Animal Grief: An Analysis

Written By Shelby Carter

Final paper for Looking at Animals (WRITING101) 

December 2022

Queen Elizabeth II said: "Grief is the price we pay for love." Grief can be described as the deep sorrow caused by someone's death. The precursor to grief is love- a widespread yet mysterious and misunderstood experience. We have taken pride in our capacity to love to be uniquely human. Attributing these experiences to nonhuman animals runs the risk of anthropomorphizing, placing human emotions or motivations on nonhuman animals. This is a delicate line, one Barbara J. King, a biological anthropologist at the College of William and Mary and writer of How Animals Grieve, constantly dances upon as she tackles the concept of animal grief in her studies and books. Her works provide anecdotal evidence of encounters with animals in grief, which shed light on the nonhuman capacity for relationships and what happens when death severs the connection two animals have. Barbara J. King's non-species-specific definition of grief, combined with research from biologist Marc Bekoff, allows many animals to transcend the threshold for the capacity for complex emotions, which threatens the security of the divisions humans have placed between us and the rest of the animal kingdom. 

Humans cannot inhabit other animals' minds and feelings, and our lack of understanding often negates the nonhuman animal's capacity for emotion. (Brooks Pribac, 2013) The animal mind is a threshold humans have yet to figure out how to cross- so we search for answers in the most simple biological explanations for behaviors that may mimic those of a "uniquely human" emotion.

There is controversy surrounding the attribution of grief to animals because grief requires a memory of the individual being missed. Some scientists insist that the capacity for a sustained memory is a uniquely human trait. The human temporal sense has been described as a solid basis for a division between humans and animals. However, some argue that the regular occurrence of death creates "long-term knowledge, acquired over generations and mediated by changes in the DNA," referred to as phylogenetic knowledge. The concept of a phylogenetically-based recognition of death seems to add up, evolutionary, for many prey and predator species. (Brooks Pribac, 2013) 

Additionally, Many pet owners, Zookeepers, Veterinarians, and others who spend much of their time with animals would likely passionately argue with skeptics. King states in her works: "could anyone who has lived with and loved animals doubt that conclusion?" (King, 2011) However, because of this human doubt, in response to observing behavior, one may call animal grief, another may ask if it could just be a contagion picked up from mourning of human caretakers or if the upset is primarily caused by a change in the individual's daily routine. Teja Brooks Pribac writes, in a piece in The Animal Studies Journal: "When, in a discussion of nonhuman animal grief, attachment-related separation anxiety is brought in, it is difficult to overlook the implied assumption of the feebleness of this emotion." (Brooks Pribac, 2013)

Advocators have long been describing the injustice of assuming animals to be incapable of certain sensations humans experience. Peter Singer famously claims in his work Animal Liberation that animals are capable of sensations such as pain and pleasure and that there are no good reasons to deny animals this capacity. "If we do not doubt that other humans feel pain, we should not doubt that other animals do so too." (Singer, Animal Liberation, 15). While Singer's revolutionary claims, which include the introduction of the term "speciesism," scream controversy, and at times his tone borders on arrogance, he does make solid strides to confront this border between us and the rest of the animal kingdom. 

Singer does not shy away from the differences between human and animal communicative and cognitive capacities. He states: "Normal adult human beings have mental capacities that will, in certain circumstances, lead them to suffer more than animals would in the same circumstance. Regarding previously mentioned claims that a temporal sense is uniquely human, Singer argues: "There are many matters in which the superior mental powers of normal adult humans make a difference: anticipation, more detailed memory, greater knowledge of what is happening, and so on. Yet these differences do not all point to greater suffering on the part of the normal human being." (Singer, Animal Liberation, 16)

