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Losing a pet is a genuine loss, and one that’s still sometimes underestimated by people outside the relationship. If you’re grieving a pet right now, it’s worth knowing that the intensity of that grief is a normal, proportionate response — not something to feel embarrassed about or rush through.
Grief for a pet is real grief
Pets are part of daily routine, companionship and family life, often for well over a decade. It’s entirely normal for their loss to bring genuine, sometimes overwhelming grief — including symptoms like disrupted sleep, low appetite, or difficulty concentrating in the days and weeks after.
There’s no “right” timeline
Some people feel the sharpest grief in the first few days; for others, it surfaces weeks later, particularly around routines the pet used to be part of — a walk time, a feeding time, an empty spot on the bed. Neither pattern is wrong.
Talking helps, even briefly
Speaking with someone who understands — a friend who’s also lost a pet, a support group, or a counsellor experienced with pet bereavement — can make a real difference. Many vet clinics can point you toward pet loss support services if you’re not sure where to start.
Helping children understand
Children often experience pet loss as their first real encounter with grief. Honest, age-appropriate language (avoiding euphemisms like “went to sleep,” which can create confusion or fear around actual sleep) and allowing them to ask questions and express sadness openly tends to support healthier processing than shielding them from it entirely.
Marking the loss, in your own way
Some families find comfort in a small ritual — a photo, a paw print, planting something in memory. There’s no obligation to do this, and no “correct” way to grieve if you choose not to — but for many people, a small deliberate moment of remembrance helps.
When to reach out for extra support
If grief feels unmanageable, is affecting your ability to function day to day, or is accompanied by ongoing low mood well beyond what feels proportionate to you, it’s worth speaking with your GP or a mental health professional. Lifeline (13 11 14) is available 24/7 if you need to talk to someone urgently, and many pet insurers and vet clinics can also point you toward pet-specific grief counselling services.
Whatever the shape of your grief, it reflects the value of the relationship you had — and giving yourself permission to feel it fully is part of moving through it.
