If you are reading this article, there is a distinct possibility that you recently experience the death of a pet in your life. If that is the case, I am sorry. It has been my experience that when someone suffers the loss of a pet that in addition to being depressing and anxiety building that it can also be pretty alienating. While we have come far as a society in terms of how we acknowledge the value of our pets, there is still a tendency by many to write off the experience as somehow being 'less.' I have heard all sorts of things - probably amongst the most damaging are seemingly innocuous things like "are you going to get a new one?" Questions that may be appropriate once a person is feeling well enough to examine what they want in their life - but not something to ask someone going through the rages of sadness associated with loss. Grief from the death of a loved one does not know a shape. Feelings are feelings, they are often irrational things that are triggered at the most inopportune times and they do not discriminate. Grief does not have a specific duration - it can last days, weeks, months or years. It does not matter if it is a bird, a dog or a boy....and it stinks. The loss of a pet can have a profound impact on the humans who have cared for them. One recent study showed that the loss of a dog could be even more impactful than the loss of a child. That's a pretty high bar.
On Saturday, Chanthee and I lost our rabbit, Victor. Victor was about 9 years old, but outside of being a senior rabbit, he only began showing signs of illness within a day or so of his death.
prior to having what appears to have been a stroke the day prior. While he was definitely a 'senior' rabbit, he was by no means 'ancient.' He had recently had his annual physical and had been diagnosed (yet again) as "Handsome" by his veterinarian. If Mahkayla had been the Grande Dame of the house, Victor was the joy in it. Victor was very much the embodiment of fun. Victor's loss, while admittedly very recent, has been a gut wrenching event for Chanthee and me. I also know that I am not alone when it comes to feelings of loss for a pet. There have been a number of articles written by psychologist, Julie Axelrod on the profound impact caused by the loss of a pet. If there is one thing that is clear - grief and loss does not know a shape.
https://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/depression-cant-be-cured-0209124/https://www.apa.org/topics/griefhttps://www.vitas.com/family-and-ca...ing-after-the-death-of-your-life-partnerhttps://www.huffpost.com/entry/10-things-i-learned-while_b_5923558https://getpocket.com/explore/item/...e-it-was-creepy?utm_source=pocket-newtabMay 23rd, at approximately 1:30 AM,
