Animals grieve the loss of companions, and the death or separation of a bonded animal causes real suffering. Understanding and supporting companion animals through grief improves their welfare.
Recognizing and supporting animal grief is an important but often overlooked welfare consideration. When a bonded companion dies or is rehomed, the remaining animal may experience a period of genuine distress. Welfare-supportive responses include maintaining routine and predictability, providing additional human attention, offering enrichment activities that were shared with the lost companion, and giving the animal time to adjust before introducing a new companion. Forcing interaction with a new animal too quickly can add social stress to existing grief. Veterinary support may be appropriate if grief-related behavioral changes are severe or prolonged. Human grief over pet loss also deserves recognition and support.