“It’s like losing a member of the family.” This is quite often what one would hear from someone whose family pet just passed away. It is a sentence that I have said many times myself, and it is a sentence that is completely true. When non-pet owners hear this, though, they don’t truly understand the weight of the words. They have never experienced it. It is hard to explain to someone who has never had a pet why the loss of one is not only sad, but debilitating. These animals really are a part of our families; they are a part of who we are and where we come from.

One of my own dogs passed away last week. We had had him since I was in the second grade, and I was 500 miles away at college when he passed. I was not able to say goodbye, and that really hit me hard. I came home to that dog every day. He was always there to greet me when I got home from school, and he was always a friend that I could count on. He was certainly a protector in my home, for I always knew that, as lovable as he was, he could turn really mean in an instant if anything threatened me or anyone else in my family. It kills me to think that the next time I walk into my home he will not be there to welcome me. There will be no slobbery kiss to tell me how much he missed me. Even still, I know that he is watching over me, acting as my protector. There may be an emptiness in my home, but his presence will never truly leave me.

This is the thing about pets. We get to know them; we learn to love them unconditionally. Even when they get into the trash or eat our favorite shoes, we still love them. We know that they didn’t mean us any harm when they did these things, even though most of the time they do know that they were being bad. I believe that pets are the best at teaching us about unconditional love, because they will be there for us and with us through anything and everything. A sort of bond exists between a human and their pet; it’s a bond that has insurmountable strength. We understand the personalities of our pets and they understand ours. When this relationship is severed by death, one's understanding of all things in general dissipates for a while. I often find myself angry and confused. I know that pets do not live forever, but why can’t they live as long as we do? So many memories flash through our minds after the death of a beloved pet, and it hurts. The memories themselves are wonderful, but a heartbreaking pain stems from the fact that those wonderful moments are gone and that there won't be any new ones in the future.

Coping with these feelings can seem impossible. I myself am struggling with how to deal with the loss of my dog. In the end, I know that things will be OK. My dog is in a better place now, a place where he is happy and a place where he no longer suffers from the tribulations of old age. As a pet owner you never forget the pets you lose. They forever hold a distinct place in your heart, and the connection you had with them continues eternally. The death of a pet teaches us a few things. For one, it teaches how to deal with and overcome grief. But in another sense, it teaches us how important it is to hold those who we have here with us a little bit closer. Even when they are no longer here with us, our pets are forever teaching us how to love.

This article was written in memory of Dakota and Bella. May your souls find peace and happiness, and may you always know just how deeply you are loved by those who were left behind.