Elizabeth Rousseau, M.S., LMFT

The experience of disenfranchised grief is one that can be unique to pet loss. Despite research indicating that the loss of a pet can be comparable to the loss of a human loved one, society has the tendency to minimize the significance of human-pet bonds and the impact of losing this bond.

Failing to validate the significance of the loss of a beloved pet can elicit feelings of isolation for pet owners, and because grief incurred by pet loss is so frequently undermined, bereaved pet owners may become reluctant or even embarrassed to disclose the impact of their grief, further perpetuating feelings of isolation.

Due to societal assumptions that the bonds between humans and pets don’t carry the same significance as bonds between people, bereaved pet owners are susceptible to undermining the intensity of their own grief, which can eventually lead to unresolved and/or complicated grief.

I encourage you all to find ways to validate your grief by seeking support from others who “get it”, advocating for yourself by explaining what you need to feel supported (and no, the answer isn’t always another pet despite your well-meaning loved ones thinking so), and reading up on all of the existing research that affirms that your grief is valid.

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