You Are Never Alone.
At PupCycle, we’re here for you when the going gets tough. We know that grief can effect different people (and pets) in many different ways. We want you to know that however you’re feeling right now - it’s going to be ok.
Understanding Your Grief Cycle
Although grieving of pets is often seen as less important than grieving for our human counterparts, here at PupCycle we know that your pup is a part of your family.
Grieving is a very individualized experience. Some people experience grief in stages, others in waves. Many people experience denial, anger, and guilt before acceptance and resolution.
Grief has no exact time frame. For every individual, the grief process can look very different - for some it lasts only a few hours or days, for others it can last for months of even years. Even when you feel that your grieving process has started to come to an end, be aware that grief can come on suddenly by unexpected triggers in your life.
Talking to Kids About Grieving
For many children, the loss of a family pet is the first death that they experience in life.
At PupCycle, we encourage you to speak to your child after the death of a pet. Often hiding the truth about a beloved animals’ death can lead to more sorrow, confusion, and even anger farther down the road in the child’s life. If you have chosen to euthanize your pet, it is often best to inform your child during the process, instead of after your pet has already been put to sleep.
Be open with your child about your grief. Children often look to their parents to determine how to act; and this is no exception. Hiding your grief from your child might set the expectation that they are not allowed to show sadness. Your reassurance that their sadness is ok will allow your child to come to terms with the death of the pet in their own time - just as you do.
Allow your child to be as involved, or disinvolved in your pet’s death as they would like during this delicate time. If they are curious about the process of euthanasia, it is ok to ask your vet to help explain the medical aspects of the procedure, or to allow them to attend the vet visit.
If appropriate, (and if they show interest), help your child to create a memorial for your pet. This can be a small note to the pet that your child reads before they are put down, a piece of art that is buried with the pet or placed next to the pet’s ashes, or a physical part of your pet - such as saving a hair clipping, or taking a plaster cast of your pet’s paw before they pass.
Interested in memorializing your pet through a creative memento or personalized craft? Check out PupCycle’s list of featured creators and makers who specialize in the creation of these goods.