In an evolutionary sense, grieving seems to be maladaptive. Both humans and animals, when in grief, behave in ways not beneficial to survival, such as withdrawing into solitude and developing issues sleeping and eating. Scientists try to attach simple biological explanations to explain behaviors that cross the human-animal divide threshold. King states: "... nonhumans are often only admitted the capacity to form social bonds; humans can be depressed, nonhumans can be stressed." (Brooks Pribac, 2013) For example, grief reactions allow for the reshuffling of status relations, filing of the reproductive vacancy left by the deceased, or fostering continuity of the group. Behavior change can be described as saving energy, attracting companions' attention, and creating a new network. (Bekoff, 2009) These are not unfamiliar behaviors to our species. We see humans behave similarly. In human cultures, our complex societies and the development of resources allow for cemeteries, time, and money for funerals and communities coming together to feed and care for grieving people. Mourning, amongst humans and animals, strengthens social bonds and enhances group cohesion during a loss. 

Animals can feel each of Charles Darwin's six universal emotions: anger, happiness, sadness, disgust, fear, and surprise. Additionally, research shows that each individual has a personality, which can manifest itself in behavior as their species allows. However, it is crucial to consider individual differences within a species, just as each human reacts differently to things. Animal personalities can vary, ranging from bold to shy, playful to aggressive, sociable and curious to withdrawn and fearful. Furthermore- it may be easier to understand animal behavior because animals, unlike our species, do not filter their emotions. Whatever an animal feels is shown through its face, tails, and ears and expressed through its actions and mannerisms. (Bekoff 2009)

How Animals Grieve presents grief as "a departure from the usual eating, sleeping, and socializing pattern triggered by death." King describes many human encounters with grieving animals to support her definition. She tells the story of Siamese sisters Willa and Carson, who spent 14 years together before Carson's death. Before the death, the two cats spent nearly all their time together, sunbathing or dozing off in favored spots around the house. They ate their food together, slept together, and played together. Initially, when Carson did not return from the vet one day, Willia was mildly upset. This behavior mimicked the slight panic Willia experienced on previous occasions when they had been separated. However, these periods were brief- never lasting more than two or three days. Then, Willa's behavior drastically shifted following what can only be described as a developed sense of finality in her sister's disappearance. Willia began to emit agonizing, wailing noises while frantically searching for Carson in spots they had previously shared. "For the first time in fourteen years, Willa is no longer a sibling, no longer the more outgoing and dominant half of an enduring partnership." (King, How Animals Grieve, 11) 

Marc Bekoff, American biologist and author of Emotional Lives of Animals, also describes the mourning of a wolf pack following the death of an omega female wolf named Motaki to a mountain lion. The entire pack appeared to lose their spirit. They no longer howled together, instead "sang alone in a slow, mournful cry." When approaching where she was killed, the pack showed species-appropriate signs of submission- they inspected the area with their ears pinned back and tails low. It took the pack about six weeks before returning to their regular routine. 

Upon examination of anecdotes of human grief, we see unsurprisingly striking similarities. Both humans and animals bereave, display deep sadness and engage in rituals following a loved one's death. These periods of mourning can last days, weeks, or even years. Like humans, animals vary in how they respond to death. Grief reflects keen mental suffering over a loss- a capacity that is not limited to the human. King states in a 2022 interview with BBC earth: "We humans don't own love or grief- these emotions are widespread in other animals." (Cormier, 2022) The nonhuman capacity for grief sheds light on and establishes the core precursors for mourning. Due to the inevitability, grief is part of developing close relationships. Our similar responses to death across species reveal a few things: In general, we see that the more social the species, the more likely they will grieve, and the closer two individuals are, the more likely one will grieve upon death. With regards to our species, being one of the most social and communicative species- it is no surprise that we react strongly to death and have in place socially accepted practices following one's death. Because we can create significant relationships, we grieve. 

Because we love- we grieve. This is true for all species- albeit in significant variation across species and individuals. In terms of our brain chemistry and neuroanatomy responsible for the capacity of love- we are almost identical to numerous other species. In humans and animals- love can be romantic, parental, filial, or erotic and expresses itself through friendship, loyalty, affection, tenderness, commitment, and compassion. Humans are not better at love than other animals- despite our more developed ways of showing it. Around 90 percent of bird species are monogamous, and many mates for life.

