The loss of a pet A pet is an animal kept for companionship and enjoyment or a household animal, as opposed to wild animals or to livestock, laboratory animals, working animals or sport animals, which are kept for economic or productive reasons. The most popular pets are noted for their loyal or playful characteristics, for their attractive appearance, or for their or an animal Animals are a major group of mostly multicellular, eukaryotic organisms of the kingdom Animalia or Metazoa. Their body plan eventually becomes fixed as they develop, although some undergo a process of metamorphosis later on in their life. Most animals are motile, meaning they can move spontaneously and independently. All animals are also to which one has become emotionally bonded can be an intense loss,^[1] comparable with the death Death is the termination of the biological functions that sustain a living organism. The word refers both to the particular processes of life's cessation as well as to the condition or state of a formerly-living body of a human loved one, or even greater depending on the individual. While there is strong evidence that animals can feel Emotion in animals considers the question of what emotions certain species of non-human animals feel, in the sense that humans understand it. The debate concerns primarily mammals and birds, although emotions have also been postulated for other vertebrates and even for some invertebrates such loss for other animals,^[2] this article focuses on human Humans commonly refers to the species Homo sapiens , the only extant member of the Homo genus of bipedal primates in Hominidae, the great ape family. However, in some cases the term is used to refer to any member of the genus Homo feelings Emotion is the complex psychophysiological experience of an individual's state of mind as interacting with biochemical and environmental influences. In humans, emotion fundamentally involves "physiological arousal, expressive behaviors, and conscious experience". Emotion is associated with mood, temperament, personality and disposition,, when an animal is lost, dies or otherwise is departed.

Effect of animal loss on humans

There is no set amount of time for the grieving process to occur. However, mourning is much more intense for a pet upon whom the owner was emotionally dependent. Additionally, some pet owners may feel unable to express their grieving due to social mores surrounding pets. If the pet owner internalizes the grief, the suffering increases.^[3] Also, there can be a difference between male and female reactions to the loss of a pet. Men, especially in Western cultures, are socialized to internalize their feelings, and so though pet ownership is divided equally between males and females, males may feel it necessary to hide their grief.^[4]

The Stages of Grief The Kübler-Ross model, commonly known as the five stages of grief, was first introduced by Elisabeth Kübler-Ross in her 1969 book, On Death and Dying proposed by Dr. Elizabeth Kübler-Ross Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, M.D. was a Swiss-born psychiatrist, a pioneer in Near-death studies and the author of the groundbreaking book On Death and Dying (1969), where she first discussed what is now known as the Kübler-Ross model was designed in relation to human death, but can be adapted to describe the grief process for the loss of a pet.^[5] Indeed, pet loss includes several lessons: 1) the relationship rather than the object (the animal) is central to understand the loss; 2) the manner of death/loss will affect the grieving process; 3) the age and living situation of the bereaved will affect the grieving process.^[6]

Coping with loss

Though well meaning, phrases like "time heals all wounds" can simply upset the grieving pet owner. However it is true that the one factor required for all coping strategies is time.^[7] Coping also involves understanding the emotions surrounding the loss of a pet, and then accepting the emotions to focus towards positive solutions.

Coping strategies include:^[8]

• Avoid inhibiting grieving
• Strengthen positive memories
• Actively seek support from resources, organizations and individuals
• If spiritual or religious, seek solace
• Prepare in advance for the loss of the pet

After the loss of the animal or pet, there are further coping strategies available for the grieving individual:

• Consider changing your living environment by putting away pet-related items or rearranging the home
• Adjust the daily routine or schedule to avoid pet-related "moments"
• Express emotion through writing down experiences and memories
• Memorialize the lost pet
• Consider volunteer work or just helping out others around you
• Multi-pet households can focus on the remaining pets

Getting a new animal

One caveat is to carefully consider timing bringing a new pet into the home.^[9] Additionally, it is recommended to consider where the bereaved is in the grieving process.^[10] Choose the new pet for its own unique qualities rather than trying to replace the former pet.

