“Forever in Our Hearts” Online: Virtual Deathscapes Maintain Companion Animal Presence

Abstract

Embodying companion animals as part of ourselves obliges a similar grief, when they die, to the anguish that follows the death of a human partner, relative, or close friend. Individual mourning may fail to assuage pain that is further intensified when the bereaved human lacks society’s recognition not only of their grief but also of the intrinsic worth of their deceased animal companion. Such disenfranchised grief may lead to isolation and to withdrawal from social integration. However, diverse memorials recorded online, and reasons for their inclusion in cyberspace, are enabling validation of the lives of nonhuman animal companions by both isolated and more sociable pet-bereaved mourners.

Tattoo Narratives: Insights Into Multispecies Kinship and Griefwork

“…Although grieving for companion animals is a widespread phenomenon that is recognised in 'Western' societies and provided for by counselling services, books, funeral services, and online support groups, there still exists a reluctance to grieve openly (Demello 2016;Eason 2019;Redmalm 2015). There are people who feel no particular affinity for animals, and this failure to appreciate the connection others may have can result in a lack of compassion towards those grieving companion animals (Chur-Hansen 2010; Packman et al 2014;Serpell 2004).…”

“…When someone trivialises a loss by saying 'it's just a dog, you can get another', it is not only cruel to the grief-stricken individual, but also perpetuates a narrative that renders a dog's life meaningless (Eason 2019). Thus, grief is suppressed and a narrative of death emerges that renders that life less worthy.…”

Counter memorials and counter monuments in Australia’s commemorative landscape: A systematic literature review

“…The memorialisation of animals is a less common theme in the literature (Eason, 2019). Eason (2019) explored online deathscapes for people who memorialise their pets and maintain a companion animal presence through virtual commemoration.…”

“…The memorialisation of animals is a less common theme in the literature (Eason, 2019). Eason (2019) explored online deathscapes for people who memorialise their pets and maintain a companion animal presence through virtual commemoration. The changing face of the expression of grief, using online platforms such as Facebook, blogs, discussion boards, Twitter and YouTube was discussed by Gibson (2013).…”

‘It was the easiest way to kind of announce it’: exploring death announcements on social media through a dramaturgical lens

“…There is a wealth of research theorising how mourners memorialise the deceased online, maintain pre-death relationships with lost loved ones (see Bell et al, 2015;Kasket, 2012;Klass, 2006) and manifest grief on social networking sites. This research field is vast and has empirically focused on diverse communities including those bereaved through suicide (Krysinska & Andriessen, 2015), mothers who have lost babies through sudden infant death syndrome (Finlay & Krueger, 2011), bereaved spouses (Somhlaba & Wait, 2008), and even grieving pet owners (Eason, 2019;Harris, 2019).…”