Ever since we domesticated the first birds, pets have been an important part of our life. From guide dogs to emotional support animals, we always need pets in our lives one way or another. But with an average lifespan of 13 years for a dog, it’s usually not possible for that relationship to last throughout our life.
When it comes to saying goodbye to your best buddy, no words can justify our emotions. Losing a pet who spent years with you playing, eating, or walking in the park is no less than losing a family member. Many of us are more connected to our furry friends than our human friends, but alas, nature doesn’t work as we will, and one day comes when we have to bid goodbye to them.
Pets are Family
Most of us have grown up with a family pet and know how our childhood memories are filled with joyful moments just because of that pet. The nostalgia that fills our hearts when we see some similar pet in someone else’s arms or a post online is warm and comfy. Pets are no less than a family for such people, and differentiating between your siblings and pet is often a hard choice.
Take Your Time
When the time comes to decide, it is often clear to us what decision we should make, but we all want to spend more time with our pets. Spending their last moments with their owners makes them feel loved and accepted. You need to make the most out of that time.
Giving your pet special treats or spoiling them with the food they like is a good choice when you know they don’t have much time left. Savor those moments with your pet doing the things you love doing with them, and you won’t regret it.
Fulfill your Bucket List
As pet owners, we all have some special things we want to do with our pets, whether sleeping with them on your bed or taking them to a special place. It is natural for us to desire to spend more time with our pets, but we don’t have the luxury of time when the end is near. We have to be picky about the things we do with our pets.
Letting your parrot fly freely in your bedroom or taking the leash off your dog and see it run freely in the park are the small things that give them happiness. Seeing your pet being energetic and happy is one of the beautiful moments of life we can’t forget. Do your best to live in those moments, finish your bucket list with your pet, and spend time with each other.
Relieving Their Pain
All pets have to say goodbye to this world whether we like it or not. But sometimes, it is not a death of old age but an incurable illness. Delaying their last visit to the vet can often cause more problems than solving them. It is hard to make a decision that involves someone’s life but letting your pet live in pain is not something better either.
Have a proper meeting with the vet and discover what’s best for it. Refusing to listen to your vet may cause more pain for you and your pet simultaneously, so you must be ready to say goodbye when the time comes.
Goodbyes Are Never Easy
Death is an ultimate truth that connects all of us. When it comes to saying goodbye to our near and dear ones, it hurts a lot, and for some, it is way more painful than what words can describe. When you lose someone, you lose the part of them that lived inside you as memories. Bearing those memories is never an easy task, but we all must do it to live on.
Our pets are like our families and sometimes more. Whether it’s the routine walk or feeding them, the time we spent with them is precious. Sometimes, they’ll do adorable gestures to make you feel loved, and other times they’ll pull some pranks to annoy you. All of this is just a part of them that will live with you forever.
Gathering Friends and Family for Goodbye
It is a good idea to gather people for condolences or hang out with your close ones when you are facing this ordeal in your life. When we are with others who share our pain, the emotional strain becomes less and easy to bear.
People who were with you and your pet share a collection of memories. It would be wrong to forget about them at this important time. Even if it’s just your spouse, siblings, or a roommate, it’d be a good idea to involve them with you. Discussing with them about your late friend can be a rich experience you will never forget.
Making a Memorial of Your Pet
Taking pictures with our pets is something we’ve all have done. We just adore how cute they are, just living life to the fullest. When their time is near, make sure to capture as many moments as you can. It will be a great album of you and your pet, which you can see in the future to look back at these happy days. After some time, you can print those images and keep them inside a frame in your bedroom so they can always be with you.
Whether you choose cremation or burying them in a coffin, it will be their last resting place. Make sure you pick someplace good, like a pet cemetery where you can visit them any time and pay your respects. You can also cremate them and keep their ashes in your home in a container.
Saying the Last Goodbye
A tough but inevitable choice of letting your pet go can be painful, but it helps you in one way or another, including self-growth and understanding the importance of relationships. It is better to invite the vet to your house for euthanasia if you can because that’s where your pet feels comfortable and calm. Be close to them as they leave this world and show them the importance of your bond.
Make sure to take care of your pet in its last days and love it as much as you can. Then give it a warm goodbye so that you don’t have any regrets. Make your last moment together worthwhile in your relationship. It was a beautiful journey that ended with a more graceful ending.