My friend equates the death of her pet to the death of my son

By Abigail Van Buren

DEAR ABBY: A dear friend of 12 years recently lost her beloved dog (who she called her third child) to old age. She chose to put the dog down because of health problems and has been racked with guilt ever since.

I lost my 19-year-old son 10 years ago to suicide. This has been the worst decade of my life, and I grieve for him every day. My friend has been equating the death of her pet to the death of my son, which has caused a major rift in our relationship. It is not only insulting but also beyond hurtful to me to hear that the passing of a pet is as painful and tragic as the loss of my son.

I have told her time and time again there is no comparing the loss of a human child to the loss of a canine “child,” yet she continues to disagree. How should I deal with her and this situation? Your advice would be greatly appreciated.

— GRIEVING MOM IN THE SOUTH

https://www.nj.com/advice/2024/11/dear-abby-my-friend-equates-the-death-of-her-pet-to-the-death-of-my-son.html