When is the right time to bring another pet into the family

Now that you last pet is resting and at peace, when should you bring another pet into your life. It is a common dilemma, it is also common to react initially after losing a pet with ‘I never want another pet’ as your grief is so consuming you never want to experience it again.

The short answer is to take the time to process the loss of your pet and to get to a place where you are thinking of them with a smile and not just sadness and grief,

Your new pet will never be a replacement for your last one and does deserve your full attention. The time taken to get to this place will vary. Your new pet will bring joy and laughter, this can help a lot with the sadness you may still be feeling. It is best to give yourself at least a month to process and come to terms with your grief. Getting a new pet immediately may mean you have not had time to process your feelings enough and this may reflect in the way you feel about your new pet, which is not fair on them.

If you have other pets it is also not necessarily the right thing to bring a new pet in. Pets grieve over their lost companions. Watch them closely in the weeks following your pets death, subtle changes in their habits i.e feeding, exercise, changes in their personality may indicate they are not ready and would be ideal to give them some more time.

Generally, the decision will be a very personal one. You will know deep down if you are ready. A good idea is to look after a friend’s pet for a few days, this will help you to get a feel as to whether you are ready.

Research the type of pet that will compliment your lifestyle. Consider rehoming an older pet it may save their life and they have a lot of love to give. Understand that throughout our lives we may have to go through losing multiple much-loved pets, but then imagine what your life would be without that loyal companion by your side.