Grieving and coping processes of pet owners: Philippine context

This paper aims to examine the grieving and coping processes of pet owners in Sariaya, Quezon, Philippines, with a focus on the factors that influence these processes, specifically, posthumous and bonding practices, as well as the role of demographic variables. The study gathered data from fifty-four (54) purposively selected respondents who had experienced the loss of a pet. A descriptive research design was employed, utilizing a survey guided by a researcher-made questionnaire and an interview guide. The collected data were analyzed using ANOVA. The results revealed that not all pet owners experience the same stages of grief; these vary depending on several influencing factors. Posthumous practices such as cremation and taxidermy are still uncommon due to the limited availability of facilities. Moreover, not all pet owners go through all seven stages of grief. However, it was found that all respondents experienced the stages of guilt, depression, loneliness, reflection, and reconstruction. The study concludes that posthumous and bonding practices significantly influence the grieving and coping processes of pet owners. Furthermore, these processes vary according to sex, socioeconomic status, and the cause of the pet's death.