Companion animals experience grief-like responses to the loss of bonded companions, a welfare consideration that affects millions of animals annually following bereavement.
Animals that have lost bonded companions show behavioral indicators consistent with grief: reduced activity, appetite changes, increased calling, and in some cases self-neglect. The welfare impact of bereavement is real and documented physiologically in multiple species. Owners who euthanize one member of a bonded pair often face difficult decisions about the surviving animal. Allowing the surviving animal to be present during euthanasia or to investigate the body of the deceased may facilitate grief processing in some species. The grief of companion animals deserves consideration in end-of-life planning for multi-animal households.