June 11 is World Pet Memorial Day and the BC SPCA is offering tips on how to help pet owners deal with the sad day when they have to say goodbye to a four-legged friend.
鈥淭he bond that we share with our pets is incredibly special,鈥� says Lorie Chortyk, general manager of communications for the BC SPCA, in a news release. 鈥淭hey bring so much love, joy, companionship and laughter to our lives. We never want to think about losing them. But when our pets reach the point where they can no longer live without pain or distress, we owe it to them to put our own feelings aside and to make the right decision for them.鈥�
Dr. Elizabeth Kuan, veterinarian at the SPCA鈥檚 Burnaby Veterinary Hospital, explains that pet guardians should prioritize quality of life over length of life.
鈥淢ost owners regret letting go too late versus letting go too early,鈥� Kuan says. 鈥淲ith terminal diseases where we're expecting quality of life to slowly deteriorate, it's better to let them go when they're having a 鈥榞ood day鈥� rather than after they've suffered for weeks.鈥�
Quality of life scales and surveys, available from your veterinarian, can help. These tools allow pet guardians to rate their animal鈥檚 condition. Does a pet not enjoy the same activities as before? Is the pet trembling or shaking? Does the pet need help to move around normally? These types of questions can help a pet guardian decide when to say goodbye.
Many psychologists have noted that, for some people, the grieving process for a pet can be as difficult as losing a human family member or friend. But there鈥檚 no need to go through the grieving process alone. 鈥淚t鈥檚 important to understand that this is a genuine loss and that your feelings of grief are real and valid,鈥� says Chortyk. 鈥淪eek out the support of friends and family during this difficult time. Some communities even have pet loss support groups where people can share and work through these feelings together.鈥�
The SPCA offers these tips to memorialize a beloved pet and help with the grieving process:
鈥⑻� Keep pet tags and put them on a key ring.
鈥⑻� Record the happy memories in a journal.
鈥⑻� Create a collage of photographs.
鈥⑻� Make a donation to an animal welfare organization in the pet鈥檚 name.
鈥⑻� Write a poem about the pet.
鈥⑻� Plant a memorial tree.
鈥淭he important thing is to treasure the beautiful moments you shared with your pet and to know that, when it was time to say goodbye, you made the kindest decision possible for them,鈥� says Chortyk.
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