Saying farewell to an sick pet is incredibly painful, yet there’s some comfort in knowing they’re free from suffering. Mobile hospice vet Faith Banks highlighted the significance of uttering soothing words as your pet passes away.
In a TikTok video, she spoke about the profound effect last words have on both humans and animals, saying: “The last words you say to your pet are very special and very meaningful.”
She recounted her experience with the audiobook The Collective Regrets of Clover, which narrates the tale of a death doula who helps individuals and their families navigate the end-of-life journey. “In the story, she talks about a journal that she keeps with all the last words that people say just before they die – some of them are very deep and meaningful and some of them are very frivolous,” Banks noted.
She believes that this emotional connection isn’t limited to humans; animals too can sense the emotions behind the words spoken to them in their dying moments. Banks added: “I hear the final words many people say [to their pets] and they do stick with me. Many are the common or traditional things you’d think people would say – ‘I love you, thank you, I’ll miss you, see you again, wait for me’.”
Discussing a comment she ‘hates’ hearing, she said: “‘I’m sorry’ is one I don’t love to hear because I feel that those people have done so much for their pet. I understand you’re sorry you can no longer be together but I hope they’re not apologising for anything they have done wrong.”
As her post resonated with many, users began sharing their last words to their pets in the comments. One user admitted: “I said ‘It’s okay, you can go now. Mama will be fine.’ I lied, I wasn’t fine then, I am still not fine now. but he closed his eyes and took his final breath after my lie. I guess it was okay then.”
Another shared: “I believe the last words I said, were you better come back and see me so I know you’re OK.”
A third reflected on a significant loss: “I told my dog thank you for saving me, I wished I could’ve saved him too. I’m a combat veteran and he was my trained PTSD Service Dog. I lost him to kidney disease two years ago tomorrow.”
And a fourth recounted a poignant goodbye: “My 22-year-old cat passed away this past Friday, in my arms. while I was holding him I spoke to him, that I loved him so much and that I was going to miss him and thanked him for his unconditional love.”
“I just wanted to be there for him more, and I feel that whatever I said cannot even compare to what he has given me the past 22 years. I miss him so much, I just hope he felt how much I felt but could not describe, because the sadness of letting go was taking over and got at a loss of words. now I am looking for him in everything.”