There has been extensive research into whether or not animals mourn the death of a companion, and much of this research has been carried out on primates, presumably because they are closest to our human selves. There is strong evidence that chimps and gorillas most certainly experience a sense of loss when a close companion dies. Add to this the well-known fact that some animals and birds mate for life like swans, robins, French Angelfish, and even Prairie Voles, it does rather makes sense that although they may not feel the emotional loss the way in which a human does, animals, birds, fish and even insects have a specific emotional reaction to loss which may be described as grief.
Pet Grief
Most of the research into whether animals mourn has been carried out on wild animals as opposed to domestic pets, but there is also significant evidence to prove that dogs, cats, and birds have an emotional reaction to the loss of one of their own or their human owner. For example, there are dogs who refuse to leave the body of an owner, or cats who live for only a short period of time after the loss of a feline companion, apparently dying of a broken heart.
My Story
I have witnessed grief in my own pets, in particular when our St. Bernard, Brandy died from bone cancer. My other dog, Jake, a Jack Russell cross was extremely close to Brandy, a bond that seemed stranger because of their diverse sizes and temperaments. Brandy is a laid-back, easy-going soul and Jake is highly strung and permanently wired. The day I came home without Brandy Jake looked at me then right past me waiting for Brandy to walk in behind me. For the next three months, Jake looked for Brandy, sniffing all the places Brandy used to lay dozens of times a day and just looking at me waiting.
We had to throw away Brandy’s dog collar, dog tag, and even his dog brush because Jake would get hyperactive when he smelt them. He lost his confidence and became scared of other dogs, the opposite of the way he was when Brandy was around. His habit of waiting until Brandy had finished eating before he would eat had to be carefully managed too. He started to get unsettled if any of the humans in the house went out and would get almost hysterical when we returned. Over time, Jake slowly began to adjust to life without Brandy, but nearly 4 years after his death, we were looking through some old photographs and found some of Brandy when he was a puppy.
It had never occurred to me before that day, but we had rarely if at all, mentioned Brandy by name since he passed away, and as we were looking through the photographs, my daughter said ‘look at Brandy in this one’. Jake was suddenly beside himself, crying, whimpering, and running to the door. Four long years since Brandy had left the house and suddenly Jake had been taken back to that very day when I returned home without him and I believe, once again felt the loss and the grief.
