Death In The Family: Normalizing The Relationship Between Pet Owner And Pet

A bi-national, exploratory, pilot content analysis of companion animal (CA)-related content in published newspaper obituaries is reported. Of 11,818 obituaries in three newspapers over a three month period, 252 (2.13%) listed a pet or pet survivors and/or pet charities. Five themes emerged within obituaries containing CA data. First, the word “pet” was rarely used. CAs were typically listed as survivors along with human family members. Second, terms of endearment were consistently used to describe animal companions left behind. Third, some family members, who likely crafted these last statements about their loved ones, engaged in a personification of (and projections onto) the animals left behind. Fourth, there was variation in the roles played by each person with their animal companion. And fifth, donations were made to a wide variety of animal charities. The possibility of CAs as fictive kin is explored as a means of normalizing the relationship between pets and their owners. We suggested that the fictive kin concept can be extended to describe those adoptive relationships in which a human being becomes the owner of an animal and in which their relationship holds great affection and significance in that person’s life. The ties that occur become very real and meaningful, making the relationship one of kinship, of seeing that animal as part of one’s family. Many ways of publicly manifesting that relationship can occur – including a pet’s name on a greeting card, taking a pet companion on family outings, even including that pet in the list of familial survivors when one dies. These animals have most likely been elevated to family status and may not be referred to as “pets” much of the time. To be listed in an obituary, is typically reserved for conventional kin, extends the concept of fictive kin to these animals that appear in the last tribute to their human companions. The familial theme is evident in the obituaries. On a macro level, examining obituaries raises the question of what might be changing in terms of societal norms that make this phenomenon more prevalent, even more acceptable. On a familial level, given the changing definitions of family and the multiple constellations of relationships, does this reflect a new or renewed role of the pet within the familial context? And on an individual level, does the public declaration of an animal companion as a survivor reflect the importance of attachment between humans and animals in a less conventional manner. Finally, we explore the opportunity for veterinarians and veterinary social workers to assist clients in dealing with pet loss within the normal grieving process and “next steps” to be taken to extend these pilot data