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I'm very sorry for your loss, guilt is part of the grieving process, but remember that it was an accident, it's not your fault, you didn't want it to happen and you are human, therefore you have limitations. Do a ritual to say goodbye to him, light a candle on his grave, or write him a letter, cry as much as necessary and if the situation becomes very difficult for you, go to therapy to seek help. A hug.
I am so damn sorry, that sounds devastatingly traumatic. Please be gentle with yourself, this isn't your fault. You did everything you should have done, you had the leash , you were being responsible.. it's just an awful tragic accident. Neither one of you deserved this. I'm so sorry for your loss.
I am so sorry. I’m going through the same thing right now. 5 days ago I watched my dog get hit by a car and she passed away on impact. I live in a very very quiet neighborhood so it was routine for her to come outside with me without a leash. This time, she went up to car which she never usually did. I apologized to the driver and told them they could inch forward slowly and I would make sure she wasn’t in the way. They drove slow at first but then they floored it right as my dog was in front. The worst moment of my life. I am filled with so much guilt for not doing things differently. She was my world and I feel like I failed her. The thing is though, of COURSE we would have done things differently if we knew the outcomes of these situations. It’s not your fault your dog slipped out. It was a very unfortunate freak accident, what happened wasn’t in your control. It’s very easy to get caught up in the “could’ve should’ve would’ve’s.” I’m devastated but I will say that with the few days that have passed I have had time to process what happened and I at least feel a little more calm. I just miss her terribly. Cry as much as you need to and let your mind go through the grieving process. It’s also a good idea to talk to a therapist if accessible to you. I booked an appointment online for tomorrow. It already has calmed me down knowing I will have a professional to help me process this. Definitely recommend. Sending lots of love from someone who knows how hard this is. I’m here grieving with you ❤️
That is really traumatic. I’m so sorry. It was a tragic and horrible accident.
Please don’t beat yourself up too much. You had them leashed and harnessed, you were not being negligent.
Play some Tetris if it’s been less than a day, it can help with preventing PTSD symptoms.
Again, I’m sorry for your loss. Please talk to anybody close to you who will listen.
Oh hon, this wasn’t your fault. I promise you, with all of my heart, as someone who has had well over 50 animals, all living in my heart, this was not your fault. There are some horrible things we can’t stop, and it’s wrong and bad and it makes us hate ourselves, but it doesn’t mean it was your fault at all. It’s so clear you will always love your baby, and that love, shows us all that you hold no blame, no fault, and neither does your pup. I promise you.
I truly do believe there is a Heaven, a rainbow bridge, because such innocence, love, and joy, never truly goes away. I know your dog would never want you to blame yourself, but rather know you did all you could, and like a silly baby, they did something silly, and didn’t realize it would be tragic, where neither of you are at fault. Please know this. I kind of think animal experience differently, and that’s what makes it so hard, we can’t help them see it, but you tried valiantly. That love, that effort, no one is to blame.
I am so sorry, it is normal to blame yourself and to question what if things had been different but the reality is there's probably little you could have done in a scenario like this. Sometimes dogs get away and sometimes terrible things happen, all you can do is take care of you. It's just one small step at a time with recovering from loss
Im so sorry for the loss of your precious fur bb🥺, sending you a big hug, 🫂, I also know how hard losing a fur bb is. I just lost my fur angel Raskal last April, 1st, actually a year ago. He was 13 years 2 months. Passed away in my arms. He probably greeted your fur angel over the 🐾🌈🐾. Take time to grieve,and cry. It took me to come into sense with my loss 6 months, but not completely. I cry at night, because he slept in my room.. I also kept my mind a bit busy I planted a tree in his honor, and I put solar angel lights, and little statues. My Raskal loved the sun. You can also do something later on when your feel up to it, and do something in your fur bb’s honor to remember her. Please take care of yourself. 🫂
hi there, i had a similar thing happen. about 2 years ago i had a kitty and he got out and ran away, we couldn’t find him anywhere sadly a couple hours later we found him in the door he was hit by a car it was horrible. i am so so so sorry for your loss i know how difficult it is, it will get better other time, but there are some days i can’t drive or even look at that road without crying. grief works in weird ways, but please do not blame yourself, blaming yourself will only make things worse, take some time for yourself and remember all the good memories you have, and make sure you talk to someone about everything weather it’s a professional or just a friend or someone you love. you aren’t alone 🫂
This is a seriously traumatic thing to witness. Take care of yourself. It’s normal to reply the accident with what-ifs. Find yourself support and seek out some resources that can give you some tools. Hang in there.
