Both animals and their human companions experience genuine grief following the loss of a bonded companion, and this deserves compassionate recognition.
The capacity for grief in companion animals reflects the depth of their social bonds and their capacity for positive and negative emotional states. A dog who loses a companion may stop eating, pace the house, sleep at the deceased companion s spot, and vocalize distress. These behavioral and physiological responses parallel mammalian grief more broadly. Acknowledging and accommodating animal grief — through patience, extra attention, and sometimes veterinary support — is a genuine welfare responsibility. Human-animal bond grief is similarly valid and increasingly recognized by mental health professionals.