PETS GRIEVING THE LOSS OF OTHER PETS
It’s not only humans who suffer when a pet dies. Pets can too. Tom Jorgensen, from Pet Angel Funerals explains to Pet Problems Solved to look our for pets grieving the loss of other pets…
Dealing with the death of a family pet is daunting process, and for other pets in the home it is no easier. Australians are amongst the biggest pet lovers in the world with an estimated 63% of households having a pet, equalling nearly 33 million pets in the country.
Pets that live together often become as bonded to each other as they do their owners. As a result, many pets experience a grief and readjustment period as a reaction to their missing family member. This is not at all unusual as the loss of a human or animal member of any family will inevitably change the group dynamic and structure of everyday life for you and your remaining pets.
For owners and animals alike, grief is an individual process that affects everyone differently, and knowing how to help your furry family member through their time of grief can be difficult, particularly if you are experiencing grief yourself.
Here are some methods to make the adjustment easier on your animal family:
Keep an eye on your surviving pet — Pay special attention to your surviving pet. Monitor your pet and make note of any signs of a distress: loss of diet, personality changes and so on. If these signs of distress last longer than a week, make an appointment with a vet to rule out any health problems.
Keep it consistent — Keep their daily routine as consistent as possible. Pets (and some people) do best when they know what to expect from one day to the next, particularly after something as traumatic as a death in the family. Try to keep regular events such as mealtimes, walks, playtime, grooming, bedtime, and other daily activities on a consistent schedule to make the readjustment process as easy as possible.
Lean on each other — Both you and your pet may be feeling vulnerable and in need of a little extra love during this difficult time. After the loss of a pet, many animals become reluctant to be alone or away from human family members. If remaining pets are seeking more attention, try to find the time to give it to them – it may help the both of you to get through this tough time together.
It is important to note that not all pets will exhibit grieving behaviours. However, here are some tell-tale signs that your pet is grieving the loss:
- Searching behavior, roaming around the home, particularly the deceased pets favourite areas.
- Personality changes, shy pets becoming more outgoing and assertive, or outgoing pets becoming more reserved.
- Taking on behaviours of the pet that died, such as sleeping where the other pet slept, playing with toys that belonged to the pet that died, rubbing where the other pet rubbed, etc.
- Changes in appetite, both eating more than usual or loss of appetite.
If you do suspect that your surviving pet is experiencing any of these symptoms, it is important that you keep a close on eye on them and keep their wellbeing at the forefront of your mind. Unfortunately when we are grieving, it can be easy to close our minds off to others that may be going through the same emotions, especially pets. Keeping yourself busy in the likes of caring for your surviving pet can not only provide them with the support they need in losing a friend, but also help you through your own stages of grieving.
About the author
Pets Grieving was written by Tom Jorgensen of Pet Angel Funerals
