I am responding to the question of whether a pet that has died should be replaced right away or to wait (Readers Forum, Nov. 7).
My only experience was having to have my 15-year-old Irish terrier euthanized after a debilitating stroke. At the time, I lived alone with my dog and cat. It has been eight years since he died, and to this day I tear up at reminders of him. I never replaced him because I did not think he was replaceable.
I also did not think I could go through the loss of a dog again.
Looking back, I wish I had adopted another dog at some point — I might have recovered from the loss of my best friend in the world. Because I never attempted to move on to another dog after him, I possibly never moved past the grief of losing him.
If I were giving advice, I would say that only the person knows when it is the right time; but at some point, adopt another animal. My cat is 15 and I prepare each day for the inevitable loss of her. This time, I will adopt a couple of cats or kittens after a short period of time. I hope this will help me get over losing my cat.
— Lynn Pries, Wheaton
A CARING SOLUTION
People who grieve over the loss of a pet are the people who should welcome another into their home. I recommend waiting about a month before they search for a new pet and ask they consider adopting from a shelter.
There are millions of unwanted animals that have to be destroyed every year because some people prefer to purchase purebreds. Shelters do have purebreds. If people prefer a specific breed, there are rescue organizations for every breed of dog and cat.
— Pat Gwozdz, Western Springs
HONORING IZZY
We just lost one of our family cats last week. I found the article “Farewell to a Faithful Friend” (Nov. 7) very comforting. Izzy, who was 9, was hit by a car, and my daughter and I were both feeling to blame for his death because we did not bring him back inside our house after he ran outside, which could have saved his life.
After the loss of Izzy, my first reaction was to get a new cat to make some sort of sense to the accident. After some reflection, my good friend advised me to wait.
After all, he was a part of the family, and you really can’t replace a member of the family. We all need time to grieve and feel the loss of Izzy. And another pet will come at the right time, just like Izzy did as a stray.
— Amy Ruer, Fox River Grove
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UP NEXT
Have you made plans for your funeral? Are you confident that your family will honor your wishes?
BACKGROUND: Experts say that the sooner people take a hard look at the end-of-life options available to them, the better their chances of living the last days of their life with control, dignity and peace. To that end, the Friday after Thanksgiving has been chosen as a time for families to begin discussing end-of-life issues such as a living will and durable power of attorney for health care.
Send your response to Chicago Tribune Family section, 5th Floor Features, 435 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago IL 60611, or e-mail us at ctc-family@tribune.com.
