Where the Red Fern Grows Women and Femininity Quotes

How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)

Quote #10

Hearing a whimper, I turned around. There in the doorway to the room stood my sisters. I could tell by the looks on their faces that they had been watching for some time. They looked pitiful standing there in their long white gowns. I felt sorry for them. (19.76)

Why does Billy feel sorry for his sisters if he's the one who is about to lose his dogs? Is this just him being extra sensitive, or is there a particular reason that losing the dogs would be hard for them?