Animals in multi-pet households show measurable responses to the loss of a companion animal, raising welfare questions about how to support grieving surviving pets.
The grief responses of companion animals to loss of a housemate demonstrate the depth of the social bonds animals form and the welfare significance of those bonds. A dog that searches for its companion, refuses food, and vocalises is experiencing genuine psychological distress that warrants welfare attention. The welfare response involves maintaining routine (disruption increases stress), providing additional companionship and attention, allowing the animal to process at its own pace, and making new companion introductions only when the surviving animal is ready. Human grief over the loss of a pet and animal grief over the loss of a companion often occur simultaneously, creating a mutual care challenge for the household.