Do you think about the day your pet might no longer be with you? This is so common as they age or have health conditions. Would you like help or support in processing those feelings? Or have you just said goodbye to a much loved pet & feel overwhelmed?
We welcome you to a safe space at Green’s with animal bereavement specialist Carol Winton on a regular basis as needed, please book to confirm a space.
Pet & Companion Animal Bereavement Support
Before the Decision
During the Heartache
After the Journey
I am Carol of Moggies and Muttlies Pet & Companion Animal Bereavement Support.
Before moving to Highcliffe in Dorset in July 2019, I was fortunate enough to work alongside Wendover Heights Veterinary Centre providing Pet Bereavement Support sessions every four weeks in their Equine Unit from 2017 to 2019.
Guardians with their Pets and/or Companion Animals would pop in for a cuppa and a biscuit to have a chat or to just listen:
Before the Decision
During the Heartache
After the Journey.
These sessions were very beneficial to most if not all who attended.
One lady named Anne whose beautiful canine friend ‘Lily’ had passed away attended the sessions for about a year before she was able to move forward comfortably and now has another beautiful canine friend named ‘Raya’.
The main areas where guardians and their companion animals need support:
Before the Decision
Finding the right person to chat to, whether it be face to face or by email or over the phone. Someone with whom you feel comfortable speaking to, someone who will listen. Being prepared ‘Before the Decision’ of when a companion animal transitions, will be of immense benefit to most.
Veterinary surgeries should have some form of support in place. Whether it be through themselves and/or through a professional individual providing support with companion animal loss such as myself or perhaps, a ‘forum’ run by a professional where people go to chat about their animal companions.
During the Heartache
‘During the Heartache’ is where in my line of work things become much more of a struggle for many human guardians who are grieving the loss of a companion animal, as it could be through euthanasia, sudden death or having to give up the companionship of an animal ‘friend’ due to unforeseen circumstances or even more so after a pet has disappeared.
The feeling of guilt seems to be the main issue that most, if not all struggle with.
‘Grief is like living two lives. One is where you ‘pretend’ everything is alright and, the other is where your heart silently screams in pain.’
Emotions such as crying and feeling low will be felt by most of us as we experience the stages of grief. Others might well become generally disinterested in life and experience a sense of isolation and anxiety. It’s also common for physical signs of fatigue, loss of appetite, headaches and sleeplessness to occur further influencing the way that we grieve.
“Other companion animals almost certainly show changes in their behavioural patterns when they lose a close animal companion.”
After the Journey
As grief drains the emotional battery, you will need to recharge more often so give yourself time to rest.
Where a family are trying to cope with the loss of a family pet there could be several ways in which each member of the family will deal with the loss depending on their own personal circumstances at the time.
Planning ways to say goodbye will give each individual member of the family something special to remember as the healing process begins.
Keep in touch with the individual(s) that you were able to find initially to chat to as this is ‘good medicine’.
Emotions need to be dealt with as and when they arise enabling the balance in your life to return at a comfortable pace.
Carol of Moggies and Muttlies will be organising Pet & Companion Animal Bereavement Support sessions at Greens for Healthy Pets in groups of no more than 3 to 4 people due to Covid19.
Contact Carole Winton : moggsandmutts@gmail.com / 07796 302657 / www.moggiesandmuttlies.com
We will also ask that your details be written in our group book before each session for track and trace allowing us to adhere to government guidelines i.e. name and mobile telephone.