Grieving the Loss of a Pet- 7 Things Not to Say to a Friend

When a friend or loved one has lost their pet, it is often very hard to know what to say to help.  With over 200 million pets owned in the US most of us will, at on time or another, be called upon to support an important person in our life in pet loss.

Bellow are some words NOT to say to someone who is grieving the loss of a pet.

1. 1. it ws just a dog (cat, horse, vird, rabbit, gerbil, etc.)
2. If losing a pet is doing this to you, I would hate to see what you would do if you lost something really important, like a child.
3. At least you don't have the kitty litter (carpet spots, horse stall, cage) to deal with
4. "They are in a better place"
5. You can always get another dog (cat, horse, rabbit, gerbil)
6. I thought you were prepared for this or You might have known this was coming.
7. Enough time has passed, you should be getting over this by now or it's time to move on.

While it may be very hard to know what to say, an important part of support is knowing what not to say.

Judy Helm Wright, Pet Grief Coach, www.AnimalHumanConnection.info