Grief over the loss of a pet can be just as profound and enduring as the sorrow felt for a human family member, according to a recent survey. This finding challenges the notion that only the death of a human being can trigger prolonged grief disorder (PGD), a mental health condition characterized by intense longing, despair, and difficulty in performing daily tasks. The study, published in the academic journal PLOS One, surveyed 975 adults in the UK and found that 7.5% of pet owners who had lost their furry companions met the diagnostic criteria for PGD. This percentage is comparable to those who experienced the death of a close friend, and only slightly lower than the rates for the loss of a grandparent, sibling, or partner.
The research highlights a significant aspect of pet ownership: the deep bond formed between humans and their pets. It also raises questions about the current diagnostic guidelines for PGD, which currently only apply to those who have lost a human family member. The study's author, Professor Philip Hyland, suggests that these guidelines should be expanded to include pets, as the symptoms of grief for a pet are identical to those for a human. He argues that the decision to exclude pet loss from the bereavement criterion for PGD is not only scientifically misguided but also callous.
The survey also revealed that about a fifth of people who had experienced both pet and human loss found the pet loss to be more distressing. This finding contradicts previous studies that suggested people often feel shame, embarrassment, and isolation for expressing grief over a dead pet. The study estimated that one in 12 cases of PGD in the UK were caused by the death of a pet, given that about half of adults have pets and their lifespans tend to be considerably shorter than humans'.
This research has significant implications for our understanding of grief and the diagnostic criteria for PGD. It invites us to reconsider the boundaries of what constitutes 'legitimate' grief and to recognize the profound impact that pets can have on our lives. As the study's author suggests, the exclusion of pet loss from the bereavement criterion for PGD may be a callous decision that fails to acknowledge the depth of the bond between humans and their pets.
