The loss of a pet affects more than just our heart. Yes,
it is heartbreaking, but our daily life with a pet is a sensory experience. So,
losing that special little one, in our case it was our little four-legged family member Alexandria,
whom we lovingly referred to as a bonsai tiger, affects the senses as well.
It has been a few weeks since her passing, but I clearly remember the sight of her
walking into my office and ‘barking’ at me to get my butt up to brush her.
She loved it when I’d sit on the couch and brush her. I still feel
her warm, silky, brown and grey stripped fur, which became even softer the more I brushed her.
I can still, almost, hear her purring. But, I can’t see, hear, feel,
or even smell her sweet perfume. This is what we miss the most when we love and
lose our four- legged family members. I believe this is why it is so difficult
to let go.
It seems that if we could just bottle it all up and relive it everyday, it would be
better. But, nothing can replace the loving, living being.
I miss her so much and can’t seem to shake the disbelief of her being here one
day and gone the next. I had to do something, anything that would take this incredibly
negative and painful experience and funnel it into something meaningful, and perhaps positive. So, I created a website, Our
Pet Network, for myself and others who may be grieving. I also include tales
of joy and hope from those who are currently enjoying their pets, even the large animals like horses. It has been a cathartic and fulfilling process. I now have
pages for articles focusing on pet issues and for getting involved. (UCD School
of Veterinary Medicine is a focus). Hopefully as the site grows more people will
share and experts will write in about various issues, such as pet nutrition.
I still find myself crying every once in a while, well, almost every night. But, I really feel that our little one’s passing steered me in a positive direction. Who knows, maybe with more support, the students, staff veterinarians, and faculty at UCDSVM will be able
to find cures for our pet’s diseases. Perhaps in the future, lovely little ones like my Alexandria won’t have to die of cancer. We
can only hope.
www.ourpetnetwork.com
Please watch my video on this topic http://youtube.com/watch?v=PREQGbFRgWI