Furthermore, endless species may be better models for marriage or commitment than humans. Animals, just like us, take their time building relationships and reinforcing close bonds. All animals are biologically designed to pursue specific mating partners. 

Amongst humans, we have spent centuries trying to understand love, and we still do not. However, we do not deny its existence or power. We experience or witness love every day, as do animals. Animals show signs of grief or love through appropriate symbols of their species. In examining behavior, each animal must be looked at individually to determine if the behaviors that we are observing are abnormal to their species. Marc Bekoff tentatively defines animal love as preferring the close company of another individual. Animals love one another when they seek them out and, if necessary, care for and protect them. (Bekoff, The Emotional Lives of Animals, 71) This love is easy to see- anyone who owns a pet would likely passionately defend their animal's capacity to love. 

Bekoff describes in a Psychology Today article the story of Tika and Kobuk- two life-long mating malamutes. This dog couple raised eight litters of puppies together and then enjoyed years of retirement together. Eventually, Tika developed a malignant tumor, and Kobuk's behavior changed almost overnight. Whereas before Tika's health concerns, Kobuk was often rough with Tika, the playful and dominant one in the relationship. However, when Tika's leg needed to be amputated, and she had trouble getting around, Kobuk would not leave Tika's side. His behavior changed to display more careful interactions with Tika.

Furthermore, Kobuk's love was tested one night when Tika went into shock. Kobuk woke their owner in the night and urgently brought their attention to Tika, whining softly with a bloated belly and signs of a medical emergency. The veterinary team was able to save her life- stating that if Kobuk had not fetched their owner, Tika almost certainly would have died. (Bekoff, 2009) While this story does not demonstrate a love that turns to grief, it does provide anecdotal evidence for the capacity of love in nonhuman animals. 

The development of these relationships and the interactions between animals and their loved ones shed light on the moral sensibilities that animals may possess as precursors of our moral behavior. According to Bekoff, we can learn important things about how we developed our moral and emotional capacities through analyzing animal interactions- such as animal play-. Social carnivores in play can be studied due to their remarkable resemblance to early hominids, including division of labor, caring for the young, cooperative hunting, and food sharing. Animals playing can be a window into a conceptualization of justice amongst many animal species. Play is a unique behavior that requires empathy and implies reciprocity- concepts at the core of many human values and the basis for foundational parts of societal law. Play often tolerates inequalities between animals and requires an awareness of one's strength to determine appropriate force. Play cannot occur if individuals choose not to engage in the equality of fairness needed for play to work. If justice or morality can be defined as "a set of rules and expectations that neutralize differences among individuals in an effort to maintain group harmony," animal play checks all boxes. (Bekoff, The Emotional Lives of Animals, 86)

With our advanced civilization and evolutionary adaptations, humans can communicate our grief through language and art. Our mourning practices are untethered from time and space. King says: "Our morning rituals, including burial rituals, are comparatively elaborated in symbolic ways, not because we are the only cultural animals, but because our culture developed along a trajectory that puts a premium on community-, language- and technology-based responses to death." (King, 2016) Upon closer examination: this fact seems to be alone in setting human grief apart from animal grief. 

How Animals Grieve introduces game-changing claims regarding the capacity for animal emotions. Readers may find themselves pondering the way our society treats animals. Upon hearing stories humans have shared coming into contact with an animal in bereavement, we understand that animal love and its acceptance in our society is revolutionary to animal welfare. We gain compassion for grieving animals and can offer them the dignity and empathy they deserve as they struggle to understand the loss of someone they love. It is essential to understand that we are not alone in experiencing joys and sorrows that stem from an intimate connection to others. This can be a guideline to make strides to reduce anthropogenic acts which harm our animal companions with whom we share this earth. 

Citations 

Shelby Carter
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