Grief may be a human emotion, but dogs definitely feel it too. At least, that’s what was seen in this heartbreaking yet heartwarming story.
Sadie, a 13-year-old Border Collie, Dalmatian, and Shepherd mix, recently lost her beloved owner, Andy Beaulieu, to a sudden heart attack.
Sadie, raised by Beaulieu since she was a puppy, immediately sensed his absence and began showing signs of grief.
“She was putting her head on his hand and tried to nuzzle him,” Jeremy May, President of Elements Cremation, told People, describing how Sadie responded at the scene.
Used to accompanying her owner to work each day, Sadie was devastated in the ten days between Beaulieu’s death and his funeral. Waiting at the window for her owner, she refused to eat or sleep alone, eventually losing a significant amount of weight. Julia Beaulieu, Andy’s wife, recognized that Sadie needed closure and arranged for her to attend the funeral service.
When Sadie entered the visitation, she approached the casket with Julia, gently placing her front paws on it and looking in before stepping down. Her actions moved everyone in the room, with May recalling: “There wasn’t a dry eye in the house.”
Following her farewell, Sadie returned home and finally resumed eating, soon settling back into her routine. This service marked a powerful moment for May, highlighting a growing trend in funeral planning: the inclusion of pets.
“More people are choosing to include their pets or other personalized elements in their services,” May explained, as Elements often helps families honor these unique requests.
While Sadie’s attendance hadn’t been pre-planned, May encourages those who wish to have pets included in their own services to document these wishes.
Doing so can ensure that both family and pets find closure together, honoring the deeply emotional bonds that people share with their animals.
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