17/03/2026
Working from home can sometimes be isolating, but luckily, I had my little friend, Eric, to keep me company for the past five and a half years.
Whenever I set up my laptop table, his ears would prick up, and he knew I was going to be still for the next fifty minutes… perfect for a little nap next to me
My supervisor had a rabbit (sadly, no longer alive) who sat with her sometimes - luckily they never saw each other… although once I had to answer the door to the postman and Eric jumped up onto the table to have a we**am ‘chat’ with my supervisor! All she could see was his big, furry face on the screen, looking inquisitively back at her.
This is a photo from 2023 - working/sleeping hard. When the session had finished, I closed my laptop and stood up, but he was dead to the world. It was a hard life being a Counsellor’s assistant
It’s with deep sadness that I write this post today. Our little Eric was recently put to sleep forever by his friend, Matt Jackson-Smith (from the TV series 'The Yorkshire Vet'). He was in the best and kindest of hands.
He had a degenerative lung condition and Mediastinal Lymphoma, and was getting very tired from working so hard to breathe.
He went to sleep peacefully, licking his favourite salmon oil from my hand and being stroked and kissed in our arms.
We wanted to give him some peace while he was still happy, rather than let him get worse and have to do it later when he would be in crisis and panicking.
He brought us so much joy, and I think we gave him a joyous life in return. We will miss his cheekiness, his adventurous spirit, his cuddles, and his ferrety smell. He was a real gentleman and made many of my clients smile.
The little man was loved beyond measure and has left his mark on our hearts and lives. The house feels a little quieter, and strange without him, and the tears have been flowing freely in our home since he left us, but we’re so grateful that he went with dignity and felt our love
Dook in peace, boy Until we meet again at the rainbow bridge
Most of the issues I work with, I have lived experience of - pet bereavement being one of them. If you are struggling with the loss of a beloved pet, please get in touch. They are never 'just an animal' - they're family members, and losing them can be painful beyond words. I would like to help you find the words, and I will never minimise what you are feeling. If there is one gift that I have been given by loving Eric that can help others, it is understanding what an impact animals can have on our mental health - whether they are alive or recently departed.
You don't have to suffer alone, and I promise I will support you to the best of my ability in your journey through grief, towards healing.
Michelle xx
