lost my dog

Losing a friend
1

Hello everyone. I know this might not compare to some of your experiences, but I lost my dog Arlo this July on the night of my birthday. He was set to turn 3 in December, and he was my best friend in the world.

I’ve had to take care of my mother and my siblings since I was too young to comprehend it, so when I got him, I was reluctant. It was just another thing to take care of. But despite growing up believing that love has to be earned through giving your all to someone, he was the first to love me back unconditionally, relentlessly.

I didn’t have anyone except for him. Having moved around my whole life, he became a constant. He was the reason I traveled home every winter, he was the only one to make me smile during a tough time. The summer I went to visit home, I had been planning to bring him with me to the UK.

His ticket was already bought when he died.

I never got to say goodbye. I never got to see him or visit his grave. I have become a shell of myself, and I am constantly exhausted and devastated and angry.

On nights like this I imagine him beside me and feel the hole in my chest grow.

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Hello @arlo1507,

I’m so sorry to hear of the loss of Arlo.

Thank you for reaching out. We have a support page about coping with the death of a pet on our Grief Guide which you may wish to read.

You may also want to get in touch with Blue Cross Pet Loss support. They have trained counsellors who can talk you through your loss. You can speak to them on the phone or online. Their helpline is 0800 096 6606 and it is open from 8.30am - 8.30pm every day. They also have a Facebook community which you may wish to join.

I hope you find the community to be a support to you and that you can reach out for more support, if you should want to.

Take good care - you are not alone,

Seaneen

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Sorry for your loss @arlo1507. Pets aren’t just pets, they are family. I call my own dog my child (I don’t have any human children, just my dog child) so I understand you must be devestated without your dog best friend. They really do brighten our lives and give us unconditional love. It’s good you can imagine him beside you though, to keep his memory alive. It sounds like he absolutely went before his time, at not even 3, that is really devestating. I’m sure he knew you loved him, dogs are really intuitive and pure souls. Is there anything you have of his that you could make a memory box of, with a picture of him, kind of like a little shrine, that you could light a candle to, and talk to him, if that helps? Sending love x

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I’m so sorry for your loss. Arlo was your friend and family, not your pet. My dogs are all that keep me going since the loss of my husband, they are family, they understand when nobody else can. I feel your pain :disappointed: :heartpulse:

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