On losing a beloved pet - Blogs - Times Union

A call came into the newsroom last week that softened all the hard-edged journalists in the room.

It was Zachary Hulbert calling to ask whether we would publish something he?d written to honor his dog Rufus. Rufus died last week and it was the emotion in Zachary?s voice that made us pass the voice mail around the office to find someone who could help.

Pets are such an important part of our children?s lives. They teach compassion and empathy and responsibility. And when you?re feeling down or need someone to talk to, there is no better listener than the family dog, cat or guinea pig.

But when a pet dies, it can be even harder on the children. What tips or stories do you have about getting a child through the death of a beloved pet?

We?re going to be discussing the topic on this week?s Parent to Parent page in the Sunday Unwind section and will use some of your comments there.

Source: http://blog.timesunion.com/parenting/19047/on-losing-a-beloved-pet/

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