Types of loss

Although most pets are lost due to euthanasia Euthanasia (from the Greek εὐθανασία meaning "good death": εὖ, eu + θάνατος, thanatos (death)) refers to the practice of ending a life in a manner which relieves pain and suffering. According to the House of Lords Select Committee on Medical Ethics, the precise definition of euthanasia is "a deliberate, there are several special types of loss:^[11]

• Pet is missing (considered an unresolved loss)
• Pet is lost through divorce/separation
• Pet is accidentally injured or killed

Workplace issues

Pet illness and loss is gradually becoming recognized as similar to other forms of sickness and death in the family. In the UK, a variety of companies provide paid leave for such eventualities,^[12] with employment tribunals backing this in some instances where employment terms did not specifically mention pet loss.^[13]

Recent studies by insurers suggest that up to one in four pet owners are sufficiently affected by pet loss or illness to take time off, but that many feel this will be treated lightly and hence simply state they were sick. According to Petplan, 35% of people admitted to taking time off work to either settle new pets into the home or care for sick pets, and half of those admitted taking a whole week off,^[14] and according to Direct Line Direct Line is a division of the Royal Bank of Scotland Group that specialises in selling insurance and other financial services over the phone and internet one in four pet owners "said they have been too upset to go into the workplace when their four legged friend died" and "many of those who did go into work after the death of their pet said they were unproductive." ^[15] The latter survey also noted that pet owners in the UK take "around 8 million days off" due to grief at the death of a pet, and that "seventy-nine percent of people responding to the survey admitted they did not think their boss would be sympathetic, and the only way they could get time off work was by ... pretending to be ill." ^[14]

Beliefs about non-human death

Non-denominational

Religions Religion is the belief in and worship of a god or gods, or a set of beliefs concerning the origin and purpose of the universe. It is commonly regarded as consisting of a person’s relation to God or to gods or spirits. Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories associated with their deity or deities, that are are divided as to whether non-human animals are believed to have souls A soul is the supposed incorporeal essence of a person or living thing. Many philosophical and spiritual systems teach humans are souls; some attribute souls to all living things and even inanimate objects ; this belief is commonly called animism. The soul is often believed to exit the body and live on after a person’s death, and some religions, reincarnate Reincarnation is believed to occur when the soul or spirit, after the death of the body, comes back to Earth in a newborn body. This phenomenon is also known as transmigration of the soul or none, and also whether or not animals will exist in the afterlife.

In the absence of a common religious belief, many pet owners have embraced the concept of the Rainbow Bridge. The concept, the origin of which is not clearly known, speaks of a metaphorical A metaphor is an analogy between two objects or ideas; the analogy is conveyed by the use of a metaphorical word in place of some other word. For example: "Her eyes were glistening jewels" or mythical The term mythology can refer to either the study of myths, or to a body of myths. For example, comparative mythology is the study of connections between myths from different cultures, whereas Greek mythology is the body of myths from ancient Greece. The term "myth" is often used colloquially to refer to a false story, but academic use of place of reunion where pets that die live in a paradisical Paradise is a place in which existence is positive, harmonious and timeless. It is conceptually a counter-image of the miseries of human civilization, and in paradise there is only peace, prosperity, and happiness. Paradise is a place of contentment, but it is not necessarily a land of luxury and idleness. It is often used in the same context as version of limbo In the theology of the Catholic Church, Limbo is a speculative idea about the afterlife condition of those who die in original sin without being assigned to the Hell of the damned. Limbo is not an official doctrine of the Roman Catholic Church or any other. Medieval theologians described the underworld ("hell", "hades", ", rejuvenated and free of pain and suffering, until their companion humans arrive upon their deaths.^[16] At this point, the pet(s) run to their companion humans, and they enter heaven In religion, Heaven is the English name for a transcendental realm in which it is believed that people who have died continue to exist in an afterlife. The term "heaven" may refer to the physical heavens, the sky or the seemingly endless expanse of the universe beyond, the traditional literal meaning of the term in English together, never to be parted again. Among pet owners who have embraced this concept, those pets who have died are often referred to as being At The Bridge or ATB.

Christianity

Some Christians take comfort in Bible verses or stories that seem to point to the existence of animals in heaven In religion, Heaven is the English name for a transcendental realm in which it is believed that people who have died continue to exist in an afterlife. The term "heaven" may refer to the physical heavens, the sky or the seemingly endless expanse of the universe beyond, the traditional literal meaning of the term in English, such as references to "the lion lying down with the lamb." Another popular passage is the well-known Matthew 5:8, "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God."

