On Pet Loss: How Will I Know If I Am Ready To Adopt Again?

Know Your Intentions.

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People often ask my advice on when to bring a new pet into their lives after losing their beloved companion.

A little housekeeping before getting started…

1. There are many ways to acquire a pet, but for simplicity, I use the term adopt to describe the process of bringing a new pet into your life.
2. When I refer to “losing a pet,” I am referring not only to loss by death, but also literally losing your pet. The latter adds an additional layer to this decision because there is no concrete closure, and your adopting another pet may signify that you have accepted they are not returning. Incomplete endings make it especially complicated to move forward.
3. If this is too long for your attention span (I feel you), scroll to the end-ish and then to the very end for key takeaways and tips.

Many factors go into this decision, but for me, the most important question is to ask yourself, “Are you emotionally available to get into a new relationship?”

Getting to know each other and developing relationships takes time. This is true for relationships in general, but it is especially important to remember when adopting a pet after losing your beloved companion. If not, this can…