Helping your child cope with loss of a pet

Helping to create a small grave can be an important ritual for children to cope with the death of a pet. — dpa

The passing of a pet is terrible for the whole family. Children are hit especially hard because they often develop a strong relationship to the animal. “That’s because kids can confide in their dog or cat.

The develop a deep, tight bond because anything they need to get off their chests is received without commentary or judgment, ” animal pedagogue Christina Gruenig says. Animals accept children the way they are.