8
in other words
april10
2012
Creature Comforts ~ Pet Loss
By Victoria K. Guerrero
Because pet loss has hit our
community pretty hard this past year, we
have decided to honor those who grieve,
as well as those that are now gone in this
month’s Creature Comforts column. Our
hearts go out to you!!
The bond between human and
animal has been a strong one since the
beginning of time. Some people seem
to bond easier with an animal than with
another human. Trusting an animal
can be as simple as breathing; without
judgment, animals offer a hearing ear,
and a furry shoulder to cry on. They are
the best secret keepers, and will listen
for hours. They don’t ask for much, and
don’t really seem to care what we look
like, or even how we smell, and in most
cases they will even worship the very
ground we walk on. What a wonderful
ego boost , thus the reason why it is so
easy for humans to bond with an animal.
Letting go after such a bond is
formed can be devastating. Greif can be
confusing, painful, embarrassing, and
stressful. Understanding that grief is
natural when losing a pet is as important
as accepting that there is no “correct” way
of grieving,--people all have their own
way of letting go. Often well-meaning
family and friends try to reason that it
was ‘just a dog’ or ‘just a cat’ but to the
owner of a very best friend, it was just
that, a treasured friend. The grief over
the loss of a pet can be as devastating
as the death of a human family member,
because in so many cases, our pets are
our family.
Children also can have different
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and sometimes emotional battles with
the loss of a pet. Age can play a huge
factor in how a child responds. Younger
children may not yet grasp the finality
of death, seeming to not care, while
older children may seem to overreact
due to finally comprehending what has
happened. Honesty is always best with
children. Trying to protect a child by
telling him that the family dog ran away
may backfire when the child finds out
that in truth the dog has died. Allowing
the child to have a part of letting go--
perhaps a small burial site with flowers,
accompanied by tears of hurt and pain--
then lets the child keep fond memories
of times past, and
understand
the
meaning of closure.
The effect of
loss may also be tragic
for other family pets,
and should be taken
into
consideration.
After
losing
our
beloved Danny Boy
three years ago, it was
touching how Danny’s
little sister Yoshie
grieved his loss. Little
Yoshie needed time,
and consideration. I
tried to distract her
at times, taking her
places with me, or getting her a new toy,
these little things seemed to help us both
heal our broken hearts.
Replacing a pet can be very
hard for humans and the other pets in
the home. It is best to take all family
members into account, and make sure it
won’t turn into a disaster. Some families
choose to wait a while, or even a long
while. Others choose to replace the pet
as soon as possible; still others wish to
never own a pet again. Whatever you
and your family choose will be up to
you, with every situation being unique.
True, the hardest part of giving
your heart to a beloved pet, is deciding
it is best to let go. Quality of life is an
important factor in determining when
an elderly or ill pet should be put down.
If the quality of life is decent, then a
wonderful time to spend saying goodbye
can occur. The last precious days with
a beloved pet will always be cherished.
Tragedies can be an awful way of being
forced to part with a pet, guilt being
the highest emotion, especially if an
accident has occurred. There are so
many aspects to pet loss, and for our
benefit, there is support if the need arises.
Dove Lewis has a wonderful service for
Stop The Drop
These items were left outside
the Vernonia Senior Center over the
weekend of March 31 st . Senior Center
volunteers would like to remind the
community that items left outside
and uncovered are often ruined by
inclement weather.
The Senior
Center must pay to get rid of items
they can not use. Donations should
be dropped off between the hours
of 9:00 AM and 3:00 PM, Monday
through Friday. For after hours drop-
offs please contact Pauline at 503-
429-5810 and she will be happy to
arrange to meet you to accept your
donation.
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people needing support. Enid Traisman
is the wonderful director of the Pet Loss
Support Group. She holds classes on
grief, and has created many avenues of
support, and healing. 503-234-2061 is a
message line, or email Enid at petloss@
dovelewis.org. This is a unique and
free service that many in Oregon take
advantage of in times of grief.
Also worth mentioning is the
sadness that occurs from having to
rehome, or relinquish a beloved pet.
Life changes can often force the need of
relinquishment, which at times can be as
devastating as losing a pet in death.
Understanding the process of
loss is such an
important
part
of the journey to
healing a broken
heart from any
kind of pet loss.
Creatures
honors those in
our community
that have endured
the loss of a
beloved pet. As a
special tribute to
our friends and
neighbors
who
have had to say
good bye to a
beloved pet, we
are currently installing a “Pet Memory”
board. Please feel free to stop by with
small pictures, drawings, and short
stories of your pet. We will have the new
board in place by the 10th of April, we
look forward to seeing you and hearing
your treasured stories at Creatures!
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