of Pet Loss | Pet Grief Therapy 2025
