After losing his dog, John Mayer shared a truth about loving animals that resonated deeply

John Mayer, an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist, lost his dog on December 5. Moose, his furbaby, he said, had entered his life when he was craving love, and for 14 years, it was their bond that kept him going. A week later, Mayer opened up about his unimaginable loss and the impact Moose's demise had left on him in an episode of "Life with John Mayer," released on SiriusXM. The musician sounded emotional as he confessed how losing Moose now feels like the end of an era, saying goodbye to the person he was when with his dog. 

Mayer has always used his platform to speak exclusively about his music, but this time, it was different. He said he'd contemplated sharing about losing Moose, but wanted to stay true to his audience. "I know that it is a rite of passage if you own a dog, and Moose was my dog. And if you had told me 14 years ago that I could have Moose, but that I'd have to say goodbye, 14 years later, I'd say, 'Give me that damn dog.' And I did," he said, while trying hard to hold back his tears. Mayer, who loved his dog unconditionally, expressed how he had to say goodbye to a certain era of his life that was so important to him after losing Moose. The musician went on to recall how his dog hated his music; in fact, he wasn't really comfortable around loud music in general. Moving on, he expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the people who extended their condolences to him. "It is what we go through in life. We say goodbye to dogs, and it is terribly sad," Mayer added. 

Losing a pet is never easy, no matter how prepared you are. Various studies have also found that mourning pet parents experience grief similar to losing a human companion. In fact, research by the University of Hawaii found that 4% of bereaved pet parents experience grief that is so extreme and long-lasting that it soon begins to interfere with their daily functioning. Likewise, another 2022 study found that up to 20% of pet owners experience the same intensity of grief even after a year of losing their pets. The study called it "disenfranchised grief" — mourning that society often undervalues. 

Meanwhile, reacting to Mayer's heartfelt confession, @lolaleigh77 commented, "Aww man. Sometimes animals can be a soulmate. He's still around." @lmaa9 said, "It's hard to bear, waking up in the morning without your dog on your bed, tail wagging... The first day, tears ran down my cheek. Then I remembered he crossed the rainbow bridge, and somehow I know we all will meet someday. Don't laugh at me, but that's my way to deal with losses. A lot of them were my dearest friends, and before I get lost in depression, I will be looking forward to when we'll meet again!"

Similarly, @wandacooper1 wrote, "It's so sad to hear about the loss of your dog. Our family dog lived to be 15, and we still talk about him all these years later, remembering the good times we had together. John, you will be alright. RIP Moose. Peace." @mikem668 shared, "Very sad, John. The day my wife made the decision to put our dog down was worse than the day I had to decide to put her in a hospice. My son and I walked around the neighborhood crying when my wife went into the vet's office. Dog lovers who experience this multiple times are stronger than I am. But we have precious memories."

You can follow John Mayer France (@johnmayerfr) on YouTube for more updates about the musician.

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