“I Don’t Feel Judged. I Just Feel Love”: Perceptions of Animals as Support for Grievers

What is it about?

This study explored the impact of animals in providing social support for grieving individuals, assessing how they compare to humans. The results suggest that animals play an important role in providing emotional support through their presence and the tactile experiences they offer, they enhance a sense of purpose after loss, and their perceived nonjudgmental acceptance of the griever is highly valued. Additionally, some feel closer to their loved one through their animals. The type of support derived from animals overlaps in some ways with human support yet is unique in many ways. Animal support may be especially important for grieving people during pandemic isolation and in the absence of strong social networks.

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