Anatole France said, “Until one has loved an animal, part of one’s soul remains unawakened.” Anyone who has shared a bond with a pet knows this to be true, and that is part of what makes losing your animal companion so difficult.
Words can pack a powerful punch when it comes to organizing our thoughts, making us feel understood, and helping us heal. Because we deal with pet loss every day at Union Lake Veterinary Hospital, we’d like to offer our readers some of our favorite meaningful pet loss quotes.
Paw Prints on Our Hearts
While there is no way to adequately describe the void left behind after a beloved pet has passed, we can find comfort in knowing that so many others have walked this path before us. The following pet loss quotes speak to this timeless link between animal lovers everywhere:
- “The bond with a dog is as lasting as the ties of this earth can ever be.” – Konrad Lorenz
- “Sorrow is how we learn to love. Your heart isn’t breaking, it hurts because it’s getting larger.” – Rita Mae Brown
- “All the darkness in the world cannot extinguish the light of a single candle.” – St. Francis of Assisi
Pet Loss Quotes to Help a Loved One
It can be hard to know what to do or say when a loved one has suffered the loss of a pet, but our support is generally needed and appreciated during this difficult time. The following quotes can give you a place to start:
- “When you are sorrowful look into your heart, and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight.” – Khalil Gibran
- “What we have once enjoyed we can never lose; All that we love deeply becomes a part of us.” – Helen Keller
- “Death ends a life, not a relationship.” – Jack Lemmon
A Little Humor Goes a Long Way
Losing a pet is no laughing matter, but interjecting a giggle into your day can go a long way toward healing your heart:
- “If I have any beliefs about immortality, it is that certain dogs I know will go to heaven, and very very few people.” – James Thurber
- “Sometimes losing a pet is more painful than losing a human because in the case of the pet, you were not pretending to love it.” – Amy Sedaris
- “I guess you don’t really own a dog, you rent them, and you have to be thankful that you had a long lease.” – Joe Garagiola
Moving Forward
19th century author Samuel Butler once said “All of the animals except for man know that the principle business of life is to enjoy it.” A beloved pet never leaves our hearts, but it can be immensely comforting to know that our pets would want the best for us, and that includes wanting us to be happy and enjoy life once more.
“The pain passes, but the beauty remains.” – Pierre Auguste Renoir
Your friends at ULVH understand the gravity of losing a pet, and we are here to help and support you. If you would like to share some of your most poignant pet loss quotes with us, we’d love to hear them, or you can post them on Facebook for others to enjoy.
Please don’t hesitate to let us know how we can be of service to you during your time of need.