Jump to content
Join the Unexplained Mysteries community today! It's free and setting up an account only takes a moment.
- Sign In or Create Account -

Why Kids Feel the Loss of a Pet So Deeply


Claire.

Recommended Posts

Why Kids Feel the Loss of a Pet So Deeply

For kids, the loss of a pet can be devastating. And new research shows that part of the reason is that children may see pets as their best friends. For example, one 13-year-old boy in the study told a researcher that when his cat died two years ago, he felt as though his "life was over," according to the findings.

The new results show that kids "often see themselves as the center of their pet's affections," study author Joshua Russell, an assistant professor of environmental studies at Canisius College in Buffalo, New York, said in a statement. "They describe their pets as siblings or best friends with whom they have strong connections."

In the study, Russell asked 12 children between ages 6 and 13 in Toronto how they felt about the deaths of animals, including the deaths of their own pets.

Read more: Live Science

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

I know the feeling, I've always had pets my whole life starting when I was a kid up until now and will keep having them. Whenever I lose a pet I feel really sad and I have dreams about them for a few days... It can be very traumatizing as a kid when you lose your lovable pet... your best friend and company. I have also buried some of my pets in the past and It's very psychologically draining. 

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

As a child the first beings that you see grow up are your pets (usually as puppies or kittens), they're also usually the first things you see die.

Goldfish are a child's first preparation. First you feel a little sadness, then a little more sadness before you can absorb the great sadness from the loss of a friend or family member.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's often not possible to fully appreciate the depth of love, until we experience the vacuum left behind by its loss.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

My first pup was hit by a car right in front of me when I was just 7 years old. I was at the park and accidentally let go of his leash and he ran straight onto the road. I was bawling my eyes out for weeks.I still get upset when I think about it and can understand why kids find losing a pet so hard to handle.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

My son yelled and cared on when his betta fish died, and then 6 months later his aqua frog died, and soon after that his brand new hermit crab died. He still has a betta and another hermit crab however.

He also still talks about the chiwahwah we had which died when he was two and a half.

AND, he was really, really upset when my Father-in-laws dog killed his favorite chicken. He was like... "No, no... she's not dead... her eyes are open...". It was really, really sad.

He's 5 now by the way.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think having pets for kids is a good learning experience of  love, responsibility and ultimately facing the reality of death before losing a human family member or friend. 

As an adult who has had many pets, there are those really special ones that stand out beyond the norm and act so human they mystify you. We still feel that child like loss of loosing a member of the family because they have become members of the family! 

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Over the next year or two I will most likely lose a dog, a cat, and a ginny pig to old age. My boys are gonna be a mess. Especially my youngest.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

22 hours ago, preacherman76 said:

Over the next year or two I will most likely lose a dog, a cat, and a ginny pig to old age. My boys are gonna be a mess. Especially my youngest.

That's a big challenge for any  parents to try to console but you have it in you preacherman76 :)

Edited by White Unicorn
Spell check
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, White Unicorn said:

That's a big challenge for any  parents to try to console but you have it in you preacherman76 :)

Indeed I do WU. Especially being that I honestly do believe they continue to live on, even when they are no longer with us. I had a run in with my first, and favorite dog during a astral projection couple years back. I know I will be able to convey that as truth to them, cause I myself believe it.

I was so happy to see her during that AP. I had felt a lot of quilt cause I wasn't able to be home the night she died. Me and her had been through a lot together. Her companionship got me through the hardest part of my life. And for what was probably the hardest part of her life, her transition, I wasn't there. No one saw it coming, she was playing in the yard that same morning. I had to go to Jersey for the weekend for work. About 8 o'clock that night she literally just dropped dead.

Now there wasn't much I could do about it. I didn't even know death was knocking on her door. But I still couldn't help but feel terrible that I couldn't be there to send her off. Then a few years later, I had my first successful day time AP. I came walking out to my living room, excited about what I would do outside in full day light, when this dog came running up to me, super excited to see me. She was a Rottie, like the two I have now. So at first I thought it was one of my living dogs. But that was strange. First they wouldn't have been excited to see me, I had been home all day. Second, they shouldn't have been able to see me at all to begin with. So I look over and there are my two living dogs sleeping on the couch.

I was only able to spend like 10 seconds with her. I became overwhelmed and got sent back to my body. For the first time I had been able to think about her without feeling quilt. I was very thankful she came to see me. Or maybe she's even hanging around waiting for me. I cant wait till I see her again.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.