Pets grieve too

[Catherine]

I came across an article written by someone who lost one of her dogs. She observed the grieving her remaining dog went through and wanted to share it with us. It is beautifully written.

http://news.google.ca/news/url?sr=1&ct2=...t=2&at=dt0

I think we all know that our pets grieve. I have seen dwarf hamsters die of grief if they lose their mate. Guinea pigs stare into space and go into a deep depression and die if they lose a close friend, partner or baby. Even my reptiles grieve. Lizards can be very close to each other. The three baby beardies I raised together, who were very close, all died within a couple of months of each other.

I have known cats to grieve deeply. They will often search for and cry for the one who is gone.

It is hard to lose a pet, but it is also hard to deal with a pet who is grieving. We want to help, but what can you say to a grieving animal. We know so little about their thoughts and feelings. I guess just being there for the pet and being sensitive to their needs is all we can do. I thought it was beautiful how much the writer changed her schedule to help her dog deal with her loss. It is a sensitive and caring response to the situation.