Today, after going to the movies and watching “The Heart of the Beast” (2026), I came to the conclusion that losing a pet, no matter in which way by death, separation, divorce, or relocation is a very significant loss that our society, several times, will minimize or not fully understand. The reality is that grief won’t ever go away, and that’s a good thing because it means your beloved one (human and/or “almost human”) gets the chance to continue alive in your happy memories and even in the hardship ones. The truth is, putting their belongings away does not mean our bodies and minds will automatically be able to move on and close the chapter. We will consistently be reminded of their absence through the routine and the repeated reminders in daily life. A pet can love you unconditionally no matter what happens, and that proves how the bond happens between them and humans.
“It’s just you and me, boy. One last mission. I’ll get you home.” (Ayer, 2026)
But what if moving on really means accepting that your heart will always remember how it used to feel to come back home and see the pet? Or to miss the good moments together? In a systematic narrative synthesis of research on pet loss, Hughes and Harkin (2022) found that continuing bonds can play an important role in how people experience and adapt to the death of a companion animal. Finding ways to celebrate the history of them without getting stuck in emotional pain, fear, or sadness could be a way to process their absence. What if, by resignifying their death, not necessarily as an end but as an opportunity to continue the bond in a different way, their love really never goes away? Psychotherapy can help you process the death of your pet, explore the bond you shared, navigate and understand emotions related to the loss, and build new ways to continue the bond. So, I invite you to allow yourself to feel it, to cry, to remember, to smile, and to be able to carry them with you as they were right in front of you. You are not alone!
“I’ve shown Odin war, and he’s shown me nothing but love and trust.” (Ayer, 2026)
REFERENCES
Ayer, D. (Director). (2026). Heart of the beast [Film]. Paramount Pictures.
Hughes, B., & Harkin, B. L. (2022). The impact of continuing bonds between pet owners and their pets following the death of their pet: A systematic narrative synthesis. OMEGA—Journal of Death and Dying, 90(4), 1666–1684. https://doi.org/10.1177/00302228221125955
O’Connor, M.-F. (2022). The grieving brain: The surprising science of how we learn from love and loss. HarperCollins.
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