Part 9 in the series, “Grieving the Loss of Loved Ones”
The death of a pet can devastate some people as much as losing a friend or a family member, yet this loss is often one of the least understood. Perhaps that’s because some folks consider pets as mere belongings. Others fear animals, are allergic to them, or simply don’t like them. These individuals have little comprehension of the affection, camaraderie, or even love that can develop between an owner/caregiver and a pet.
Children, childless couples, older adults, and people living alone often grow especially attached to animals. Many owners/caregivers, regardless of their ages or stations in life, consider pets to be like members of the family. Sometimes these “fur babies”1 have been companions through trauma or are the only other survivors of a family unit during crisis. They can serve as links to the past.
For bereaved pet owners, a lifestyle as well as a friend has been lost. No longer does the dog expect an exercise walk promptly at 7:00 a.m. The cat is not present to rub against the ankles of a worker returning home or to purr while dozing in a comfortable lap.
When a cherished animal must be given up for adoption—perhaps due to the owners’ move to a new residence or because an infant has been born to the family—the sense of loss can be accompanied by feelings of guilt. That guilt is compounded when the decision must be made to put a terminally ill pet to sleep.
All of these losses can cause grief and be complicated by the fear of what others may say. Comments such as, “It was only a pet!” or “Why don’t you just get another one?” can hurt deeply and result in bereaved pet owners turning their grief inward, convinced that no one will understand their feelings.
Jesus let us know that animals are important to their Creator. He told his disciples, “What is the price of five sparrows—two copper coins? Yet God does not forget a single one of them.”2
Rest assured that the Lord understands our grief when we lose a beloved pet, and one of the reasons he came to earth was to comfort the brokenhearted.3
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1. The term fur babies is used merely as a synonym for pet and is not meant to exclude non-fur-bearing animals.
2. Luke 12:6 (New Living Translation)
3. See Isaiah 61:1 in the New Living Translation.
© 2020 by Diana Savage. All rights reserved.
