Too Loved to Be Forgotten: Pet Loss & Ritual Bereavement

Abstract

Research concerning the human-animal bond has focused primarily on the grief reactions of pet owners when the pets die. The following study examines the use of burial rituals as they apply to pet loss and bereavement. The subjects describe experiences of honoring pets with funerals and burials influenced by human burial traditions. Whether the pet is buried in a pet cemetery or on private property, many pet owners consider the act of burying their pets a means of expressing grief over the loss of a valued companion. It was found that these pets often play the role of surrogate children to the owners, influencing the importance of the funeral ritual