Is it normal to grieve a pet this much? The honest answer — and why the size of what you’re feeling is not too much, not disproportionate, and not something you need to explain.

The first days after losing a pet are unlike anything you were prepared for. The grief is real, the house is too quiet, and life keeps moving anyway. Here is what those days actually look like — and what helps you get through them.

When a pet dies, the grief that follows is real — woven into the small moments of every day. This is what pet loss grief actually looks like, and why what you’re feeling is not too much.