Pet grief: The house seemed eerily empty and for a long time afterwards, we thought we could hear him scratch at the door

"An old English Sheepdog, Douglas became a major, beloved part of the Horan family - when he passed away, they were heartbroken..."

"When 'get a dog' was the solemn advice of the garda detective standing in our back garden, who were we to argue?"

"Leading up to this particular morning, we had toyed with the idea but had come to the conclusion that it was all too much. The commitment, the walking, the floor-mopping. That lingering 'doggy' smell..."

Douglas arrived after a garda detective suggested the family 'get a dog' while in their back garden. The family initially hesitated because of the commitment, walking, cleaning and lingering dog smell. Those concerns gave way as Douglas grew into an integral, much-loved presence in daily life. Douglas provided companionship and helped shape household routines. His death provoked deep sadness and grief across the family, revealing the intensity of emotional bonds formed with a long-term pet and the lasting impact a dog can have on a household.

Read at Independent