In LDS The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a restorationist Christian church, and the largest denomination originating from the Latter Day Saint movement founded by Joseph Smith, Jr. Founded in Upstate New York in 1830, the church is headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, and has established congregations (called wards or branches) theology Theology is the study of a god or, more generally, the study of religious faith, practice, and experience, or of spirituality, all organisms In biology, an organism is any contiguous living system . In at least some form, all organisms are capable of response to stimuli, reproduction, growth and development, and maintenance of homoeostasis as a stable whole. An organism may either be unicellular (single-celled) or be composed of, as in humans, many trillions of cells grouped into (as well as Earth Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets. It is sometimes referred to as the World, the Blue Planet,[note 6] or by its Latin name, Terra.[note 7] as a planet A planet is a celestial body orbiting a star or stellar remnant that is massive enough to be rounded by its own gravity, is not massive enough to cause thermonuclear fusion, and has cleared its neighbouring region of planetesimals.[a]) are believed to have a spirit The English word spirit has many differing meanings and connotations, all of them relating to a non-corporeal substance contrasted with the material body. The spirit of a human being is thus the animating, sensitive or vital principle in that individual, similar to the soul taken to be the seat of the mental, intellectual and emotional powers. The, but that beings without the gift of free agency (the ability to know and choose between right and wrong) are innocent and unblemished spirits who go straight to Heaven In religion, Heaven is the English name for a transcendental realm in which it is believed that people who have died continue to exist in an afterlife. The term "heaven" may refer to the physical heavens, the sky or the seemingly endless expanse of the universe beyond, the traditional literal meaning of the term in English when they die.^[17] Animals will be resurrected.^[18]

Animal chaplains

Animal chaplains Animal chaplains provide a wide array of services to the community, including pet loss grief support, animal memorial services, praying for animals who are sick or injured, comforting bereaved family members, holding hands with pet owners during surgery or animal euthanasia at a veterinary clinic or animal hospital, and performing animal blessing are becoming increasingly popular for helping the bereaved family members deal with the loss of their pet, to provide memorial services, give spiritual reassurance, and to provide grief counseling.

Pet loss resources

Resources for pet loss change regularly, but include grief counseling Grief counseling is a form of psychotherapy that aims to help people cope with grief and mourning following the death of loved ones, or with major life changes that trigger feelings of grief, support groups In a support group, members provide each other with various types of help, usually nonprofessional and nonmaterial, for a particular shared, usually burdensome, characteristic. The help may take the form of providing and evaluating relevant information, relating personal experiences, listening to and accepting others' experiences, providing, online forums An Internet forum, or message board, is an online discussion site. It originated as the modern equivalent of a traditional bulletin board, and a technological evolution of the dialup bulletin board system. From a technological standpoint, forums or boards are web applications managing user-generated content, hotlines and books. The Pet Loss Support Page maintains an updated list of recommended resources, for example.

Resources include:

• Hotlines: Several veterinary schools around the United States have pet loss support hotlines, as well as various nonprofit agencies.
• Online forums: Internet search engines using "pet loss support" as a search term will locate several online forums available for grieving pet owners.
• Books: Books on pet loss are published regularly and should be available from online and brick and mortar booksellers.
• Grief Counseling: Therapists with training in grief therapy can be located in local communities. In addition, therapists may also include support groups that meet regularly to discuss issues surrounding pet loss.

See also

• Animal euthanasia Animal euthanasia is the act of putting to death painlessly or allowing to die, as by withholding extreme medical measures, an animal suffering from an incurable, esp. a painful, disease or condition. Euthanasia methods are designed to cause minimal pain and distress. Euthanasia is distinct from animal slaughter and pest control, which are
• Grief Grief is a multi-faceted response to loss, particularly to the loss of someone or something to which a bond was formed. Although conventionally focused on the emotional response to loss, it also has physical, cognitive, behavioral, social, and philosophical dimensions. Common to human experience is the death of a loved one, whether it be a friend,
• Grief counseling Grief counseling is a form of psychotherapy that aims to help people cope with grief and mourning following the death of loved ones, or with major life changes that trigger feelings of grief

