Pet bereavement counselling
Helping you navigate pet loss
Losing a pet can feel like loosing a part of ourselves. We spend many years dedicated to caring for our animals, giving them the best life possible. In return we gain their undivided love, loyalty and companionship.
Many of us have been lucky enough to share our lives with an animal and can probably relate to the devastation this causes when they reach the end of their life.
The impact of pet loss can often be overlooked and misunderstood within society. People may not understand, or they simply don’t know what to say in the moment. This can unintentionally lead the pet carer to feel isolated and lost within their grief, which can become difficult to navigate.
At PAWS for Thought Counselling I hold a calm and supportive space where people can come to explore their grief, providing compassionate and practice support for adults and young people.
Where do I start?
It’s so important to find a Counsellor that you feel comfortable with.
If you would like some more information, please get in touch to see if what I offer feels right for you.
seeking support
There are many reasons why a pet carer may seek support through Counselling, this may include:
- Supporting a pet with a terminal or life limiting illness
- Preparing for end of life care
- Pet theft
- Missing pets
- Unexpected loss
- Losing a pet from old age
- Support around euthanasia
- Aftercare options and support
- Supporting children and young people through pet loss
When we think of grief, we think about after our animals have gone. In some circumstances, the cycle of grief can begin when our loving pet is still alive. When it comes to making the right decision for our animals, it can cause internal conflict, wondering if we are doing the right thing.
Pet bereavement Counselling can help explore different aspects of pet loss and helps to gain a better understanding of grief, euthanasia, aftercare and more. Providing compassionate support through your journey of pet loss.
When our pets life comes to an end, it can feel like our control is slipping through our fingertips. Remember, nobody knows your pet as well as you do and any decision made around your pets end of life care is your choice to make. Nobody can take this away from you.
Being there to support your pet at the end of their life, is one of the last and most selfless things you can do for them 🐾
everyone’s journey through pet loss is unique
Our story
I started my journey studying pet bereavement after losing my horse Pye. This loss made me instantly regret many decisions I made, leaving me with a huge sense of guilt.
I avoided telling people I knew, especially on social media. I dread the bombardment of people’s well meaning comments of support. In the moment, this was the last thing I needed and would have made me feel so much worse.
People close to me knew, but many didn’t. This was a journey that I needed to travel at my speed, to come to terms with such an unexpected loss. I tried to discuss this with friends, but I could see they were at loss for words and just didn’t know what to say to bring me comfort. To be honest, nothing they could have said would have taken the pain off my loss away.
Our grief doesn’t just disappear over time, but we learn to adapt and grow around our loss.
Not a day goes by where I don’t think about my horse, but I have come to realise that I gave him a wonderful life and we shared many wonderful memories together.
This is what I want to look back on. This is where he would want me to be.
I have slowly moved towards accepting what has happened, allowing me to move forward.
It’s so easy to get hung up on the ’what if’s’ which can become incredibly consuming and a hard place to escape from. We can learn so much from our animals, who simply live in the moment.
They forgive easily and love always, which we can apply within when giving ourselves a hard time during moments of distress.
There is no textbook way to move forward after pet loss, it’s unique for each individual. Be kind to yourself and remember, you don’t have to walk this road alone.
