“Millions of people are affected by mental health disorders across the U.S., so when a doctor recommends a life with a pet, he or she is truly writing a prescription for a happier, healthier life,” said Jam Stewart, vice president of corporate affairs at Mars Petcare.
One of the most comforting things about a pet is that they can act as a trusted companion in a world where people are feeling increasingly lonely. These bonds are very strong, so it is only natural that we experience a great sense of loss when our pets pass away.
According to Scientific American, the New England Journal of Medicine reported in October 2017 that after her dog died, a woman experienced “broken heart syndrome,” a condition where extreme emotional stress could cause heart attack symptoms.
Grieving for a lost pet was never really a socially acceptable thing to do, and was not something that many people took seriously, but the mainstream is beginning to show respect to the bond between pet owners and their animal companions.
Pet bereavement is taken very seriously in Japan, in fact, there are even some “pet loss cafes” in Tokyo, where people can go to mourn their lost animal companions.
Takeshi Nibe, the president of Dearpet, Japan’s biggest manufacturer of items for pet altars, pointed out that this cafe helps his company sell a lot of products.
“Many customers who came to buy altar accessories said they felt more at ease after talking about their loss with our staff. However, often conversation had to be paused in the middle because staff have to attend to other customers. So, we decided to open a place where they can talk,” Nibe told Japan Times.
Earlier this month, KRDO reported that a man from Penrose, Colorado has published a children’s book about the death of a beloved family pet. The book is called “The Mystery of Nitro’s Long Lost Tail,” and is written for kids at a second-grade reading level.