Owner response to companion animal death: development of a theory and practical implications

This study used an inductive research method known as grounded theory to de velop a theory to describe owner response to the death of a pet. Participan ts were identified from 8 veterinary clinics in Wellington County, Ontario. Eighty percent (8 of 10) of the practices approached agreed to participate and there was a 77% (44 of 57) participation rate by clients. Nondirective interviews were conducted with participants approximately 10 days followin g the death of their pet, and at 3, 6, and 12 mo thereafter. The theory dev eloped suggests that people's reactions are best described as a social and psychological search for meaning. Factors that contributed to the search fo r meaning included societal values and norms, the cultural milieu of pet de ath, and the cultural milieu of veterinary medicine. Other factors, such as the participant's personal beliefs, life stage, critical life events, and animal attributes, either alleviated or aggravated the experience. The outc ome for participants grieving the death of a pet was a self-governing appro ach to coping with the death. Practical implications and suggestions for ve terinarians are presented.