Shannon Philpott-Sanders

Putting a Pet to Rest

Published March 2011: eHow Family & Relationships

Putting a Pet to Rest
How Families Can Cope While Grieving Their Best Friend

Article Excerpt:

When Jodi Caroland’s daughter was 3, she yelped out a blood-curdling cry in the middle of the night. Caroland, a licensed professional counselor in Troy, Michigan, rushed to her daughter’s bedside and found her hysterically crying over Smimmy, her goldfish, who was floating at the top of his bowl.

Understanding Grief

The loss of human life is often viewed as more traumatic than the loss of a pet. However, the loss of a pet can be just as devastating for its owners. “There is a difference in how other people perceive this loss, in particular those who do not understand the human-animal bond, and that may be difficult for the family who lost a pet,” said Linda Lawrence, clinical instructor and veterinary social work services coordinator at Michigan State University in Lansing.

Read the rest of the story here.

March 23, 2011 - Posted by sphilpott | Feature Stories, Magazine Writing, Sample Work | childhood pets, euthanizing a pet, how to cope with pet loss, owning pets, parenting, pet funeral, pet grief, putting a pet to rest