09/26/2024
September is Su***de Prevention Awareness Month!
Did you know that some very special companion animals have helped prevent su***de in humans?
It’s no wonder, since their ability to tune in to our feelings and emotions is highly prevalent. Those of us who have companion animals know that they are a great source of emotional support for their human counterparts.
In Rupert Sheldrake’s book Dogs That Know When Their Owners are Coming Home, he shares a story about a dog who prevented his owner’s su***de.
One day, a woman in England who was having very stressful marital issues, decided to end her life. She left her dogs and cats sleeping comfortably in front of the fireplace. The woman went into the kitchen for a glass of water and some medication tablets that she planned to use to kill herself. Suddenly, her beloved English Springer Spaniel, William, jumped up, ran in front of her and, for the first time in his fifteen years of life, snarled at her.
“Horrified, I replaced the bottle top and, genuinely afraid of the dog, I went back into the room and sat on the sofa. William bounded after me, leaped onto me and began frantically licking my face, his whole body wagging.”
William was clearly very satisfied with himself for stopping his guardian from taking her own life that day. But William isn’t the only companion animal who has prevented su***de before.
In some cases, animals have prevented su***de by alerting others. Another example from Sheldrake’s book highlights this in a story about a German dog called Rexina.
Rexina was left in the house by her guardian, while he went to a shed in the garden with the intention to end his life. The dog waited by the door, but after a while, she howled and came running to the other members in the household. Dagmar Schneider, the son of the man who wanted to end his life, noticed that the dog was very excited and that his father had been gone for quite some time. Concerned, he went out to the shed to fetch his father. When Dagmar found his father, his father said, “Thank God you came!” He later admitted his plan to commit su***de. “Rexina had felt it, and if she had not been there we would have been too late.”
Dogs aren’t the only animals who stop people from killing themselves. Cats, too, have stopped people from committing su***de.
A man named P. Broccard tells a story of a Swiss cat named Pamponette who stopped him from ending his life. One day, he was feeling particularly low and wanted to kill himself. His cat must have sensed the state he was in because that day she did not leave his side for even a moment.
“She, who normally never meows, meowed all day, and she rubbed her head against mine each time I sat down. In the afternoon Pomponette usually slept with my other four cats, but she never left my side, and during the night she slept next to my pillow, where she does not normally like to stay.”
Companion animals have a special ability to remind us that we are loved, supported and have a purpose here on earth. For some of us, that purpose may be to just exist with our beloved animal companions.
If you are ever battling with suicidal thoughts and, for whatever reason, cannot contact a professional for help, our inbox is always open. We know firsthand the toll suicidal thoughts can take, so please remember that you are loved and you have a purpose! And for those of you who have lost a loved one to su***de, please consider joining a support group or reaching out to a professional for help with the grieving process. You are not alone.
