- Pet grief can rival or exceed grief for a human family member.
- Around 30% of pet owners experience intense grief after an animal's death.
- Society's dismissal of pet loss prolongs distress and hinders recovery.
More than two-thirds of households in the United States and Australia include a pet. For most owners, these animals aren't accessories - they're family members, confidants, sometimes the primary source of daily comfort.
Yet when a beloved animal dies, the grief that follows often goes unacknowledged. This is known as pet grief.
A new study from researchers at Flinders University in Australia and Loughborough University in the UK reveals just how profound and lasting this loss can be - and how the COVID-19 pandemic made it worse.
What is disenfranchised grief?
Grief that society doesn't recognise as legitimate. When someone loses a pet, they often face dismissal ("It was just a dog") rather than the support offered after human loss. The term was coined by bereavement researcher Kenneth Doka in 1989.
1. Pet grief can rival - or exceed - grief for humans
Drawing on surveys and interviews with 667 pet owners in the UK, researchers found that losing a pet was frequently described as "heartbreaking" and "devastating." Some participants said it was more painful than losing a human family member.
"Many people spoke of their pets as best friends, soulmates, or family members," says Professor Damien Riggs from Flinders University. "Their grief was overwhelming and long-lasting, yet often hidden or dismissed."
Key figure
89%
of dog owners view their pet as a family member
The findings, published in Death Studies, confirm what earlier research has suggested: approximately 30% of pet owners experience intense grief following their animal's death, with symptoms that mirror those seen after human bereavement.
2. Society still doesn't treat this grief as legitimate
Bereavement researchers use the term "disenfranchised grief" to describe losses that society doesn't acknowledge - where there's no ritual, no sympathy cards, no bereavement leave. Pet loss is a textbook case.
Recent systematic reviews have documented what this dismissal costs: people who feel their grief isn't recognised are more likely to experience prolonged distress, reduced quality of life, and difficulty processing the loss.
Some describe a "double disenfranchisement" - their feelings are dismissed both because it was "only" an animal and because their bond is seen as abnormal.
There's often no real sense of closure.
-- Professor Damien Riggs, Flinders University
3. COVID-19 made both the bond and the loss more intense
The pandemic created what the researchers call a "unique context" for human-animal relationships. During lockdowns, pets became the primary source of comfort and connection for millions of isolated people.
"For many, pets were their main source of comfort and connection during lockdowns," says Professor Elizabeth Peel from Loughborough University. "Losing that bond, especially under such difficult circumstances, had a profound emotional impact."
Some participants couldn't be present when their pet was euthanised due to restrictions. One woman described handing her dog to a vet in a car park, unable to be with him at the end. Another recalled her dog looking back one last time before being led away - "one of the most painful experiences of her life."
4. Anticipatory grief is common but rarely discussed
The study highlights "anticipatory grief" - the emotional pain people feel before an expected loss. This was particularly common among those with aging or chronically ill pets.
One participant described waking in the night with anxiety about losing her dog. Another said she felt like she was "going to lose her mind" when her dog finally died.
This form of pre-emptive mourning is well-documented in human bereavement research but rarely acknowledged in the context of pet ownership.
5. Researchers are pushing for terminology that validates the experience
The study's authors suggest that terms like "animal-focused grief" may better capture the emotional reality than the clinical-sounding "pet bereavement."
The goal isn't just semantic - it's about shifting how healthcare providers, workplaces, and society respond to these losses.
With pet ownership at historic highs and bonds deepening through shared isolation, the researchers argue it's time to rethink the assumption that grief should only centre on human loss.
Growing evidence suggests that recognition and support - the same things that help people process any bereavement - matter just as much when the one who died had four legs.
Go Deeper
- Scimex press release - Original announcement from Flinders University
- Continuing Bonds systematic review (PMC) - How attachment persists after pet death
- Clinical Advisor: Dismantling Disenfranchised Grief - Guidance for healthcare providers
- Frontiers: Animal Ethical Mourning - Broader framework including wildlife and farmed animal grief
Fact Check: Claim-by-Claim Verification Verified
The article accurately represents established research on pet grief, disenfranchised grief, and societal dismissal, with key concepts and studies matching peer-reviewed sources.
Commentary
- The 89% statistic for dog owners viewing pets as family is plausible given high pet ownership rates but not directly verified in fetched sources; aligns with broader trends.
- Primary Flinders/Loughborough study (DOI inaccessible) appears accurately recapped based on context, with no contradictions found.
- Earlier research noting ~30% intense grief is consistent with literature on grief intensity.
Sources used for verification
Academic/Peer-reviewed:
- The Impact of Continuing Bonds Between Pet Owners and Their Pets Following the Death of Their Pet: A Systematic Narrative Synthesis - PMC
- Pet grief study from Flinders and Loughborough Universities - tandfonline.com
Other reliable sources:
- U.S. pet ownership statistics - avma.org
- Hidden heartache of losing an animal companion - scimex.org
Fact-checked by Perplexity Sonar Pro on 2026-01-07
