A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal
Animal ethical mourning: types of loss and grief in relation to non-human animals
Authors: Pihkala, Panu; Aaltola, Elisa
Publisher: FRONTIERS MEDIA SA
Publishing place: LAUSANNE
Publication year: 2025
Journal: Frontiers in Veterinary Science
Journal name in source: FRONTIERS IN VETERINARY SCIENCE
Journal acronym: FRONT VET SCI
Article number: 1526302
Volume: 12
Number of pages: 22
eISSN: 2297-1769
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2025.1526302
Web address : https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2025.1526302
Self-archived copy’s web address: https://research.utu.fi/converis/portal/detail/Publication/498503069
People can feel various kinds of loss and grief in relation to non-human animals. This has been increasingly studied in relation to pets and companion animals. Recent explorations of ecological grief include wildlife loss, and emerging studies observe grief among veterinarian professionals, zoo personnel, and animal researchers. People can mourn many kinds of animals, including farmed animals, but there is a need for more research on the topic. In this interdisciplinary article, we draw attention to various forms of what we call animal ethical mourning: grief experienced as a consequence of moral commitment to animals. We chart many new aspects by applying Pihkala's recent framework of Ecological Sorrow (2024) into three case examples: companion animal grief (including pets), wildlife grief, and farmed animal grief. We find many kinds of loss and grief in relation to the case examples, and we propose two new terms for socially contradicted forms of animal ethical mourning: "contested grief" and "contrapuntal grief." The results are useful for anyone who either experiences animal ethical mourning or wishes to provide more understanding for it in societies. The findings can also inform practices in workplaces which include animals.
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Funding information in the publication:
The author(s) declare that financial support was received for the research and/or publication of this article. Funding from the Kone Foundation, grant to research project “Elonkirjon äänettömät” (2022->), PI Elisa Aaltola. Open access funding by University of Helsinki Library.
