Issues of grief and bereavement related to the loss of a pet: Implications for the psychologist

This literature review addresses whether psychology has responded to the grief a pet owner experiences when a pet dies. The veterinary science and social work literature approaches pet loss grief as legitimate and suggests that this grief may, at times, need the intervention of a mental health professional. The literature states that the grief experience is similar to that experienced with a human loss. The discipline of psychology has not adequately addressed the needs of the grieving pet owner and is under-represented in the literature. Psychology can meet those needs in a number of ways including clinical intervention, research, and education.