I have been where you are.  Mourning the loss of a pet.

It is so difficult because a lot of people don't quite understand pet grief - especially those who have never had to go through it.

Society in general does not help - there is no bereavement time from a job when a pet dies; statements like: "it was only a pet...move on" are sometimes the response from others.

But for those of us who have lost a pet - we get it. I get it.

As a child, I had small animals as pets: fish that were flushed down the toilet when they died; rabbits that were buried in a shoebox in the back yard; another shoe box for the deceased guinea pig.

It wasn't until I became an adult that the pain of losing a pet hit me.

The painting on the HOME page depicts all the animals I had in my home at one time. It was hectic but full of joy. Each one had their own personality and I loved them for it. It was comforting to have them around.

Then one by one, they started dying. Two of the cats first (the ginger one got out one day - which was traumatizing in itself - and never returned; the black and white one from an illness). All within the space of a few months. At some point, I had to give up hope on the ginger one; I had to accept the inevitable once the diagnosis was given on the black and white one. My reaction to both of these losses - even though the losses were different - wound up being the same: sadness, loneliness, grief.

One of the dogs unexpectedly died, the day after my spouse unexpectedly died (almost as if they couldn't bear to be apart). While I took solace in thinking about them being together at the Rainbow Bridge, i felt anger and abandoment that they left at the same time. These feelings stayed with me for a long time. The grief I felt was overwhelming.

Within the following two years, I was alone - as each beloved animal passed on to join their siblings at the Rainbow Bridge.

My love for animals found me taking a job as a dog walker! What better job for someone who loved animals? I would pick up 6 dogs in my little car and take them to play at a field no matter what the weather was. They had a blast! And I felt joy just getting to spend time with these lovely creatures.

But - of course - as time went on, some of them became ill and died; some of them died of old age. Again, the losses felt insurmountable, even though they were not my pets.

I swore off getting another animal of my own. I did not think I could go through the pain of loss again. Until one of the dogs I was walking needed to be re-homed. Despite the fact that I was still grieving, this dog needed a new place to call home.

She changed my life (as much as I changed hers) - while I continued to grieve, my new companion (Olive) brought joy back into my life. Loving and caring for something other than myself made life happy again. We had so much fun together. She was my confidant, my playmate, my snuggle partner.

Until I came home and found her rigid in the living room - on my birthday! 

A rushed drive to the vet did not help the situation. I comforted her as she took her last breath. And I could not stop the tears. I had been through this pain so many times that I knew I would get through it. At least logically I know I would get through it. Emotionally, it was a different story.

Again - I vowed not to get another dog......until I happened to be scrolling through rescues in the area and came across another dog named Olive. Meant to be! She now has a place in my home and in my heart. And while I know how this love story will probably also end, I love the memories I am creating with her.

I share this to let you know that I have been where you are. I have lost my beloved pet to the Rainbow Bridge many times.

The depth of grief in each of these instances was profound.

Yet, with a lot of work, I have come out the other side in each of these sitations.

This is my hope for you.

I believe healing from the pain of loss is available to you.

I want to help you cross the bridge from Pain and Grief to Love and Gratitude.