6 Tips to Help You Deal with Your Pet's Death

Dealing with your pet's death is not an easy task. You have to do it to be able to move on, and maybe even adopt a new pet in the future.
6 Tips to Help You Deal with Your Pet's Death

Last update: 24 February, 2019

Pets are a big part of our families and we love them like any other family member. That’s why dealing with your pet’s death can be one of the hardest things you do in your life. Here are some helpful tips to help you face this difficult time.

How to deal with your pet’s death

There are some people who think that the solution is to get a new pet. However, we all know that you can’t just replace a pet you loved dearly.

However, as time passes, you might start feeling that you’d like another pet. Just remember, though, that it’s a different animal and it’s not meant to replace the other one. First of all, you need to deal with your pet’s death. In order to do that, here are some guidelines:

Don’t be ashamed

The first thing you need to know is that crying and feeling sad, or even depressed, when your pet dies is nothing to be ashamed of. People that have never had pets might tell you to hide your feelings. Don’t do it!

Pets form an important part of our lives, especially when we have them for their entire lives. We care for them and it’s inevitable that we’ll feel sad when they’re gone. It would be strange if we didn’t feel anything.

Let it out

Let yourself cry so that you can let out all your negative emotions. This will help you avoid anxiety attacks caused by the bottling up of emotions.

A man mourning his pet's death.

Talk about it

Talk about how you feel about your pet’s death with a close friend or family member. Tell them how much you loved your pet, how much you miss it, and anything else you’re feeling. Let it all out and let those around you console you. A good friend can help you find relief in hard times.

Remember the good times

If you had to deal with your pet’s illness or saw it die, it’s likely that those images of him are constantly popping up in your head. Try to avoid those thoughts because they aren’t at all helpful. We’re sure you had many beautiful and fun moments with your pet.

Try to replace the bad memories with the good ones. Always remember your pet as a loyal companion that always showed you and your family unconditional love and affection.

Say goodbye

You maybe didn’t see your pet after it died just so you could avoid the pain. This is normal, but not having closure in certain situations could jeopardize your mental health. Think about how you’ll feel in a couple of months when you realize you didn’t say your last goodbyes.

Two pet graves.

Don’t you think it would be better to say goodbye now, in order to help to close this chapter of your life? It’s up to you, but psychologists and experts say that saying goodbye to loved ones that have passed away helps you to move on from their death more quickly.

Change your routine

Of course, you have certain set routines when you have a pet, like feeding it and walking it. The best thing to do is to try and create some new routines. For example, if you walked your dog after work, now try to take a shower or have a cup of tea or coffee on the couch when you get home.

It doesn’t matter if you cry while doing it; all that matters is that you do away with the routines that negatively remind you of your pet.

If you have recently lost a pet, let us first say how sorry we are. But, at the same time, we hope that these tips will help you move on in some way.


All cited sources were thoroughly reviewed by our team to ensure their quality, reliability, currency, and validity. The bibliography of this article was considered reliable and of academic or scientific accuracy.


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This text is provided for informational purposes only and does not replace consultation with a professional. If in doubt, consult your specialist.