Understanding and supporting animals who grieve the loss of bonded companions and human family members.
Animal grief is now well-documented across many species, challenging earlier assumptions that only humans experience meaningful emotional bonds with the deceased. Companion animals losing bonded partners may show changes in social behavior, sleep patterns, appetite, and activity level that persist for weeks or months. Supporting bereaved companion animals requires maintaining predictable routines, providing increased human contact and comfort, and allowing time for adjustment before introducing new animals. Recognizing animal grief validates the depth of inter-species bonds.