Has anyone else had his/her pet put down while away at college?

I just got a text from my sister saying that my family has to put my fourteen-year-old golden retriever down this evening.

I can’t say I’m surprised. I hugged him a little harder before I left to come back to school a few weeks ago because I had a feeling he wouldn’t be there when I go back home for spring break.

At this point, I just feel bad I can’t be there to say goodbye.

Has anyone else been in this situation? How did you cope?

I am is so very sorry. The grief can be terrible, but you may not get consolation. Sometimes, it is necessary to put a beloved pet to sleep for health reasons as I assume your dog was put down. Your dog will always be in your heart. Hang on it gets better with time, truly. Continue your school work because it gets you to your goals and reduces dwelling on your pet.

At least you got a chance to say goodbye, and that your family isn’t keeping you from knowing what’s going on. The most devastated people are those who were unaware of the situation and just told as an afterthought. Putting down a beloved pet is one of the most heart-wrenching things to witness (been there - it’s awful). Keep busy.

My cat died while I was away during my first semester. It’s really tough. I found that it was helpful to remember that she was pretty old and sick when I left, and is in a better place now. Try to stay busy. But if the mood strikes, don’t be afraid to look at old pictures and videos of your dog. It helped me to remember the good times with my cat.

So sorry for your loss. Losing a pet hurts. Unfortunately, living away from home does mean that you miss important family situations and events, whether you are in college or not. Only way through it is through it. That’s not very reassuring, I know, but you will heal and always remember this special pet. Frame a photo of your dog and put it up in your room.

We lost our 14 year old dog two weeks ago. I put my favorite picture of him on social media with a few comments about him… a mini memorial service for him. It really helped to have so many people comment, especially those who knew him.

I am so sorry you’re going through this @NewBeginnings3. We had to put our 14-year-old cat down last September while our son was at school. We called him to tell him what was happening and asked him if he wanted to Skype with us and his beloved kitty before we took him in. He asked for a couple of hours to process and grieve a bit in private (he was very close to tears on the phone, I could tell). We Skyped later so he could see and talk to his cat one last time. At least you got that last hard hug. Hugs to you. Losing a pet is always tough, but it is a form of love and kindness to the animal to end the suffering.

I’m not sure exactly how our son coped in the aftermath as he was far away, but by the he came home for Thanksgiving, I had made a memory box with some of the cat’s things and a picture scrapbook of his life with us. Our son did appreciate that. I hope you’re doing better now.