Helping Your Pet Transition With Love, Grace and Support

This article is dedicated to a Border Collie named Bailey who lived in Canada. Les, her human enlisted my services to help her feel more comfortable and to help both of them prepare for her transition.

My own understanding and appreciation for the process our pets go through as they near the end of their lives deepened a lot as I got to know Bailey. She was 16 years old which is 112 years in human years and something I found quite amazing.

Doing remote healings with Bailey, communicating with her, and guiding her and her human (Les) through the last chapter of her life motivated me to write this article. My intention is to raise awareness and understanding for people with pets. Even though they might not express themselves the way us humans do, our furry friends (and animals in general) do have feelings and preferences, especially when it comes to their last chapter.

(Moving forward, I will use the feminine pronoun for male & female)

How can I help? Our pets slow down as they age and it is a normal process for their bodies not to work as well as they used to. An important question to ask yourself is: How can I best help my pet as she ages?

Communication: Talk to your Pet. They understand your words and pick up on your thoughts telepathically. You might feel “silly” at first but try to listen and see if you can trust yourself to hear or sense what they want and need. Loving communication with your pet whether you can hear them or not brings both of you closer and deepens your bond. If you need help understanding what she wants and needs, speak with someone like myself or another professional who can communicate with animals. Your pet will be able to leave her body more easily when it is time if you are consistently present with her, especially as she declines.

Avoid Regrets: You don't want to have any regrets about what you could have done differently or better. I know it is difficult to be fully present when your pet is not doing well, but remember, she has been there for you through thick and thin, loving you unconditionally the whole time you have been together. Be there for her - it is a sacred process when a soul leaves the body.

Reassure your pet: Let her know how much you appreciate her and that you will be there with her every step of the way. Tell her you will be okay when she leaves her physical form and that her spirit will be free and more comfortable when she leaves her physical body. If it is in accordance with your beliefs, let her know she will have spirit guides to help her make the transition (like humans do). Ask her to let you know when she is ready to transition so you can be there with her and she will.

Do I need to put my pet to sleep? Sometimes euthanasia is necessary but sometimes it isn’t. Some pets prefer to leave naturally when they are ready. It was important to Bailey to let me know that she did NOT want or need to be euthanized. I communicated this to Les and he was grateful to know her preference. I helped him walk Bailey through her last chapter of life with grace and love and honoring her wishes. Find out from your pet what her preference is by listening intuitively or get a professional intuitive to be the bridge of communication between you.

If your cat or dog truly needs to be assisted with euthanasia, this process can happen in a way that feels loving and supportive. Have a vet come to the home, where your pet feels most comfortable and have her loved ones and favorite treats and toys all around her.

Help her feel secure: Hold your beloved pet, talk with her, and look in her eyes. This will help her feel secure instead of afraid as she prepares to depart her physical form. We all forget what it is like when we leave our physical bodies; pets do too which is why it is so important to walk them through this process. Really try to NOT do what is just “convenient” for you.

Your pet has loved you unconditionally the whole time they have been with you. Honor them and their process when their decline starts up to the very end.

GRIEF: Pets are empathic and can feel our emotions. They feel our sadness and our worry thoughts. Grief is about as heavy an emotion as it gets and is likely to make your pet feel guilty which will make it more difficult for her to 'leave you'. Process your grief after she goes. Especially now, she needs you to show up for her with love and compassion only.

During one of my last remote sessions with Bailey, she gave me this loving message for Les:

"I feel good. I feel more peaceful. I did a good job while I was here. I love Les. He is my favorite Human. We have been together numerous lifetimes before this one. Please let him know that I will watch over him and the cattle and continue to help from the other side. And whenever he gets a new puppy, I will be around to show it the ropes of life on the ranch"

Love, Ellie ?

Ellie Pechet, M.Ed., Remote Healer, Metaphysician, Shaman www.PhoenixRisingHealing.com