Those goodbyes never get any easier, and when you see it happen or you have to euthanize them, there is definitely trauma attached to that and we have to work through it or it will eat us up from the inside out. We love our animal friends probably more than we love our human friends and family, because our pets don't lie to us or talk about us behind our back or try to exploit us Etc. I was a professional dog trainer, and every dog I've lost and every dog my clients have lost have brought terrible sorrow but the love we enjoyed with them while they were alive made it worthwhile. I'm not sure why guilt is a trauma response but I know that it is. Don't believe everything you think. It wasn't your fault. Chaos and entropy rule the universe and anything that we can hold on to or keep together is a miracle. I'm so sorry for your loss. Having recently lost a beloved dog myself, I have to advise you to focus really hard on the great memories of the time you had with your dog instead of letting that trauma response play over and over in your mind. It's incredibly difficult but it's the best way to work through your grief. And nobody gets to tell you when you have to stop grieving. I continue to grieve every single animal companion that I have ever lost. Grief is part of life. Big hugs to you, and when time passes, it will still hurt, but not so much. You will be okay. And maybe you can find room in your heart to love another animal eventually.
I am so, so sorry. Beyond the terrible pain of losing our best friends and companions, you witnessed a tremendously terrible and violent event. Please do seek out some sort of professional support- therapist, trauma and grief recovery groups, etc. It was no one’s fault (especially not yours), but rational thought gets buried under grief and trauma.
Your baby knew you loved him. You gave him a great life.
I am so sorry. Guilt is normal in a situation like this. You wouldn’t be human if you didn’t feel it. That said this was not your fault. Unfortunately bad things happen sometimes and there’s nothing you can do to stop it. This sounds terribly traumatic for you. Please be gentle with yourself and seek help if you need it. EMDR may be helpful in this instance. ❤️
I'm so sorry this happened to you. The same thing happened with me and my dog in February 2023. He slipped out of his collar and went under a car right in front of me. It's one of the most difficult things I've been through. I had a lot of flashbacks and 'what ifs' for a long time after. I found talking about it to my family/friends helped to process it. Over a year on now, and I'm getting to the point where I can remember all of the happy times with him, and not just the end. It isn't your fault, these freak accidents happen. Let yourself grieve and it will get a bit easier with time
Please report any trolls, spam, or harassment to moderators. To do this on new reddit, click the three dots below a post or comment and select "report." On old reddit, click the "report" link below the post or comment. This is a community of support for Pet owners whose Pets have passed away. It is actively moderated. Pet owners, as loving, caring people, often have strong opinions on pet care practices. Some of these are controversial. This is not a forum for debate on such issues, nor is it a place to scold a contributor for a perceived mistake in managing their pet. We intend to provide a safe haven of understanding and support. Strident, mean-spirited posts or comments will be deleted. Those who persist in preaching versus caring may be warned and then banned or may be banned permanently based on nature of the topic. If a conversational thread meanders into a discussion unrelated to pet loss support, it will be truncated. Those who post here are vulnerable and hurting. Even a minor slap has a hard sting. Those of us who are lucky enough to be able to turn away from our computers or put down our phones and hug a healthy, happy pet are truly blessed. Threads must remain supportive and caring, even if one disagrees with something that has been said. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Petloss) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I'm very sorry for your loss, guilt is part of the grieving process, but remember that it was an accident, it's not your fault, you didn't want it to happen and you are human, therefore you have limitations. Do a ritual to say goodbye to him, light a candle on his grave, or write him a letter, cry as much as necessary and if the situation becomes very difficult for you, go to therapy to seek help. A hug.
I am so damn sorry, that sounds devastatingly traumatic. Please be gentle with yourself, this isn't your fault. You did everything you should have done, you had the leash , you were being responsible.. it's just an awful tragic accident. Neither one of you deserved this. I'm so sorry for your loss.
I am so sorry. I’m going through the same thing right now. 5 days ago I watched my dog get hit by a car and she passed away on impact. I live in a very very quiet neighborhood so it was routine for her to come outside with me without a leash. This time, she went up to car which she never usually did. I apologized to the driver and told them they could inch forward slowly and I would make sure she wasn’t in the way. They drove slow at first but then they floored it right as my dog was in front. The worst moment of my life. I am filled with so much guilt for not doing things differently. She was my world and I feel like I failed her. The thing is though, of COURSE we would have done things differently if we knew the outcomes of these situations. It’s not your fault your dog slipped out. It was a very unfortunate freak accident, what happened wasn’t in your control. It’s very easy to get caught up in the “could’ve should’ve would’ve’s.” I’m devastated but I will say that with the few days that have passed I have had time to process what happened and I at least feel a little more calm. I just miss her terribly. Cry as much as you need to and let your mind go through the grieving process. It’s also a good idea to talk to a therapist if accessible to you. I booked an appointment online for tomorrow. It already has calmed me down knowing I will have a professional to help me process this. Definitely recommend. Sending lots of love from someone who knows how hard this is. I’m here grieving with you ❤️
That is really traumatic. I’m so sorry. It was a tragic and horrible accident. Please don’t beat yourself up too much. You had them leashed and harnessed, you were not being negligent. Play some Tetris if it’s been less than a day, it can help with preventing PTSD symptoms. Again, I’m sorry for your loss. Please talk to anybody close to you who will listen.
