Parents Talk: How Do You Explain the Death of a Pet?

Last week, my brother and his family had to euthanize their beloved Dachshund, Annie. She was 18 years-old.

That dog was as much a part of their family as their two sons. In the days before they had children, Annie went everywhere with them. I have photos of her at family gatherings, barbecues and birthday parties. She was spoiled.

That's what made it a little harder to take when I got the news that they had to put her to sleep. She'd been in poor health for some time. She'd lost her eyesight, couldn't move her back legs and was just generally shutting down. The decision, according to my sister-in-law, was one of the hardest they've ever had to make.

How do you explain the death of a pet? Have you had to put a pet to sleep or explain the sudden death of an animal to your son or daughter? How did you do it? What did you say? Tell us in the comments.

After hearing the news, I wondered about my nephew. Not yet a teenager, he's always been a tough cookie, but I just knew this would come as a big blow to him. That dog was as much his as it was my brother and sister-in-law's. They were siblings. They were buddies.

All of this got me thinking, how do you explain the loss of a pet to a child? We have a cat who's 17 and it's inevitable that sometime soon, we may have to make a similar decision. I can't even begin to know where to start.

How do you explain the death of a pet? Have you had to put a pet to sleep or explain the sudden death of an animal to your son or daughter? How did you do it? What did you say? Tell us in the comments.