Alison Curtis: The loss of a pet is huge - we are heartbroken we've lost a part of our family

"The loss of a furry family member is immense. Some people might not understand the impact it can have on people or the depth of grief that comes with the pet passing."

Alison Curtis: My sister's dog had to be put to sleep and we are heartbroken. Pic: Marc O'Sullivan

We lost a very important member of our family last week. My sister came to the heartbreaking decision to put her companion of nearly 10 years to sleep. Her adorable dog Tadoo, my nephew, was the sweetest most gentle little Shiba Inu she rescued from a horrible life in 2012.

Sadly over the past few weeks, his health declined to the point where he wasn’t able to eat on his own and his back legs were no longer able to support him.