Miley Cyrus tends to be criticized in the media for some bizarre behavior however, in recent months many of us have felt a sad connection with Miley and just might consider cutting her a little slack – at least for a little while. In April, Miley’s beloved dog, Floyd, an Alaskan Klee Kai, suddenly died and Miley was devastated. She tweeted “I know I don’t mean it but I wish he would’ve taken me with him this is unbearable,” and “What am I gonna do without him?” If you have ever lost a pet, you might take pity on poor Miley. Some people raised their eye brows as Miley paid tribute to Floyd at a concert at Barclay’s Center. She sang a song to a 60 foot inflatable husky to memorialize Floyd. Then, this summer Miley got a tattoo of Floyd while at a house part in Los Angeles. Strange? Shocking? Sad? All of the above.
So how does one navigate through the devastation of losing a pet?
It turns out, Miley’s behavior is not so strange after all. Losing a pet is one of the hardest experiences in a person’s life. The grief a person experiences after losing a pet is very similar if not the same grief they can expect to experience when losing a human family member.
Here are some things to keep in mind as you navigate your way through the loss of a pet:
You will most likely experience 5 stages of grief. The length of time you will spend in each stage and the order in which you experience them will be completely to you. No one journey of grief will match another. It will be as unique as your own dna. That being said, you can expect to experience: denial, anger, bargaining, depression and finally acceptance. You can expect to bounce back and forth between stages as your journey progresses.
Seek support and be kind to yourself! Be your own best advocate on this journey. Help yourself by seeking therapy and counseling. This can be done alone or in groups. Surrounding yourself with others who understand the journey is very important. You will need validation but keep in mind that not everyone will “get” what you are going through. You can’t force others to understand so don’t let their lack of understanding frustrate you or make you feel bad about yourself. Many pet parents seek comfort in reading books about pet loss in addition to therapy or lieu of it. Memorialize and pay tribute to your pet. Don’t be bothered if others don’t agree with how you choose to do so. Paying those tributes to your pet is an important part of the process IF you feel the need to do so. Many people pay tribute in the privacy of their own home or in the presence of trusted friends and confidants. Remember, this is about you. You will never forget your pet as his paw prints are forever imprinted on your heart but you will eventually learn to live with the pain.
