Saying Goodbye to Our Lockdown Pets

A Frankston family’s farewell to their COVID companion

Editor’s Note
This story touches on one of the hardest experiences many families face, saying goodbye to a much-loved pet when circumstances change. It has been written with deep compassion and care, to honour the loyalty of our animals and the difficult decisions that sometimes come with love.
It isn’t about blame or judgment, it’s about understanding, responsibility, and kindness in its purest form.

When the world slowed down in 2020, many of us found comfort in unexpected places, in the wag of a tail, the thud of paws across the floor, or the soft weight of a pet resting beside us.

With the world suddenly closed and our usual connections out of reach, our pets became the steady heartbeat in homes that had fallen quiet. They reminded us that even when life felt uncertain, love could still be simple, a nudge for a walk, a head on our lap, a reason to get up each morning.

Our animals became our constants through isolation, our source of calm and connection when everything else felt uncertain.

For one local family, that companion was a proud and loyal Akita who arrived during the long months of lockdown. Together they built routines that gave meaning to each day, quiet walks, shared meals, and a friendship that didn’t need words. He wasn’t just a pet, he was family.

But life doesn’t stand still. As time passed and a baby arrived, the home filled with new sounds, laughter, cries, toys scattered across the floor. The Akita didn’t understand this sudden change. The attention he’d once had all to himself was now divided, and his protectiveness became confusion. Jealousy crept in quietly, not out of malice but out of a heart that didn’t know where it fit anymore.

The family tried everything they could to help him adjust. They sought advice from behaviour specialists, spent hours reading, learning, and adapting their routines. But despite all the guidance and love, the signs of aggression became stronger, unpredictable moments that brought fear into what had once been pure trust. It became clear, through heartbreak and professional advice, that the situation couldn’t safely continue.

And so, after every option had been explored and every tear already shed, the decision was made, not out of anger or frustration, but from deep, responsible love. Love that protects and love that has to let go.

When the day came to say goodbye, it was filled with both tears and so much heartbreak.

The team at Beach Street Veterinary Clinic in Frankston were extraordinary, gentle, patient, and kind. They didn’t rush. They gave time for quiet goodbyes, explained each step softly, and treated the dog with dignity and respect.

In that room, there was peace, not fear, just love and gratitude.

It wasn’t just the end of a life, but the closing of a chapter that had carried a family through some of the hardest years the world has known. COVID pets were there when we needed comfort most, and now, as life moves forward, many families face that same painful decision to let go.

If you’ve faced that goodbye, know you’re not alone. Our community is filled with compassionate vets and animal carers who understand that saying farewell is an act of love, and that grief for a pet is as real and valid as any other.

Rest peacefully, beautiful friend. Your pawprints remain, not just in one family’s home, but in the heart of a community that knows what it means to love, and to let go.

Written by Sally Syle, in loving memory of Thor,
and for everyone who has ever had to say goodbye to a beloved pet.