Honouring Pet Loss: Gentle Practices to Support Your Grief

When an animal dies, we not only lose their presence, we lose the rhythms, routines, and little threads of life they wove into our days. The quiet house. The empty collar. The absence of paws on the floor.

Grief needs expression and when it isn’t given space, it can weigh heavily in the body and mind. Here are some gentle, trauma informed practices that can help you honour both your animal’s memory and your own healing:

1. Create a Memory Ritual

Light a candle each evening for your pet, speak their name, or place their photo somewhere special. Rituals provide structure to grief and remind the heart that the bond still exists, even if the form has changed.

2. Build a Memory Jar or Box

Write down memories, favourite moments, or little quirks on slips of paper and place them in a jar or box. Invite family or friends to add theirs too. Over time, you create a living archive of love.

3. Involve Nature

Plant a tree, flower, or shrub in their honour. Take mindful walks where you let the sights, sounds, and smells of nature steady your nervous system. Many people find comfort in the idea that their pet’s memory is rooted and growing in the earth.

4. Speak Your Grief

Talk to someone who understands; a friend, a support group, or a professional who honours pet loss. Being heard without judgment is one of the most healing gifts.

5. Be Gentle With Routine

Animals shape our daily patterns. When they’re gone, mornings, evenings, and mealtimes can feel hollow. Instead of trying to “fill the gap,” consider creating small, mindful actions that honour your pet while giving you something steady to lean on — like a short walk, lighting incense, or journaling.

6. Allow Grief to Take Its Shape

Some days you’ll cry. Some days you’ll laugh at a memory. Some days you’ll feel numb. All of it is part of the process. Grief is not linear — it comes in waves. Allow yourself to feel without judgment.

Above all, remember this: you don’t have to rush your healing. Love this deep deserves time, space, and compassion.

Your grief is not a weakness. It is a mirror of the love you shared. And finding gentle ways to honour that love is how you carry your animal with you; not in pain, but in remembrance.