New academic research has delivered a powerful message about the depth of emotional bonds between humans and their animals, revealing that the grief experienced after a pet dies can be just as intense and clinically significant as mourning a human family member.
Study Calls for Change in Grief Diagnosis
The study, published in the respected journal PLOS One, surveyed 975 adults across the United Kingdom. It found that almost one in three participants had experienced the death of a pet. Among those bereaved pet owners, 7.5 per cent met the criteria for Prolonged Grief Disorder (PGD), a serious mental health condition characterised by intense longing, despair, and an inability to function normally for months or even years after a loss.
This figure is strikingly close to the 7.8 per cent of people who develop PGD after losing a close friend. The research indicates that the proportion of people suffering from the disorder following pet death also parallels rates seen after the loss of a grandparent (8.3%) or a sibling (8.9%).
"Scientifically Misguided" Exclusion of Pet Loss
Currently, a diagnosis of Prolonged Grief Disorder is only officially recognised following the death of a human. However, the study's lead author, Philip Hyland from Maynooth University, argues this must change. He states that the findings provide "consistent and compelling evidence" that people can reach clinically relevant levels of PGD after a pet dies.
"The decision to exclude pet loss from the bereavement criterion for PGD can be viewed as not only scientifically misguided, but also as callous," Hyland asserted. The research estimates that one in every twelve cases of PGD in the UK is caused by the death of a pet, a significant statistic given that only around half of UK adults own pets and animals typically have shorter lifespans.
The Profound Impact of Losing a Pet
The emotional impact can be profound. The study discovered that approximately a fifth of people who had experienced both pet and human loss said that losing their pet was worse. While the highest rates of PGD were associated with the death of a child (21.3%) or parent (11.2%), the grief for a pet was found to be a serious and widespread issue.
The symptoms of PGD, which the study confirms can be triggered by pet bereavement, include:
- An intense and persistent yearning for the deceased pet.
- Feelings of emotional numbness and despair.
- Significant difficulty with socialising and maintaining daily routines.
The research concludes that clinical guidelines for severe grief should be revised to acknowledge and validate the deep sense of loss many experience when a beloved animal companion dies, urging the medical community to take pet-related bereavement more seriously.
