Pets bring such joy to our lives.  They help us connect to our true nature.  Pets are therapeutic.  They lower stress and even the blood pressure levels of their owners.  Pets relieve loneliness and provide a constant source of companionship.  Pets, and especially dogs, offer unconditional love, which is something we all need some of in order to be happy in our lives.If you have ever lost a beloved pet, you can relate to the sadness and grief that people experience when a pet dies.  It can be extremely devastating to come home to an empty house when you are used to being greeted by wagging tails and smiling dog faces.  When you have been trained to work in the kitchen with dogs underfoot, it can be extremely quiet and still when you have the whole kitchen to yourself.  It is unsettling.  It often feels empty and sad.  The loss of a pet takes time to recover from.  People go through a grief process similar to what they experience when they lose a human loved one.  One of the most important factors in successfully moving through the grief process can be to have a ceremony to commemorate the pet’s life.  Perhaps you live in the country and can have a burial for the pet with stories and song to celebrate the life and love of your pet.  Perhaps you can plant a tree to honor the pet’s life.  A tree planted can fill a permanent place in your life where the pet can live on and be remembered.  If you know someone who has suffered the loss of a pet, you might send them an e-card that plants a tree Pet Memorial Card. Offer a listening ear and empathize with the loss.  Don’t minimize the grief process by thinking it is ‘only a pet.’  For many people, pets are an integral part of the household and when they are gone - they are sure to be missed.