In my practice I am frequently called upon to help with end-of-life issues. When an animal is old and nearing its “time,” or when it is suffering tremendously or extremely ill, its caretaker or human companion is often anguished and at a loss as to what action to take, if any, that might help. The options … of course … include euthanasia, and that is usually the source of the greatest confusion, fear, and grief.
From my experience, most animals simply are not attached to their bodies in the same way humans are. And many of them understand the process of death and dying and remember having gone through it before. They are usually ready to go. This doesn’t mean they don’t have concerns.
So what DO animals need from us when it is their time, or when it might be a blessing to help them on their way through euthanasia? What ARE their main concerns. Three things stand out in the hundreds of such cases I’ve handled. Our animals want:
Information – Permission – Honoring
INFORMATION
If the animal doesn’t understand the death-and-dying process, that is the first thing to explain. My way of doing that is to reassure them that we all leave our bodies eventually, but that our spirit lives on in an aware state and is free and light. This usually puts the animal at ease and in a frame of mind where he can then participate in a discussion about the form his passing might take. Sometimes the animal wants to let his body shut down naturally, especially if he’s not suffering too much and the end-of-life vigil won’t be too distressing or difficult for his person.
If the animal is suffering, he is often relieved to be given the option of euthanasia. I had the good fortune a few years ago of having the way euthanasia feels explained to me by a wise horse spirit, “Mo,” after his death, and you can read his word-for-word explanation HERE. I have shared his message (with permission of course) with many clients, both human and animal, and it has brought great solace to both in many instances. Mo stresses the importance of being told about what is going on and about being given a voice in deciding on euthanasia.
PERMISSION
Often animals will hang on and on, long past the time their bodies should have quit, because their loved ones haven’t told them they can leave. It’s as simple as that. If you know it’s “time,” please remember to give your animals permission to “leave.” Simply tell them they can go on, that you will be okay. They’ll know you’re grieving and may still hang on because of that, but tell them that it’s a normal part of the process and you will eventually be okay — you want them to go . . . for their sake.
HONORING
Many animals I talk to, both before and after passing, request a ceremony. They want to be honored. Boo, the horse in the first picture above, talked quite specifically about this to me just last week. He was euthanized at an equine clinic, so his message is relevant to not dying at home, but I have found that those lucky enough to pass at home request similar recognition. I will leave you with excerpts from Boo’s message and hope we will all honor the spirits of those we love who pass over.
It is very important to honor one’s spirit during the process of dying. . . . I am sharing this information for future purposes and needs. . . . I would like a ceremony . . .This should be done for all who have to pass other than naturally. . . . Everyone needs to know this. I am not conveying this as a complaint about my situation. I am sending it as a message to help people understand what the spirit needs when it is passing – honor, first and foremost.
****************************************************
If you are concerned about the passing of one of your animals, you might find these posts helpful:
Recent Comments