It’s OK to cry when your pet dies: U of G expert

Many people are at a loss when their pet dies, so one veterinary social worker in Guelph believes it is OK for people to express their grief over the loss of their pet.

Sarah Bernardi works at the Ontario Veterinary College at the University of Guelph. The college offers counselling services to pet owners who are experiencing the loss of a dog, cat, or other domestic animals.

“It’s one of the only relationships that we characterize as unconditional and unspoken,” Bernardi explained. “We find that pet loss often leads to intense grief. And that grief is not always fully understood by everybody.”

Dogs and cats have been around for centuries and the average lifespan is about one-fifth of their human counterparts. When a pet dies, the shock and grief is usually the result of something unexpected like a vehicle collision or violent attack. But Bernardi said something planned like euthanasia can be just as traumatic.

“More and more we are seeing how pets are being recognized as part of family systems,” Bernardi said. “It makes a lot of sense that more and more people are speaking out their experiences about their pet’s illness as well as their death.”

Social media has also changed the way people express their sadness when their pet dies.

Most recently, comedian and commentator Jon Stewart talked about the death of his dog Dipper during a recent episode of The Daily Show. He posted on X thanking his followers for the well-wishes.

Bernardi believes celebrities like Stewart has motivated other pet owners to do the same.

“When you look at the comment section under the YouTube clip of the video honouring, you see that people are sharing their losses and their experiences and comforting one another,” she said.

Bernardi said her role as a vet social worker is to help people cope with the loss of their pets. She said this emotional support can sometimes fall out of a vet’s scope of work.

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