Pets are more than just animals kept in the home; they are beloved members of the family and cherished friends. Unfortunately, the joy of owning a pet is often accompanied by the heartbreak of losing one. Whether due to old age, illness, or an accident, the pet you love will inevitably pass away.
When a person you love dies, it's natural to feel sorrow, express grief, and expect friends and family to provide understanding and comfort. Sadly, this understanding is not always extended when the one who died was a pet. Those who have never owned a pet might not comprehend that animals offer companionship, acceptance, emotional support, and unconditional love. They might consider grieving inappropriate for someone who has lost "just a pet." But nothing could be further from the truth.
I spent two entire days crying over my baby, Sox. My mum still cries almost every morning and some nights. He was part of the family, so when our beloved Sox died, we were overwhelmed by the intensity of our sorrow. For a whole week, I couldn't stop thinking about him. I teared up when I came home and he wasn't there to greet me. I became emotional when I saw the full bowl of dog food because he wasn't around to finish it off. I miss waking up to his dancing eyes and his eagerness to be near me. I miss him tugging on my blanket to wake me up because he wanted to get onto my bed. I miss curling up with him to watch a DVD. I miss playing peekaboo with him. I miss kissing and hugging him. I miss everything about him.
I think the one who misses Sox the most is his brother, Chino, who is recovering from leg surgery. They spent every day together for six years. He made whiney noises that I assumed were equivalent to crying and ran around the house looking for his best friend. He sat by the door, watching and waiting. We told him that Sox had gone to sleep. On the third day, he finally understood, or perhaps he finally accepted the truth and stopped searching for Sox. He then began to grieve.
The whole family is still grieving. It's healthy that we're not holding it in because understanding how to grieve and finding ways to cope with our loss can bring us closer to the day when memories bring smiles instead of tears.