Comforting Quotes for Pet Loss: Some of Our Favourites

Losing a pet can be one of the hardest times in our lives. When the difficult day comes, you may find that you struggle to put how you’re feeling into words. Quotes and sayings can be a great way to feel ‘seen’ and receive comfort and reassurance that you’re not alone in how you’re feeling. It can be easy to wonder if you’re feeling the right or wrong thing when you lose your furry friend, so surrounding yourself with quotes that let you know that how you’re feeling is completely valid can be really helpful in your healing journey. 

Another great thing about quotes is that you can find ways to make sure they’re with you whenever you need them. We all know that grief can often sneak up on you at unexpected times or in unexpected places so this is the perfect comfort. For example, you can put them on windows or mirrors around your house, or set a favourite quote as your phone wallpaper. 

The journey of pet loss can come in waves, from the early days of wrapping your head around losing their physical presence in your life, to learning to live with your grief as you adjust to life without your pet in it. This is why we’ve brought together a round-up of some of our favourite quotes that resonate most with some of the most common experiences of pet loss. 

Losing a Pet 

Those first days and weeks of your pet crossing the rainbow bridge can feel very overwhelming. There are a lot of big emotions and they can feel even bigger if your pet’s passing comes suddenly. These quotes can feel like a warm, comforting hug in those early days where your loss feels insurmountable. 

• “How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.” - Winnie the Pooh

• “Everyone is taught that angels have wings. The lucky ones of us find that they have four paws.” - Jury Nel

•  “Our animal friends teach us more than we could have expected, and love us more than we could have hoped. That’s why we miss them more than we could have imagined.” - Unknown

• “Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole.” - Roger Caras

Treasuring Memories 

It is often said that remembering fond memories and good times with your pet can help with the grieving journey. This can be such a special way to share and connect with those who also loved your pet and are coming to terms with the loss, and can be a way to bring smiles and laughter to darker days. 

• “Like a bird singing in the rain, let grateful memories survive in time of sorrow.” - Robert Louis Stevenson 

• “A pet is never truly forgotten until it is no longer remembered.” – Lacie Petitt

• “If there ever comes a day where we can’t be together, keep me in your heart. I’ll stay there forever.” - A.A. Milne, Winnie the Pooh

• “Your memory feels like home to me. So whenever my mind wanders, it always finds its way back to you.” - Ranata Suzuki

Living with Grief 

If you have ever lost someone who you loved dearly, you will know that learning how to handle life continuing to go on around you can be one of the hardest parts of the loss. This is a feeling that is all too common, which is why we have a fair few quotes that we love about learning to live with grief. This can often be the time when you feel less supported because it’s after the initial shock and sadness of the loss, so quotes can be so important to bring solace. 

• “What we have once enjoyed we can never lose; all that we have loved deeply, becomes a part of us.” - Helen Keller

• “Missing someone is sadness wrapped in the blessing of having known them.” - Unknown 

• “Grief is like the ocean; it comes on waves ebbing and flowing. Sometimes the water is calm, and sometimes it is overwhelming. All we can do is learn to swim.” - Vicki Harrison

• “Only time and tears take away grief; that is what they are for.” - Terry Pratchett, I Shall Wear Midnight

• “So it’s true, when all is said and done, grief is the price we pay for love.” - E.A. Bucchianeri, Brushstrokes of a Gadfly

• "A new dog never replaces an old dog; it merely expands the heart. If you have loved many dogs, your heart is very big.” - Erica Jong.

Quotes and sayings can be a brilliant way to help you understand your grief, and feel comforted during this difficult time. Whether you need them right now or in the future, they can be helpful in feeling grateful for the time you and your pal spent together and can remind you that a pet’s life is short, but a pet’s love is forever.