The elderly's adjustment to the loss of a companion animal: People-pet dependency

The attachment process and the resultant caregiving behaviors are crucial components of an individual's feelings of self-worth. Loss of valued relations and support may adversely affect a person's psychological well-being. When such loss is experienced during the later years of life, the reorientation of attachment needs may become focused on a pet as a source and object of caring. Consequently, the loss of a pet can produce grief and mourning, which are intensified by the lack of supportive networks. The findings reveal that the people-pet bond has a positive influence on attachment needs. The active social lives of our sample do not mitigate the significance that pets paly in the elderly's attachment system. The absence of mourning rituals for the death of pets raises significant questions for the professional as to the most appropriate way to help the bereaved deal with the stress produced by the loss of a companion animal.