Exploring rituals and memorial practices surrounding the death of a companion animal

Abstract

Research has increasingly recognized the significance of human-companion animal bonds; however, less is understood about how bereaved companion animal (CA) owners experience their grief and the role of memorialization and ritual. Using interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA), this research explored how four adult women who had experienced the death of their dog or cat made sense of their lived experience. The analysis highlighted three superordinate themes central to the participants' experiences: (1) Holding the Past in the Present, (2) Grief in Social Contexts, and (3) The Ebb and Flow of Grief. Findings illustrate how participants sustain ongoing bonds with their deceased CAs expressed through rituals and acts of memorialization. The study highlights the complex nature of grief after losing a CA, emphasizing the meaningful bonds and unique experiences involved. Participant experiences highlight that social norms surrounding CA grief shape disclosure of grief outside immediate family systems. The current study contributes to, and advocates for, a nuanced understanding of CA grief respecting enduring connections woven into and informed by personal and social meaning.