THE loss of a pet can be devastating for all concerned yet society does not always acknowledge the full extent of a person’s grief.

A group of Murdoch University Psychology students have spent the last year of their undergraduate degree trying to make sense of the emotional impact of pet loss, researching the combined effect of culture, religion and veterinary practices on bereaved pet-owners.

The work was part of a collaborative study between the School of Veterinary Clinical Sciences and the School of Psychology.

The students investigated the experiences of pet loss of people from a wide range of different cultures and religions, interviewing pet owners from belief systems ranging from Buddhists, Wiccans (witches) and Atheists to Protestants and Roman Catholics.

Their findings, released this week as part of their fourth-year thesis, showed a pet owner’s religious beliefs were, in most cases, only a minor consideration when it came to practical decisions regarding euthanasia or disposal of the body.

However, Murdoch Psychology lecturer Dr Helen Davis said religious beliefs definitely played a part in helping owners cope with their grief after the pet’s death.

According to Dr Davis, there were several factors that helped to minimise the trauma to pet-owners.

These included dealing with a compassionate veterinarian, a belief in the afterlife and a strong support network.

“A belief in the after life helped participants cope better with the grieving process, but, interestingly, this belief was not particularly related to religion,” said Dr Davis.

“Close to half of non-religious people believed their pet had an afterlife, while a similar proportion of religious people did not believe it.”

Dr Davis thought the study findings might prove useful for those in the veterinary profession - both students and qualified vets.

“The findings clearly show that a compassionate vet helps clients cope much better with their grief - and most WA vets are doing this very well,” she said.

“Vets who show compassion for both the pet and the owner are really appreciated.”