The loss of a pet is not an easy matter to assimilate. For this reason, when Wendy O’Grady lost her dog, she fell into an emotional shock that did not allow her to get out of bed and, added to the pain that she already felt, the woman went through the painful situation of being fired from work. her.

Her dog was part of her family but no one could understand her pain and now her story invites us to reflect on how society accepts the loss of a pet.

O’Grady is 47 years old and worked as a retail store supervisor in Surrey, England. Her life was peaceful by standards, but that tranquility weighed heavily on a being that came into her life to transform her.

It was about her dog Zac, whom she met in 2009. The furry one was a gift from her husband Mike. The man brought the Labrador home to revive Wendy, not realizing how important the dog would become to both of them.

With more than 15 years of marriage, this couple had not been able to conceive. Wendy has experienced more than 10 miscarriages, so the arrival of the 9-month-old puppy was a true blessing for her.

In that creature he managed to unleash all the love he had to give and the dog had become fully deserving of all that love due to his personality.

“It was a really difficult time. I just couldn’t conceive and we were having a hard time. So when Mike bought Zac’s house, he totally lit up our lives. It was an instant connection,” Wendy noted.

The news tore them apart and even worse because they knew there wasn’t much to do. The disease had advanced and spread throughout his body, trying any treatment was prolonging the pain for the dog.

Heartbroken, Wendy and her husband gave up their dog on the recommendation of their vet. What they didn’t realize was that while Jack’s pain would end, theirs would turn into a complete nightmare.

It was terrible for the couple to say goodbye to the furry one and in a special way for Wendy who loved him like a true son.

Losing Zac was like losing a child. I can’t even explain the pain. We were heartbroken. After 12 years, not seeing him knock on the door when I came home was heartbreaking.”

For the family, misfortune did not come alone because, that same week that her dog was fired, Wendy received the news about the illness of a loved one.

The woman developed an autoimmune disease known as Sjogren’s syndrome, which affects the parts of the body that produce fluids. Because of this, Wendy was forced to take 15 days off from her job, but her leave was not validated.

Sick, without her dog and also fired, the Englishwoman was forced to start over. Luckily her husband was with her and her mother-in-law also played an important role in her recovery.

Although for Wendy this dog is not a replacement for Jack at all, she knows that having him has been a relief. For her, her companion of 12 years will always be part of her best memories, but she is ready to write another story.

“I think people should be more open and just talk about it. We lost a member of our family and I think it should be addressed,” she explained.

For her there is still a lot to learn, but she would like to be that bridge to help other pet owners who are going through the same pain.

Undoubtedly, the world needs to internalize many things, such as the value that pets have for some families. Let’s learn to respect someone else’s owner and not minimize their feelings!