References

1. ^ http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=Vl_kiyRKYDcC&oi=fnd&pg=PR9&dq=%22pet+loss%22&ots=ZsXKmBSu_p&sig=w5lNL3XFJXFMYEkImkXF-ZUIIks#v=onepage&q=&f=false Pet loss and human emotion: a guide to recovery by Cheri Barton Ross, p.17
2. ^ http://books.google.com/books?id=x1bbhp_f9pQC&pg=PP1&dq=%22marc+bekoff%22#v=onepage&q=grief&f=false The emotional lives of animals by Marc Bekoff, p. 63
3. ^ The Loss of a Pet By Wallace Sife p. 37
4. ^ The Loss of a Pet By Wallace Sife p. 43
5. ^ The Loss of a Pet By Wallace Sife p. 45
6. ^ Death and Dying, Life and Living By Charles A. Corr, Clyde Nabe, Donna M. Corr p. 261
7. ^ http://books.google.com/books?id=kw6AOmp7pi8C&pg=PA106&dq=animal+loss+coping&as_brr=3#v=onepage&q=animal%20loss%20coping&f=false Coping with Sorrow on the Loss of Your Pet By Moira Anderson Allen, p. 32
8. ^ Coping with Sorrow on the Loss of Your Pet By Moira Anderson Allen
9. ^ Coping with Sorrow on the Loss of Your Pet By Moira Anderson Allen, p. 48
10. ^ Starting Out Right with Your New Dog: A Complete Guide, by Susan McCullough, p. 16
11. ^ http://books.google.com/books?id=Jjjct0jqpw0C&pg=PA63&dq=animal+loss+types+of+loss&as_brr=3#v=onepage&q=animal%20loss%20types%20of%20loss&f=false Pet Loss and Children: Establishing a Healthy Foundation By Cheri Barton Ross, p. 64
12. ^ "A number of large businesses have begun to allow their employees 'peternity' leave, in order to look after sick pets or take them to the vets. London delivery company The Courier Service introduced a "peternity" policy last July that lets workers claim two days' paid annual leave. Denise Fresco, human resources manager, said: 'It is awarded in the same way people might need time off for a baby or to look after a child.' Meanwhile, the Bank of Scotland The Bank of Scotland plc is a commercial and clearing bank based in Edinburgh, Scotland. With a history dating to the 17th century, it is the second oldest surviving bank (the Bank of England having been established one year before) in what is now the United Kingdom, and is the only commercial institution created by the Parliament of Scotland to allow workers to take time off work for sick pets, so long as they organise cover. Royal Mail Royal Mail is the national postal service of the United Kingdom. Royal Mail Holdings plc owns Royal Mail Group Limited, which in turn operates the brands Royal Mail , Parcelforce Worldwide (UK parcels) and General Logistics Systems. Post Office Ltd., which provides counter services, is a wholly owned subsidiary has also said that it will consider allowing 'compassionate leave' if a pet dies." workplacelaw.com Jan 2007
13. ^ "In September 2006 September 2006 was marked by a controversy surrounding statements made by Pope Benedict XVI regarding Islam, during the same week as the fifth anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Steve Irwin, star of The Crocodile Hunter, died early in the month due to a stingray attack. Meanwhile, the Space Shuttle Atlantis made a mission to, Royal Mail had to pay employee David Portman an undisclosed amount for firing him after he took a week off work following the death of his dog. The week's absence, the last in a series of absences, happened in 2004 and Portman was dismissed from his job as a result. Portman’s lawyer argued that many of the previous absences were a result of workplace injuries and that Royal Mail's own procedures say that time off following bereavement is not counted against an employee's sickness record. The tribunal Employment Tribunals are tribunal non-departmental public bodies in England and Wales and Scotland which have statutory jurisdiction to hear many kinds of disputes between employers and employees. The most common disputes are concerned with unfair dismissal, redundancy payments and employment discrimination. The Tribunals are part of the UK ruled Portman had been off for legitimate reasons and that Royal Mail had failed to understand and apply its own policy." workplacelaw.com Jan 2007
14. ^ ^{a b} workplacelaw.com Jan 2007
15. ^ The London Paper (thelondonpaper.com) and The Scotsman, 9 Feb: survey of 1100 dog owners by Direct Line.
16. ^ http://books.google.com/books?id=shAHJQwXslYC&pg=PA389&dq=%22rainbow+bridge%22+animal#v=onepage&q=%22rainbow%20bridge%22%20animal&f=false Planet Cat: A CAT-alog by Sandra Choron, Harry Choron, Arden Moore, p. 389
17. ^ Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 291
18. ^ Sacred Truths of the Doctrine and Covenants Vol. II, p.38

External links

• Pet ownership and human health: a brief review of evidence and issues
• Emotions of Pet Loss
• Association for Pet Loss and Bereavement
• International Association of Pet Cemeteries & Crematories

Categories: Death Categories: Destruction | Human development | Life | Spirituality | Human-animal relationships Categories: Human behavior | Human-animal interaction | Pets A pet or companion animal is a domesticated animal that is kept by humans for companionship, for the beauty of its appearance or utterances, or for other entertainment, rather than for economic reasons

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