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. 2024 May;89(1):362-378.
doi: 10.1177/00302228211073217. Epub 2022 Feb 23.

Coping with Animal Companion Loss: A Thematic Analysis of Pet Bereavement Counselling

Emily Leonhardt-Parr  1 , Benjamin Rumble  2
Affiliations

Coping with Animal Companion Loss: A Thematic Analysis of Pet Bereavement Counselling

Emily Leonhardt-Parr et al. Omega (Westport). 2024 May.

Abstract

Face-to-face 'Pet Bereavement Counselling' (PBC) has been established in private practice to support bereaved animal companion owners, however, to date no research has been conducted on PBC. This study aimed to contribute to the existing knowledge base on animal companion loss and provide a preliminary research base on the potential salience of PBC. Six qualified and accredited PBC therapists were recruited and took part in semi-structured interviews. An inductive thematic analysis revealed participants' perspectives on the acknowledgement of animal companion loss societally and within counselling professions, the diverse ways animal companion loss can impact on bereaved owners, as well as the distinctive attributes and delivery of PBC. The findings have implications for how animal companion loss is conceptualised within counselling professions, teaching and research. Future research recommendations include exploring how bereaved owners experience PBC and how mental health professionals can build upon the support provided to bereaved owners.

Keywords: animal companion; bereavement; counselling; loss; pet.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

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