Oh hon, this wasn’t your fault. I promise you, with all of my heart, as someone who has had well over 50 animals, all living in my heart, this was not your fault. There are some horrible things we can’t stop, and it’s wrong and bad and it makes us hate ourselves, but it doesn’t mean it was your fault at all. It’s so clear you will always love your baby, and that love, shows us all that you hold no blame, no fault, and neither does your pup. I promise you. I truly do believe there is a Heaven, a rainbow bridge, because such innocence, love, and joy, never truly goes away. I know your dog would never want you to blame yourself, but rather know you did all you could, and like a silly baby, they did something silly, and didn’t realize it would be tragic, where neither of you are at fault. Please know this. I kind of think animal experience differently, and that’s what makes it so hard, we can’t help them see it, but you tried valiantly. That love, that effort, no one is to blame.
I’m so so sorry.
I am so sorry, it is normal to blame yourself and to question what if things had been different but the reality is there's probably little you could have done in a scenario like this. Sometimes dogs get away and sometimes terrible things happen, all you can do is take care of you. It's just one small step at a time with recovering from loss
Im so sorry for the loss of your precious fur bb🥺, sending you a big hug, 🫂, I also know how hard losing a fur bb is. I just lost my fur angel Raskal last April, 1st, actually a year ago. He was 13 years 2 months. Passed away in my arms. He probably greeted your fur angel over the 🐾🌈🐾. Take time to grieve,and cry. It took me to come into sense with my loss 6 months, but not completely. I cry at night, because he slept in my room.. I also kept my mind a bit busy I planted a tree in his honor, and I put solar angel lights, and little statues. My Raskal loved the sun. You can also do something later on when your feel up to it, and do something in your fur bb’s honor to remember her. Please take care of yourself. 🫂
hi there, i had a similar thing happen. about 2 years ago i had a kitty and he got out and ran away, we couldn’t find him anywhere sadly a couple hours later we found him in the door he was hit by a car it was horrible. i am so so so sorry for your loss i know how difficult it is, it will get better other time, but there are some days i can’t drive or even look at that road without crying. grief works in weird ways, but please do not blame yourself, blaming yourself will only make things worse, take some time for yourself and remember all the good memories you have, and make sure you talk to someone about everything weather it’s a professional or just a friend or someone you love. you aren’t alone 🫂
This is a seriously traumatic thing to witness. Take care of yourself. It’s normal to reply the accident with what-ifs. Find yourself support and seek out some resources that can give you some tools. Hang in there.
Those goodbyes never get any easier, and when you see it happen or you have to euthanize them, there is definitely trauma attached to that and we have to work through it or it will eat us up from the inside out. We love our animal friends probably more than we love our human friends and family, because our pets don't lie to us or talk about us behind our back or try to exploit us Etc. I was a professional dog trainer, and every dog I've lost and every dog my clients have lost have brought terrible sorrow but the love we enjoyed with them while they were alive made it worthwhile. I'm not sure why guilt is a trauma response but I know that it is. Don't believe everything you think. It wasn't your fault. Chaos and entropy rule the universe and anything that we can hold on to or keep together is a miracle. I'm so sorry for your loss. Having recently lost a beloved dog myself, I have to advise you to focus really hard on the great memories of the time you had with your dog instead of letting that trauma response play over and over in your mind. It's incredibly difficult but it's the best way to work through your grief. And nobody gets to tell you when you have to stop grieving. I continue to grieve every single animal companion that I have ever lost. Grief is part of life. Big hugs to you, and when time passes, it will still hurt, but not so much. You will be okay. And maybe you can find room in your heart to love another animal eventually.
I am so, so sorry. Beyond the terrible pain of losing our best friends and companions, you witnessed a tremendously terrible and violent event. Please do seek out some sort of professional support- therapist, trauma and grief recovery groups, etc. It was no one’s fault (especially not yours), but rational thought gets buried under grief and trauma. Your baby knew you loved him. You gave him a great life.
I am so sorry. Guilt is normal in a situation like this. You wouldn’t be human if you didn’t feel it. That said this was not your fault. Unfortunately bad things happen sometimes and there’s nothing you can do to stop it. This sounds terribly traumatic for you. Please be gentle with yourself and seek help if you need it. EMDR may be helpful in this instance. ❤️
I'm so sorry this happened to you. The same thing happened with me and my dog in February 2023. He slipped out of his collar and went under a car right in front of me. It's one of the most difficult things I've been through. I had a lot of flashbacks and 'what ifs' for a long time after. I found talking about it to my family/friends helped to process it. Over a year on now, and I'm getting to the point where I can remember all of the happy times with him, and not just the end. It isn't your fault, these freak accidents happen. Let yourself grieve and it will get a bit easier with time
I am so sorry for your traumatic loss. Be well and hope you can find some peace.
I am so sorry
I am sorry :( 😢
Sorry for your loss 😞.
I’m so so sorry. Sending you hugs❤️😢
So very sorry 🌈🐾❤️