Loving and losing an animal

Do other pets grieve?

What the surviving animal is going through, what actually helps them, and whether to let them see the body — with the honest answer about getting another one.

Why losing a pet hurts as much as it does

If you are shocked by how hard this has hit you, you are not overreacting. Why pet grief is genuinely different — and why so few people say so out loud.

Burial or cremation: choosing what happens next

The options for a pet after they die, what each costs, what the rules are about burying at home, and how to choose when you cannot think straight.

What to do when a pet dies: the first day

The practical things, in order, for the day it happens — at the vet or at home, what your options are, and what you are allowed to take your time over.

Knowing when it's time: making the decision with your vet

The hardest decision in loving an animal. How vets actually assess quality of life, what questions to ask, and why the guilt afterwards is not evidence you were wrong.

Helping a child through the loss of a pet

For many children a pet is the first death they meet. A gentle, honest guide to helping them grieve — what to say, what to avoid, and how a small ritual helps.

What to write on a pet's memorial (with examples)

Stuck on what to say? A gentle guide to writing a few honest lines for a pet who has died — with examples you can borrow and make your own.

Ways to remember a pet who has died

Gentle, lasting ideas for keeping a pet close after they are gone — from a photograph on the shelf to a page that holds their whole story.