This is often referred to as convenience euthanasia since there is no medical reason to put the pet to sleep.
Grieving loss of dog guilt.
Here are some ways you can begin the healing process.
Pet parents also may feel guilty replaying events that led to the pet s death and second guessing themselves.
Feeling guilt is a sign of just how much you cared about your pet.
After all you and your pet were close.
Some people find grief following the loss of a pet comes in stages where they experience different feelings such as denial anger guilt depression and eventually acceptance and resolution.
In some pet loss situations there are things we can learn through the questions our guilt forces us to ask.
For example we might cover up electric cables in the future having had a pet that bit through them or we might replace the lock on the garden gate having had a pet escape when the gate blew open.
Instead of remembering all we contributed in love and quality to our friend s life we focus on self criticism and condemnation the time we were too tired for one last walk the time the demands of life left our sentient being with little attention the time we went on a vacation or.
Occasionally overrun animal shelters and other places and people will opt to put a healthy pet to sleep.
Finally people reach acceptance where healing occurs pich says.
As long as we re feeling guilty our emotions and thoughts are busy in the past thinking things like what if i.
I should have closed the screen door.
If our pet died in a way we perceive could have been avoided the duration and severity of guilt can be intensified.
Guilt is among the most difficult common and initial feelings following the loss of an animal companion.
For anyone grieving the death of a pet the pain can be overwhelming.
Experiencing the sudden death of a pet makes the grief even more painful.
Feelings of depression might follow regardless of whether the person has a history of depression as the pet parent realizes the loss is permanent.
Grieving is a highly individual experience.
Guilt is our brain s way of protecting us feeling the full weight of our grief and sadness over something like loss.
See here what you can do to relieve the guilt and heal from pet loss.
A lack of space time resources and other reasons relating to the wants and needs of the animal and or person cause the choice to be made.
Grieving the loss of a pet can feel isolating but it doesn t have to be.
Explore common patterns of guilt when it comes to tragic loss runaways and incomplete endings.