Farewell precious one

Actress Halle Berry recently took to Instagram to mourn the death of her pet cat  — Playdough.  Halle shared a photo of her three-year-old son Maceo Robert Martinez giving a kiss to the cat. “Yesterday my heart broke as we had to put our beloved Playdough to rest due to brain cancer. This little guy lit up our lives and brought us joy every day for 16 years!” she captioned the photo. Most of us who consider pets to be an integral part of our daily lives know the intense pain that accompanies the loss of that beloved friend.  While dealing with the death of a pet can be difficult, there are some healthy ways to cope up with the pain.

A pet, be it a dog or a cat, becomes an integral part of any family that loves animals. Their lives somewhat revolve around the pet, which obviously means any sort of separation would be difficult. The demise of a pet leaves a huge void in the life of people, says life-coach Chetna Mehrotra. “Their lives are turned upside down as the pets usually act as a bridge within a household. They keep people bonded and the departure makes it extremely difficult. Coping with the loss is not easy and one has to take the time to grieve. Grieving lessens the pain and brings life back on track. However, excessive grieving over a dead is a punishment to the living,” she adds.

The grieving process is going to be difficult and different for everyone asserts life-coach Khyati Birla, “Many people prefer to bring another pet as a catharsis for the old loss. For some, the new pet reminds them of the loss, in such cases I advise people to not buy a new pet but volunteer to look after others’ pets or engage in some activities with other pets till you find closure for your loss,” she explains.

Guilt is another emotion people go through after losing a pet. “They start digging the past when they yelled at the pet, didn’t take it out for a walk due to a work assignment or couldn’t spare extra money for a major surgery of their pet. All these things result in self-flagellation, which is a vice. Pet parents should think of the memories they have had with their pets so far and how they’ve contributed to each other’s lives. That would erase the guilt,” Chetna shares.

Unlike adults, children don’t consider themselves as the masters or owners of their pets. Instead, they take them as friends and it can be strenuous for them to deal with the loss. “Children need to be told that pets don’t live as long as humans do. It is a wise strategy to start preparing your child for the eventual loss. Also, children need to grieve and be walked through the process so help them cope with the loss naturally,” says Khyati.