How to deal with a pet death

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princess

Fire Eel
MFK Member
Apr 13, 2007
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Bit of a morbid thread but it's an issue i'm sure we all have delt with.

I know everything HAS to die at some point and i have always had pets. I have a child like opinion on how to get over the death of a pet - i simply replace it.

With fish deaths i do get slightly upset depending on how long i've had them. 2 week's ago my 5year old goldfish died, i had a tear in my eye but i knew for a fact i wasn't going to replace him since i now know better and don't have a spare 50gallon tank hanging around.

The reason i'm making this thread is about my hamster Charlie, he's 2years and 8month old, i say he's got less than 2 weeks to live. The thing is i LOVE this hamster and every hamster i've ever had! I've kept hamsters since i was 10 and i can name EVERY hamster i've had in order.

I said to my mum i'm not going to get another about a year ago when Charlie was nice and healthy, but now i have this horrid feeling of emptyness like i HAVE to have another.

So my question is how do you deal with death? And is it wrong to want another? Not to replace your pet but to just fill the void, or is there a time period you should wait?
 
Time heals all. I would wait. Once your head clears, you will know what to do. Filling the void isn't bad either. If you love having that certain kind of pet around, then thats an easy fix. You'll never forget Charlie!
 
hmmmm....i replace...i lost a plec and didnt have just a dear...i was full out crying! so went and got 4 more and 2 cats.
lost my bichir the other day so put in an order for 2 more and went and bought 2 more plecs and 2 more cats lol
but fish r the only things that i can get emotional over. people die and i cant cry anymore...my little girl hurts herself and i say 'well u shouldnt have dont it anyway' i split with my bf and no probs.....but my fish die and i proper cry its pathetic!!! lol
 
actually sayin that...i lost 2 of my cats last year within 2 months of each other, they were 20 im 21 lol so id grown up with them, and i had a little cry. but my favourite cat (wer talking about the 4 legged variety now) is guna be put down before we go on holiday in may....and im not sure how im guna cope. i rescued him and i no hes poorly and he is goin to die anyway if we dont....so it ill just be painless and quicker. but still dont no what i will do, he lives at my grans and she wont have any more pets after that. although im tryin to talk her in to gettin a dog, coz havnt had a dog in the family for years....well since my german sheperd attacked me lol
 
I *think* most pet lovers will go with the replace them theory of getting over death. I'm ALWAYS trying to get my family to get animals after theirs die......i'm like why arn't you getting another?

My dog is 5 years old this year EVERYONE knows how much i love my first ever dog Robert i have NO idea what i'm going to do without him, I'm getting another dog next year so i've still got something to love when Robert has gone....lol i know thats years away.

Just like i bought Charlie before Princess Ozzy died.

I always thought and my parents thought i'd grow out of loving animals but it just gets harder to say goodbye! And then i get " well if you didn't have pets you wouldn't have to deal with them dying" but i also be very bored and have nothing to love.

3 years of happiness 1 day of moruning a life time of memories.
 
I say do whatever you think will make you happy. Death is something that will happen to every living thing. As a pet owner (keeper) all we can do is provide the best life for our pets while they are under our care. I will never live without a dog. Although I love my dog dearly I know that he will not live forever, and when his day comes it will be very hard but I will get another. I will cherish all the good times we had and have pictures that I will put in a frame to remember him by. So really it comes down to you. If your ready for another I say do it. If not give it some time, and get when your ready get another.
 
I still miss my dog, who happened to be named Charlie, lol. She (yes she) died on Valentines Day 3 years ago. We have 3 cats now, but it's not the same, I want my dog back :(
 
I totally agree... I think you need to do whatever will make you happy. Just remember your pets and all the good times and the love you had for them. As for replacing them though, I think you should give yourself time to heal first.

I have 2 cats that I got when they were 3 months old... they are my kids and I don't know what I will do when they go. They are getting up there in age but are still healthy... but I can't help but think about what will happen when they go and how I will cope. I want to cry just thinking about them being gone... but I realize I should live in the moment and not worry about that until the time comes. I think everybody deals with the death of a beloved pet in their own way and you need to figure out what your way is.
 
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