Do Pets Mourn The Loss Of Another Animal?

Pet owners express bereavement when their pet dies. But do animals mourn the loss of one another? Charles Darwin was one of the first people to note how animals share similar expressions to us including sorrow and grief. He described these observations in “The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals. These opinions however are not universally accepted. David Appleby MSc CCAB director of APBC (Association of Pet Behaviour Counsellors) said: “This raises the question of what mourning is. Is it the emotional reaction to the loss of something we are attached to/dependent upon? If so the answer may be yes in as much as an animal's expectations and, in some cases their emotional needs are not met. Of course their experience of grief is likely to be different to our own. Their is some evidence to suggest that letting a pet see the dead body of a companion helps it adjust and perhaps this is because it is easier for it to adjust its expectations.” The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals conducted a project entitled Companion Animal Mourning (1966). The study found that 36% percent of dogs ate less than usual after the death of a canine companion; 11% stopped eating completely; 63% of dogs vocalised more than normal or became quieter. The study also found that dogs changed their sleep patterns and location of their sleep. More than half of the animals surveyed became more affectionate and clingy with their caregivers. And 66% exhibited four or more behavioural changes after their loss. Although there appears to be no academic research to confirm or deny these claims, there is plenty of antedoctal evidence to suggest that in some species such as cats, dogs and horses, mourning and sorrow does exist. Daily Telegraph pet columnist and author, Celia Haddon, describes how the death of her cat, Fat Mog affected her remaining cat, William. “My cat William seemed to look for Fat Mog after her death. She had bullied him for years and I can't say they were friends but he gave the impression that he thought she might turn up again. He couldn't and wouldn't sit on her favourite chair and for at least a month, he didn't dare get on the bed in the morning - something she did and hadn’t let him do. After about four weeks he seemed to get it that she was no longer there. I didn't show him her body because I just couldn't bear to take it home from the vet.” Although not all species react to death in the same way, most appear to demonstrate loss in some way. Mairwen Guard MBE, founder of CottonTails Rescue said: “Rabbits experience bereavement in most cases as they are very social animals and have a strong need for social interaction. Whether and how they mourn the loss of another depends strongly on the quality of their relationship. In most cases, rabbits will benefit from being matched up again, but this must be done carefully and expert advice should be sought. Exceptions to this can be elderly rabbits where the disadvantages of introducing another individual may out way the benefits, this being illustrated by house rabbits Roswell and Dawson owned by Christine Mourne. Roswell and Dawson were rescued house rabbits that had been paired in a rescue centre. They were owned by Christine Mourne. “I didn’t believe that rabbits had the capacity to show their sadness. When Roswell became very ill and lost the quality of life, we made the decision to put her down. Her long time companion Dawson went with her to the vets. When the vet gave Roswell her fatal injection, we put Dawson on the table so that he could see her for the last time. The look in his eyes was of sheer terror as if he was going to be next (possibly due to the scent of fear rather the awareness of the situation). At the time, we thought it would help him to accept and move on with his life. For the next few weeks, he was very quiet and just went and sat in a darkened corner. But he ate and drank. So we left him alone. Both of the rabbits were getting quite old so my husband and I made the decision not to get a replacement for Roswell. In his own little way Dawson did show grief, in his eyes and body language. His coat became coarse where it had once been silky. Fortunately, this only lasted a couple of weeks before it would seem he learned to cope then milk the situation because he was always crafty. ” Each animal is different and no one knows a pet better than its owner. Some symptoms of grieving may be:

• Signs of grieving and mourning
• Lack of interest and energy
• Absence of play
• Listlessness/moping
• Reduced social interactions
• Increased daytime sleeping
• Weight loss/loss of interest in food and eating
• Coarsening of fur
• Loss of sparkle in eyes
• Closed body language

(from www.petplace.com – Dogs Grieve their owner’s passing by Dr Nicholas Dodman) The important thing to remember is that all animals are individuals. Species have different temperaments, too, and these need to be taken into consideration. Advice for pets who mourn the loss of another animals

• Let the pet see the dead body *.
• Let your pet gradually adjust to the new circumstances
• Gradually remove traces of the dead animal – don’t rush
• Leave a scent reminder because it may be a comfort
• Don’t change routines quickly – if there is no routine start one – routines can be comforting and help overcome insecurities
• Peace and quiet
• Tasty meals
• Warmth and security
• TLC
• Empathy
• Patience on the part of the owner

There are differing opinions as to the benefits of one pet seeing the dead body of another. Some experts suggest that this provides closure for the animal and that in the wild, this is how animals learn to cope by putting closure on their association. Others say that animals do not take any notice and will carry on regardless. The bottom line is that pets are different and each pet bonds with another in a different way therefore there is no hard and fast rule as to which stance the owner should take. It depends on the animal and its relationship with the dead pet. ** Remember that if your remaining pet looks as though he needs the vet – take him. It is better to be safe than sorry. Julie Bedford, Head of Animal Behaviour Services for the Blue Cross says, “When possible, always allow other pets to see and sniff the pet that has died, it will help them come to terms with their loss.” Nigel Walton, Managing Director of Poffins agrees that animals should be shown the dead body. Offering advice and guidelines to an owner whose pet has suffered bereavement can be of great comfort although there is no research that suggests any of the advice works but it is better than nothing. The best healer of all is time and patience. Free pet bereavement support is offered by: Blue Cross Pet Bereavement Service [email protected] telephone number 0800 096 6606 Poffins – pet bereavement products www.poffins.co.uk telephone number 01869 244010 (free service) Rabbit Welfare Association www.rabbitwelfare.co.uk Telephone number 01403 267 658 Press release by Marketing Ideas UK / Sue Hunter BA (Hons) MCIPR Email address: [email protected] Phone number 01489 78 6755

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