Nikki - When pet's grieve.

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Losing a pet is so hard, I can name every pet that I've sadly had to say good-bye to over the years. And as humans we go through the grieving process as we would losing a good friend or family member. I've often wondered if pets that out-live their owners go through the same process of grieving as we do, until recently. I got my answer this year. I want to introduce you to a new member of my family, Nikki. Nikki is now my mother's dog... She is a beautiful black lab with such a gentle and kind spirit. She greets every stranger as if they are long lost friends that she hasn't seen in a long time, welcoming them back home. She is quiet an amazing dog and her story is equally as amazing as she is also. Nikki was given to my cousin, Jerry. She was then a puppy and Jerry fell in love with Nikki. They were inseparable.. She followed Jerry every step that he took and had no idea that one day that she would follow him (her owner) to his grave. Jerry was murdered one Autumn day in 2005. I don't think Nikki missed a day walking to our family cemetery. It was as if she knew he was there and she was paying her respects and "grieving" the loss of her owner and best friend for years. My aunt (Jerry's mother) then took ownership of Nikki. Nikki started adjusting to her new owner and did so amazingly well, it was as if they both had someone to grieve with and reminisce with, as they made their way through the loss of someone that they both loved with all of their heart. Again, Nikki and my aunt were as inseparable, as she and Jerry were. They walked everyday to my cousin's grave. She, in fact, followed my aunt everywhere just as she had done with Jerry. In June, of this year, My aunt suddenly got sick, and Nikki seemed to know how bad it was before the rest of us knew. She wouldn't let my aunt out of her sight and suddenly became very protective of my aunt. She would growl at anyone who came near her as if my aunt was her first priority and her job was to protect her from any and all harm. She even "eyed" family who dropped by to visit (something she had never done before) and watched them carefully if they were too close to my aunt. After a hospital stay, my aunt was back home with Nikki and still quite sick. Nikki decided that she needed to stay on my aunt's bed... she wouldn't move unless she had to go out to use the bathroom or to eat. But as soon as she was done... she was right back on the bed, beside my aunt just watching her and taking care of her in her own way. My aunt had a turn for the worse and test results came back to confirm our worst fears, she was diagnosed with lung cancer. As my aunt got worse and worse, and it had only been 3 weeks since her diagnoses. One morning my aunt called the EMT's and was taken to the hospital where she died en route to the hospital. Once again, Nikki was owner-less. You could feel her sadness as people came to my aunt's home to pay their respects. Nikki no longer growled at people walking into the house, her job as bodyguard was done. She again greeted each person with a tail wagging, face licking, welcome as she had before. Having out-lived 2 owners. Grieving again, and again walking to the family cemetery everyday without fail. Two graves, two owners, and Nikki is missing them both badly. Nikki went through her own illness shortly after the death of her friend, She was taken to the pet hospital and found to have kidney stones that had to be removed. My mother then became Nikki's friend, watching over her and administering her medications and taking care of her post surgical wound. Nikki looked forward to my mother's visits and loved having her near by. Nikki adopted my mother as she had my aunt. It's as if they are healing each others wounds of the heart. A sweet friendship has formed over the summer, one out of need and love. My mother "inherited" Nikki, and she is adjusting to, yet another owner in her life. They take trips to the cemetery everyday to say "hi" and pay their respects to her previous owners...... her friends. Do pets really grieve? A few years ago, I don't think that I could answer that.. today I know for a fact that they do. Have you ever inherited a pet? How well was the adjustment period? Could you feel your new pet grieve too?