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Fiona Brook, Lecturer, Psychology, Birmingham City University

One in five Britons say losing their pet was worse than losing a person – new study

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For one in five people, losing a pet has been more distressing than losing a human loved one. New research has revealed that 21% of those who experienced both types of bereavement found their pet’s death harder to bear.

The findings challenge how society views pet loss. It’s often dismissed as “disenfranchised grief” – a type of mourning that isn’t socially recognised or validated in the same way as other bereavements.

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