Does anyone feel for their pets?

[Here2Talk]

Got our dog desexed today. All growing up my family got it done to our pets, but for the first time I feel sad about it. Not depressed sad, just a strange feeling of sadness... it’s weird because a couple of weeks later the dog won’t know or care- it’s a strange quirk of the human condition to consider such things....

Anyone else have stories or just a tendency for their empathy for their pets to be so much it hurts?

Take care.

[therising]

Hi Here2Talk

I always feel for such sensitive people like yourself. To feel such a connection and so much compassion is one of the things that makes you so beautifully unique.

Wondering if you find your compassion to be deeply challenging at times. The more intense the feeling of compassion, the more intense the challenge. I believe pets feel at such a deep level too, in so so many ways. I recall having a cat I truly loved, throughout some of my years in depression. I swear she could sense when I was really down, as she'd often come up to me in these moments and just sit on my lap or lie beside me. I think of the types of animals that are employed to sense things such as dogs that sense when their companion is about to experience an epileptic seizure or dogs that can sense active cancer cells in people. It's also incredible how animals can sense a natural disaster coming. Maybe this is one of the reasons why highly sensitive people have such a strong connection to animals; they're both so sensory based.

I'm wondering whether you're sensing not necessarily how you're feeling about your dogs operation but instead his/her change in energy. As you mention, in a couple of weeks he'll/she'll be back to his/her old self. Wondering how you'll be feeling in a couple of weeks, once your dog regains his/her energy. Perhaps over the next couple of weeks you could focus on nursing your dog back to well being. Of course with your dog not being able to talk back to you, I bet he/she could still easily sense the kindness and care in your tone when you ask 'Are you okay? Is there anything you'd like me to do for you?'. Perhaps you could even see whether you could sense what your dog needs on these occasions - a pat, a brush, a bedtime story read (the soothing sound of your voice), or maybe some special treats to eat.

Take care and stay sensitive. You're beautiful 🙂

[Here2Talk]

Thanks therising for some lovely words. You are beautiful too 🙂

Yeah I don’t know, when I posted that I hadn’t seen her yet since being desexed... I see animals as worthy of respect just like humans... in a way it’s kind of like a sorrow for the fact that our dog didn’t choose to have a hysterectomy.... but then neither would it be kind if male dogs got to her and we had to get rid of all of her babies... It’s not something that will cause me a great deal of trouble into the future, just a little bit of mourning that she’s now lost what nature designed her to do.. again not that we wanted to have puppies (she is not an adult dog yet anyway). I just felt it would honour the fact that I don’t take lightly any decisions about the welfare of any creature - human or animal. And I seem to have so much empathy for sentient beings that it hurts at times...

[therising]

Hi Here2Talk

I get what you mean. I've always been a cat person, looked after female cats to be more specific. Each one of them was desexed. You've triggered me to think back to when I also had feelings about this. A few questions I recall: Does an animal mourn in some way, not being able to have their own? Do they sense their inability to produce? Is this right or is it kind of arrogant for humans to do this, in this way?

Although it doesn't seem fair somehow, I can make better sense of it now. If cat's or dogs were in the wild they'd function as nature intended, keeping in mind that nature can be harsh in many ways, with predators and such. They'd produce multiple offspring as often as possible, to increase the chances of a handful of offspring surviving. Being so well cared for by us, I suppose we have to act like nature to some degree, provide some form of animal control (of numbers). Whether it's the right kind is a whole other story. Before medicine and care became so advanced in this world, people also had less of a need for birth control, based on such low survival rates in infants. Now we do.

The connections we make with creatures/creation is so important, giving us our connection to life. Whether it's a person, an animal or a tree, all thrive on what we give to them and what they give to us (what we share). I imagine you'd agree that it's a lack of sensitivity that generates a disconnection in life. While my sensitivity challenges me at times, I couldn't survive without such a connection.

I hope your little pup recovers well. She's lucky to have you in her life 🙂