Your child may feel like their pets are a part of them, especially if the pet has been in the family for the child’s whole life. The death of a pet may be the first time your child has talked through, thought about, or experienced loss, and navigating this experience could help your child through experiencing loss in the future.
Sometimes a loved pet dies from a sudden illness or injury. At other times, we know a pet is sick and will die soon. We might even decide to have help from a veterinarian to euthanize a pet who is very sick or injured. If you know the loss of a pet is coming soon, it can be helpful to talk with your child about the upcoming change before it happens. These early conversations might help you better understand what support your child will need when the pet dies, too.
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