Mourning-Like Behaviour in a Malayan Sun Bear
The behavioural response of animals to death, also called mourning-like behaviours, is an area of science which is underrepresented in the literature. Grief is the internalized psychological processing of a loss, whilst mourning is the external expression. In a survey by McGrath et al. (Anim Welf 22, 2013), “90% of the general public surveyed believed […]
Public attitudes towards grief in animals
Animals under human management are often separated from conspecifics, which may lead to behaviour indicative of separation distress or grief. For the purposes of this paper, grief is considered as a biological response to separation, indicated by a bi-phasic ‘protest-despair’ behavioural response. It is reasonable to assume that only animals which are able to form […]
Does owning a companion animal influence the belief that animals experience emotions such as grief?
This paper investigates public attitudes towards emotional experiences in animals. We surveyed 1,000 members of the public to investigate how companion animal ownership affects the attribution of emotions to animals and beliefs about whether animals can grieve. Respondents who owned a companion animal were more likely to believe that some animals can experience grief compared […]
Welfare, Quality of Life, and Euthanasia of Aged Horses
Duration of ownership strengthens the human horse bond, affecting decision-making about the horse’s welfare, quality of life (QoL), and euthanasia. Most owners consider their geriatric horses to have good or excellent QoL; however, increasing age is negatively associated with QoL. Management factors are important. The most common reasons for euthanasia include musculoskeletal disorders or lameness, […]