The death of a pet is undoubtedly a heartbreaking feeling for its owners. According to new research, this is a very difficult process not only for their owners, but also for other pets in the house. The article published in the journal Scientific Reports shows that when one of the 2 dogs living in the same house dies, the behavior of the other changes, while these emotional changes can be interpreted as mourning.
While it is stated in the article that grief occurs after such death in many animal species, including elephants, monkeys and birds, it is said that although rare, similar behaviors also occur in wild dogs. Whales and some primates have even been observed performing “death rituals” and moving the corpses of their dead relatives in these rituals.
The team that organized the study, published in Scientific Reports, conducted a survey of 426 pet dog owners to determine whether pet dogs are capable of grieving. Of those who each had a pair of pet dogs but lost one, 86 percent reported negative changes in the surviving dog’s behavior, while 57 percent said their surviving dog was now less playful. About 1 in 3 owners say these changes last for 2 to 6 months, while 1 in 4 claim these effects last longer than 6 months.
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