Studies Suggest Losing A Pet Can Trigger The Same Emotions As When Mourning A Family Member

Sep 05, 2019 by apost team

The relationship between people and their pets is as strong as any other bond. They are much more than animals we live with. They are our friends or children (fur babies). It shouldn't be a surprise that we have this special bond.

Pets love unconditionally. They don't care how much money we have, how we look, or how successful we are. The loss of a pet is often as difficult as the loss of a close friend or family member. For others to assume that we can easily replace one pet with another is to not understand the deep love we feel for our pets. For many losing a beloved pet is similar to losing a family member. 

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A study done in Japan found that the same process of gazing into a loved one's eyes is found when we gaze into our closest companion's eyes, dogs. According to the study, mutual gazing increased oxytocin levels, and sniffing oxytocin increased gazing in dogs (yes, dogs can smell your hormones). Oxytocin is sometimes referred to as the 'love hormone' based on research done in the first stages of romantic relationships. This suggests humans can have the same emotional bond with dogs that we also have with other humans. 

Guy Winch, a clinical psychologist, speaker, and author that covers both pet loss and romantic heartbreak from NYU, says how the social and community support when a human dies are absent when a pet dies. This can make it even more difficult for you to reconcile the passing of your pet and to help you move on from the loss and find closure.  

Sometimes almost immediately when your dog passes away, your routines become different. There's no need to wake up early to take your pupper out or to feed them breakfast. This can be hard as it had become such a habit and a part of your daily routine that the disruption can feel unusual. 

A study published in the British Journal of Psychology found that the depression and mourning humans feel after the loss of a pet is a paralleled reaction to that when humans mourn humans. In other words, humans have the same type of emotional reaction and feelings when mourning pets as we do when mourning humans. 

The passing of a dog or any kind of pet for that matter can be heartbreaking for many. It's okay to express your feelings and you're absolutely rationale in wanting to grieve them. Reach out to others who may have gone through the same thing and don't be afraid to open up about your struggle. Talking about your loss can help you find closure and heal. 

If you or someone you know is struggling with the loss of a pet than this article could be beneficial for them! Tell us your thoughts on this subject in the comments below.