I work in an airline transit kennel, so the employees are allowed to bring their dogs to work with them.
My manager was in the process of moving and getting her new house dog ready, so her two girls, a 6 year old boxer (Daisy)and a 16 year old lab (Alex) stayed at work with us pretty much all day.
We were all very attached to the girls. They made the slow days at work bearable.
The past two weeks, Alex had been a bit sluggish. Our manager took her to the vet this morning b/c she hadn't been eating. Our coworker on shift called the rest of us in around 4 pm. Alex had had a tumor in her stomach that had ruptured. The most humane option was euthanization.
We'd never seen our manager that broken and really really want to help her through this, but have no clue what to do.
How would you help someone cope with the death of a pet? We have a ton of photos and were thinking something along the lines of an "Alex Album" but don't know if this would be more painful than good.
If anyone can give us ideas on how to help it would be greatly appreciated.
Anonymous2009-05-28T21:01:45Z
Favorite Answer
Everyone is different in the way they deal with it. Some people want help and some people just want to be left alone so there's no set formula.
Aww, that's a very sad story =(. When we had to put down our Irish Wolf Hound I was terribly sad. Having another dog helps because you have that second shoulder to cry on. Making a little slide show or photo album would be a great idea, it may cause sadness but it would show all of the good times had with the dog and you should tell her that 16 years is a very long life span for a dog. The oldest dog currently is 21. I'm not sure what else to do, dealing with a death, human or animal is really hard.
I lost my dogs some years in the past. I had grown up with him actually my finished life, and letting him bypass grow to be the toughest and maximum heartbreaking factor i've got ever had to do. I allowed myself to be dissatisfied and grieve. I allowed myself to cry and be offended and lock myself interior the bathing room for some days provided that's what helped me to regulate, they are organic human responses. i stumbled on that when a on an identical time as, with the aid of fact I had gotten it out of my equipment (all of the anger and denial and guilt) that i grow which will see a lot clearer. i grow which will understand that he grow to be greater suitable off the place he could no longer be in soreness anymore and that throughout itself supplied me some convenience. all of us is distinctive, yet i'd say in basic terms enable your self be unhappy. provide it time. you will study to manage it and understand in time, and once you're arranged, you are able to initiate lower back with yet another domestic dog. that's what I did, and that i like my new dogs even greater effective than my first and we've an outstanding closer bond. My inner maximum sympathies. I desire you all of the affection interior the international xx
I think the album is a beautiful idea. When she is ready for it, she will treasure it, I'm sure. Be sure to leave her the option of adding her own personal pictures.
You might want to include the Rainbow Bridge poem. Many people find it very comforting. http://www.petloss.com/poems/maingrp/rainbowb.htm
my parents had a dog for 17 years that past away last year and I also was thinking of a gift and i found a magazine with all sorts of dog stuff the website is drsfostersmith.com and i found a woven throw blanket that you can send a picture in and they make the blanket w/the dogs pic. i thought it would make a great gift. really looks good too. check it out. also their number is 800-826-7206