When a Pet Dies is a wonderful book by Fred Rogers, better known as Mister Rogers. As the title suggests, it explores pet loss and the many emotions that come up afterward. Here’s my take on this incredible work by an incredible man.
In When a Pet Dies, Mister Rogers acknowledges that losing a pet is an extremely painful experience. He says that it may bring sadness and anger, and that someone who has experienced that loss may want to spend extra time around loved ones or have extra time alone. Further, he makes it clear that, over time, it will become easier to remember the good times with the pet without feeling as upset. In all of this, he encourages families to go through the book together, talk about how they’re all feeling, and include each other in whatever ways they have of working through the pain and paying tribute to their pet.
Because When a Pet Dies is intended for young kids, it is written simply and clearly. I like simple things since I can get confused easily, even when I’m feeling good. When I’m feeling upset and overwhelmed, I can’t understand anything complicated. That’s when I turn to works that are clear, simple, and direct. Like the rest of Mister Rogers’ work, When a Pet Dies is extremely simple and easy to understand. The book is also quite short at just 27 pages, all of which have big pictures and small amounts of text. This makes it even easier to embrace its comforting messages.
When a Pet Dies helped me immensely after losing my dog Sawyer. I lost him last April and didn’t get the book until shortly before Christmas. Although I had healed a lot by the time I read it on Christmas and again in the early hours of 2023, I still found value in the book. The truths it contains, alongside the comforting reminders that it’s ok to feel upset, were incredibly touching. I’ve written before about how much I admire Mister Rogers. A huge part of that admiration comes from how he always made it safe to feel sad, scared, angry, and every other emotion, and he certainly did that with this book. Even today, I still often need permission, whether from myself or someone else, to fully explore the deepest and most painful emotions. When a Pet Dies is full of such permission. It reminded me of the episode of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood he did on death. His calm, comforting demeanor was a blessing in both that episode and this book.
If you or someone you know has lost a pet, I highly recommend checking out When a Pet Dies. It can provide comfort to those who are hurting, suggest ways of healing from an incredibly painful loss, and act as a stepping stone toward greater peace. There is a lot of cruelty and bad information about loss in the world. That makes this work of love and good information even more essential. I hope it helps you or someone you love find peace and comfort.