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Essay On Pet Grieving

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Pet Bereavement The relationship between people and animals has changed in the last 50 years. Animals who live with people have traditionally been called ‘pets’. They now tend to be referred to as ‘companion animals’. This change in terminology implies a mutual relationship between humans and animals which has been described as the ‘human-animal bond’. This relationship seems to be deepening. Many owners consider their companion animals to be a family member and there are many other benefits of pet-ownership other than the obvious companionship. Pets help maintain the health and well-being of their owners. They act as social lubricants or ice-breakers, particularly with the disabled, ill or socially awkward people. Pets stabilize the lives of their owners with their constant presence, unconditional love and emotional support. Pets are often …show more content…

There are may myths relating to grief that actually prolong the grieving process - such as remaining strong and composed, or staying busy after pet loss. The normal healthy grieving process is just that - a process not an event. This process goes through a number of phases. Grief often begins with anticipated loss, particularly in the case of long-running illness or euthanasia. At this stage, owners start the process of saying ‘Goodbye’ to their pets and some owners start to become detached. Immediately after the death of a pet the owner often feels shock or denial. The middle phases of grief involve emotional pain and suffering for the owner. The last phase of grief is recovery where owners often find meaning in the death of their pet. There is often no clear beginning or end to the grieving process. Each person grieves differently and frequently get stuck in one of the phases, and skip others. In a family, if there are differences in the way that people express grief it can occasionally created discord due to a perceived lack of

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