Do You Feel Alone While Grieving the Loss of a Dog or Other Pet?
When my little “soul dog” Koda died suddenly at six years old, I was crushed. I carried his ashes from room to room, hiding my tears because I feared hearing, “It’s just a dog.”
I’d lost pets before, but Koda’s passing leveled me
I cried for weeks, unsure where to turn. At a work conference I finally opened up—and discovered I wasn’t alone. Friends shared their own lingering grief, and the simple act of being heard was profoundly healing.
Pet Loss Is Overlooked
When I searched for help, resources were scarce: a few heartfelt blog posts, an occasional hotline. Society still treats pet loss as “less than,” leaving many to grieve in silence.
The Power of an Understanding Community
I think I grieved harder and longer because there was no one to talk to about it. Then one day I met up with long-time friends at a work conference. I opened up about my loss and found incredible empathy.
Chris shared she was still grieving the loss of a cat that had been gone for six years. Nan was still struggling with the loss of her own kitty, two years after the fact.
We found community in sharing our pet grief and stole away from the conference multiple times to talk. The act of being seen and heard in a struggle I thought would be brushed off as “extreme” was profoundly healing.
That’s because finding support while in grief is a gift. I wish that for everyone.
Emotional Silencing Still Happens
But you may also have experienced the flipside, where your grief is brushed off. Maybe you were told to “just get over it,” or you were laughed at.
I still miss my little pup deeply, but in the years since his passing I’ve learned who to reach out to and who to steer clear of when I need to feel my feelings.
It’s not unlike any other human experience, right? As we go about our lives, we gradually learn where to turn for help through our challenges. Or, what’s probably truer, we learn where not to turn for help.
Pet Death is Largely Ignored in Our Society
When it comes to pet loss, there’s still a massive void of understanding, awareness, and resources.
In my early days of loss, I’d search frantically online for any kind of guidance. I found very little beyond thoughtful blog posts from caring individuals and the occasional call-for-help phone number that addressed grief in general.
It’s simply not enough.
All Types of Pet Loss Grief are Welcome Here
That’s why I decided to build a newsletter and create a support community to help those suffering with grief from pet loss. You’re in a welcoming space if you are facing:
My newsletter also shares advice on how to comfort someone you know as they cope with the loss of their pet and extends to helping both children and other pets deal with a loss.
Join the Healing From Pet Loss Community
A private member community where your grief can be heard and seen
Whether your pain is fresh, overwhelming, or has lingered for years,
this is your space to heal — without judgment and without rushing.
Inside our private membership community, compassionate support meets practical guidance. Experience gentle tools: journaling, guided meditation, memorial rituals, and group connection, designed to help you move through loss at your own pace. You’ll find trusted resources, expert talks, and the reassurance that your story matters.
Rediscover hope and belonging with others who understand. Join the Healing From Pet Loss community today — and take the first step toward feeling whole again. Click here to join now.
Get Your Free Coping Guide:
10 Gentle Steps to Healing Pet Loss Guilt and Loneliness
writer, coach, and entrepreneur
About Mindy McHorse
Mindy is best known for her role as Executive Editor of the long-time running Barefoot Writer magazine, a motivational guide for over 200,000 writers.
She has interviewed more than 500 writers, from best-selling authors and million-dollar marketers to a Tony-award winning producer, and chronicled her own 12-month journey to a six-figure writing career as the original Reality Blogger for Digital Copywriter.
Today, Mindy leads the Healing From Pet Loss Community and also works as a women’s business coach and ghostwriter, helping entrepreneurs gain the confidence and clarity to build their newsletters, grow their businesses, and publish their first books.
Her dogs Owie and Posa keep her company at the keyboard.
