Dear Jack,
I thought my girl would want what I’d want and so I clung to her so long! Too long! I feel I waited too long to put her to sleep. Looking back on it – and I do all the time - I feel horrible and selfish about the way I handled it.
Many humans fight the letting go of sick pets, but if they knew what we knew…if they knew the beautiful world that is waiting to hold us, protect us, comfort us and make us strong again…they would not fight so, the letting go.
Perhaps a pet strikes out in aggression or defense. They determine “He must be destroyed.” Oh, but the soul can never be destroyed! No matter what happens, we return to our heavenly Master for afterlife healing and care. He is the one who planted His unconditional love in our hearts and He is the one who will restore us.
There is always guilt…you did it too soon, you did it too late, you did it at all. Someone has to make these decisions on our behalf and you are the very best one to do it. Whatever you decide is okay by us but whatever you decide will tend to trigger your human guilt. The best thing you can do for us is to let that guilt go and put love into its place instead.
Love, Jack
Credits:
Easing the weight of guilt
Guilt after a pet's passing is extremely common, whether it is about acting too soon, too late or at all. If you are carrying it, remember that you made difficult decisions out of love, on behalf of a companion who could not decide for themselves. Sharing your feelings with a counselor, your vet or a pet loss support group can help the guilt soften over time.
