Is It Normal to Grieve This Much After Losing a Pet?

If you’re reading this with a broken heart, I want you to know something important. Yes, it’s completely normal to grieve this much after losing a beloved pet.

In fact, the depth of your grief often reflects the depth of your love.

When we lose a precious animal companion, life can suddenly feel unrecognisable. You might be going through the motions, but inside, it can feel like everything has stopped. 

The house is quieter. Your routine is broken, and the absence of your pet can feel so loud that it’s hard to even breathe.

If your grief feels intense, heavy, relentless, or “too much”, please know that you’re not broken. You’re a loving pet parent who has lost your best friend, companion, soul mate, and whole world.

Why It Hurts So Much

Your pet wasn’t “just” a pet. They were your companion, your comfort, your safe place. For many of us, they were the one steady presence through the ups and downs of life. They were a constant source of love we could rely on every single day.

Our animals love us in a way that feels pure. They don’t judge us, they don’t demand explanations, and they don’t ask us to be anything other than who we are. They sit with us in our sadness, celebrate our joy, and make ordinary days feel special.

So when they’re gone, it’s not “just” losing an animal. It can feel like losing a piece of your heart and a piece of your identity, too.

When People Don’t Get It

One of the hardest parts of pet loss is that it’s disenfranchised grief. A type of loss that often isn’t acknowledged or validated by society. This lack of understanding can leave us feeling incredibly lonely and unseen.

People might say things like:

• “At least they lived a good life.”

• “You can get another one.”

• “It’s not like losing a person.”
  

Even when those words aren’t meant to be cruel, they can feel like a punch in the gut. Because when someone minimises your grief, it can make you question yourself. 

You might feel embarrassed for crying, guilty for feeling so devastated, or so hurt that no one seems to understand the magnitude of your loss.

Please know that your grief deserves compassion, not judgement and your precious pet’s life deserves to be honoured, not dismissed.

Grief Has No Rulebook or Timeline 

Grief doesn’t follow a perfect schedule. There isn’t a “normal” number of weeks, months, or years to miss someone you loved and cared for so much. Especially when your pet depended on you every day.

You may feel tearful one minute and completely numb the next. You might feel calm in the morning and then break down when you see their lead, their bed, their food bowl, or a photo on your phone. You may find yourself listening for their paws on the floor or expecting to see them in their favourite spot.

This doesn’t mean you’re “not coping.” It means your mind and body are learning how to live in a world that has changed, sometimes suddenly or even traumatically.

Some days, simply getting through the day is more than enough.

Grief waves

In the early days, grief can feel like a flood. Constant and all-consuming. Later, it may come in waves. You might think you’re doing “ok” and then something small hits you. A piece of fur, a familiar smell, a place you walked together, or a sunny afternoon that reminds you of the life you shared.

These waves can feel scary because they can make you wonder, “Will I always feel like this?”

You won’t always feel this raw, but you’ll always miss your precious pet. That’s not a problem to fix. It’s love.

It’s OK to Need Support

Pet loss can feel so lonely and the pain excruciating, especially if your pet was your main source of comfort. So many grieving pet parents tell us the same thing: “I feel like no one understands what I’m going through.”

That’s why support matters.

In our Pet Loss Support Group, we understand that your grief is real, valid, and life-changing. You don’t have to explain why you loved your pet so much. You don’t have to justify your tears. You don’t have to “keep it together.” We get it. 

In our community, you can simply feel how you feel, and that’s ok. There’s no judgement. Only kindness, understanding and compassion. 

Gentle Ways to Move Through the Days

There’s no quick fix for grief, but there are gentle ways to support yourself as you move through it. Here are just a few below:

• Let the tears come: Crying isn’t a sign of weakness. It’s release. Don’t judge yourself for how much or how often you cry, especially in the early days.

• Create small rituals: Light a candle, write your beloved pet a letter, journal, talk to them, hold their collar or a keepsake.

• Walk your grief: Being outside in nature can give you little moments of relief. Walking allows space to breathe, cry, talk to your pet, or simply be with your feelings, one step at a time.

• Rest when you can: Grief is exhausting, emotionally and physically. Rest isn’t laziness. It’s essential.

• Be kind to yourself: You deserve to be gentle with yourself because you’re grieving a huge loss.

You don’t have to “move on.” In time, you learn how to “move forward”, carrying the love for your angel with you.

You Are Not Alone

If your heart is shattered and you’re wondering whether you’ll ever feel like yourself again, I want to remind you that you are not alone, and you don’t have to do this by yourself.

Your grief is normal. Your love is real, and your story and feelings matter. 

If you’re feeling devastated and lonely after losing your beloved companion, join a support session and connect with others who ‘get it’.  

Our loving, compassionate and understanding community is here to support you on your pet loss journey. You don’t have to do this alone.