With Day of the Dead and Halloween coming up this weekend, I wanted to share a few thoughts about animals and grief.
I’ve been doing pet sitting since 2018, and in that time, I’ve taken care of probably around 100 animals. Many of them were already seniors when I met them, just to name a few: my very first Labrador, Kippu, who was 15; the sweetest cat in the world, Millie, who made it to 21; and MauMau, a wise old kitty of 18 . Sadly, none of them are still with us. Others have also left us due to illness or accidents.
Before joining the TrustedHousesitters community, it never really crossed my mind that I’d be facing these situations. But over the years, every now and then, I get messages from past hosts letting me know that their beloved pet has passed away. It’s always a sad moment, one that people outside this community sometimes struggle to understand. We remember these wonderful pets often and still talk about them.
Whether you’re a sitter or a host, I’d love to hear about the pets who’ve made an impact on you And when it comes to saying goodbye, how do you cope with the grief of losing a beloved pet?
Its the thought that counts and it’s a wonderful thing to remember our pets and share anecdotal moments and our fondest memories, but the thread title is not appropriate, as well as making a connection between our beloved deceased pets and a creepy holiday that celebrates evil spirits, vampires, ghosts and goblins.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I think the mention of “Day of the Dead” was meant in the spirit of Día de los Muertos, i.e. about love and remembrance for those who’ve passed. I also think Halloween has deeper, more spiritual roots that go beyond the spooky side we usually see today.
Being Scottish, I think of Samhuinn, the old Gaelic festival that marked the turning of the seasons and the time when the boundary between the living and the dead was believed to be thinner. It carried that same feeling of reflection and honouring those who’ve gone before us.
The post feels like it was written with that same intention, remembering the pets who’ve touched our lives. If it helps @myrcar, I can tweak the title a little to make that clearer.
Here’s a photo of me with my darling Murphy, a rescue Schnauzer who was the sweetheart of our family. We lost him 20 years ago. He made it to a grand old age, and before my parents moved house, I would still catch a glimpse of him even long after he was gone.
Hi Jenny, thanks so much for your clarification. Absolutely, my intention was to honour and remember beloved pets who have passed away. As a Spaniard, I’m used to the tradition in Spain of going to the cemetery on that day to bring flowers to loved ones.
I mentioned Halloween mainly because I know there’s a large Anglo community here, and I thought it would help people relate better. Feel free to tweak the title to make that clearer!
Thankyou for the post @MyrCar & clarification @Jenny too.
I’m aware of day of the dead & too find it nice time remember my passed relatives, & non human companions. It’s actually quite special & contemplative in our family & I quite like the idea they are around us more at this time of year.
@idocsteve, I think Halloween has been taken out of context somewhat from its traditional roots and I sort of look at the ghoulish side more as a fun factor.
Close. Día de los Muertos de los Animales is celebrated on November 27 in Mexico City but hasn’t really become much of a thing thing. The 2 days of Dia de Los Muertos are an excellent time to assemble an offerenda honoring or remembering the beloved who have passed. It’s a lovely celebration I highly recommend experiencing.
As I said, it’s fairly new so they chose October 27. The 2 principal dates when Día de los Muertos has traditionally been celebrated are November 1 & 2, with the ofrendas, catrinas and parades. But other days have been added through the years (probably much like calendar dates in some other countries are added to celebrate so many things, and mostly just those whose lives have been affected by that particular thing choose to commemorate it).
October 27 - pets
October 28 - those who died tragic or violent deaths
October 29 - those who died by drowning, choking or suffocation
October 30-31 - children who died unbaptized and infants who didn’t live
November 1 - children
November 2 - adults
Seems like an overlap between what those two days cover. For example if someone dies a tragic death by drowning, or a violent death by choking, would they be celebrated on both days?
I feel like I’m learning loads from your answers. I hadn’t heard much about Samhuinn before @Jenny, or the exact days and details about Dia de Muertos in Mexico @alegría
Thanks for sharing
coming up this weekend, I wanted to share a few thoughts about animals and grief.
who was 15; the sweetest cat in the world, Millie, 
who made it to 21; and MauMau, a wise old kitty of 18 
. Sadly, none of them are still with us. Others have also left us due to illness or accidents. 
It’s always a sad moment, one that people outside this community sometimes struggle to understand. We remember these wonderful pets often and still talk about them.
And when it comes to saying goodbye, how do you cope with the grief of losing a beloved pet?
I’ve just added a little context to the title 