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Suffocating Love
It’s truly remarkable—in a world where there’s so much animal suffering, there’s also so much love for animals! Sometimes it really is a difference between night and day, between life and death, and yet that love can sometimes be very suffocating for the animals. Maybe you can relate—perhaps you have a pet yourself or have had one in the past, and you know just how much love you have for that animal. It’s actually incredibly special how we, as humans, are coming to love animals more and more; you see it everywhere around you: there are more and more pet stores and veterinarians, parties you can throw to celebrate your dog’s birthday, dog treats, special food, so many different accessories, vacations with your pet, and cars and homes that are designed with the animal in mind.
Back in the day
And then I listen to stories from my grandparents, who were born in the 1940s, as they talk about the past and the present and the animals. They say that pet food simply didn’t exist back then; the animals just ate whatever was left over from the table, In that sense, animals were actually quite free—they weren’t really kept as pets; they roamed freely, sometimes had multiple owners or lived in multiple homes—and when we look at things now, 80 years later, so much has changed. Dog cafés, animal welfare organizations, vegan restaurants, and so on!
Live Reading
And yet, during a live session at a trade show—where I gave a number of readings, to be precise, to eight dogs and six people—the overarching theme that hung in the air was suffocating love. All the dogs understood their owners’ love, their concern, the tears rolling down their cheeks. But they also realized why their owners were sitting across from me. And often, they’d start the consultation right away: “Yes, I know why she’s here. She’s worried.” My health! And that really was the theme of the day, and it’s actually absolutely beautiful how much love we have for our animals. But that worry, those concerns—seeing your pet possibly in pain, you as a human expecting the animal to be in pain, wanting to keep it with you, not wanting to think about death—these are all things that were said and thought by both humans and animals.
They can feel it
And it’s good to realize that animals truly feel all that concern—and it comes from a good place, because we love them so much—but to the animals, it still feels very suffocating, especially for dogs; we know that dogs are very loyal. Loyal to an owner, to a human, and because of that loyalty—that complete loyalty to their human—they also find it difficult to let go of life when the time comes. And we, as humans, are often the ones who have to take them to the vet to have them put to sleep. Whereas, if we look at cats, by the time they’re nearing the end of their lives, they’re worried that they’ll escape, so they can go in the way they want to.
Awareness
And as wonderful as it is that we love our pets so much, do you ever stop to think about how it feels for your pet? And even though they truly feel your love and understand where it comes from, it’s often been said: leave your worries with the vet. What they mean by that is: take your pet to the vet, tell the vet what you think is wrong, let the vet do their job, and then leave those worries with the vet; take your pet home afterward and leave those worries behind, and live in the moment with your pet; tell them how well they’re doing, how strong they are, how healthy they are; try to lift their spirits—and your own—in this way, and you’ll see that it will strengthen your bond, but also that your pet will feel happier and stronger!
With love,
Priscilla
Suffocating Love
How remarkable it is—in a world where there is so much animal suffering, there is also so much love for animals. It can feel like the difference between night and day, between life and death. And yet, that same love can sometimes become suffocating for the animals we care for.
Maybe this sounds familiar. You have—or once had—a pet, and you know the deep love you feel for that animal. It’s truly special how we humans have come to love animals more and more. You see it everywhere: pet stores, more veterinarians than ever, birthday parties for dogs, dog cakes, special foods, endless accessories, holidays with pets, and cars and homes designed with animals in mind.
In the past
When I think about the stories my grandparents told me—they were born in the 1940s—it’s incredible how much has changed. Back then, pet food didn’t exist. Animals simply ate leftovers from the table. Pets were freer; they weren’t really “kept.” They roamed around, sometimes had multiple owners and multiple homes. And now, eighty years later, look how different things are: dog cafés, animal welfare organizations, vegan restaurants, and so much more!
Live Reading
And yet, during a live session at a fair where I gave several readings—eight dogs and six people—one main theme emerged: suffocating love.
All the dogs understood their owners’ love, their worries, and their tears. They also understood why their humans were sitting in front of me. Often, they were the ones to start the session: “I know why she’s here. She’s worried—about my health!”
It was touching to see how much love people have for their pets. But that worry, that constant fear of pain, the reluctance to let go—the animals feel all of it deeply. It stems from love, yes, but for them it can feel heavy, even suffocating.
They feel it
It’s important to realize that animals truly sense our worries. Especially dogs—loyal, devoted, and faithful to their humans. Because of that deep loyalty, they often find it difficult to let go of life when the time comes. And so, we as humans are often the ones who must take them to the vet to say goodbye.
Cats, on the other hand, often choose their own moment. When their time comes, they slip away quietly, to go their own way.
Awareness
As beautiful as our love for animals is, take a moment to consider how it feels for them. They truly sense your love and understand where it comes from, but many animals say the same thing: leave your worries at the vet.
What they mean is this: take your pet to the vet, share your concerns, let the vet do their job — and then leave those worries behind. Take your pet home and live in the moment. Tell them how strong, brave, and healthy they are. Lift their spirits—and your own—and you’ll see your bond grow stronger. Your pet will feel lighter, happier, and more at peace.
With love,
Priscilla
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