By Stephen Beech via SWNS
Dog owners who have their pet stolen suffer the same “emotional turmoil” as parents who lose a child, according to new research.
Some felt the loss was even more intense than the death of a friend or relative owing to the closeness of the bond they shared with their dog.
They cope in the same way they would when missing a human family member who has died, suggests the study.
The psychological distress experienced was often made worse by a lack of understanding of how much an animal companion can mean to someone, say scientists.
But because dog theft laws often only consider animals as stolen property in the same way as having a material possession, such as a bicycle, stolen, police are limited in the support they can offer.
The situation can be made even worse by the manner in which the dog was stolen too – either through physical force or a burglary, according to the research team.
They say that given the evidence of similar grief to the loss of loved ones and children, dog owners are “susceptible” to delays in processing their grief such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
And there is a real risk of having no closure – particularly if the dog is never returned home or found deceased, according to the researchers.
The findings, published in the journal Human-Animal Interactions, empirically support the idea that the “owner” or guardian roles and relationships equate to family relationships and, when faced with the theft of their pet, owners feel a similar sense of “disenfranchised grief” and loss.
Study co-author Akaanksha Venkatramanan said: “This study explored the experiences and needs of dog-guardians when faced with dog theft and the results validated an overlap of characteristics between human and non-human relationships.
“It provides evidence of the intense love of dogs and the parental accountability of guardians.”
Venkatramanan, an Assistant Psychologist with Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, added: “A consequent overlap of emotional distress at the loss of this relationship is also shown, providing empirical evidence to formulate psychological and legal support to this, currently disenfranchised, grief experience.”
In the UK alone, there are 13 million dog owners. Previous research has shown that having a pet improves physiological and psychological well-being by reducing the chances of dying of a heart attack as well as reducing symptoms of depression, and stress.
The researchers said that dogs are a “source of comfort” to many, particularly for those who without them, would experience significant loneliness.
The team highlights how having a dog buffered against the negative impact of loneliness experienced during COVID-19 lockdowns as owning a pet gives people a reason to leave the house for walks, exercise and spend time in nature.
But the pandemic also saw more than 2,000 reports of dogs stolen in the UK – a rise of 250 percent compared to pre-Covid levels, according to the researchers.
Study co-author Dr. Lindsey Roberts said: “This research was launched when my friend’s dog, Lola, was stolen from under her nose in her back garden by someone we presume was posing as a delivery driver.
“The distress rocked everyone, and I felt more had to be done to support those who were having their dogs stolen.
“We interviewed people who had experienced theft, and we have since developed a questionnaire that aims to highlight the areas people need most support in coping with the theft of their dogs to help alleviate suffering.”
Dr. Roberts, a human-animal bond expert and senior lecturer at the University of the West of England (UWE), says more research on the subject is already underway.
She added: “Our next study has been completed to test the first ‘Dog Theft Impact Scale’ and we hope it will be published too so we can launch our questionnaire as a support tool for anyone affected by the devasting effects of dog theft.
“We will continue to work with Dog Lost and the Pet Loss service offered by the Blue Cross to support those who need help after this crime.”
“We are already working with Dr. Dan Allen at Keele University, who has carried out extensive work exploring how animals are more than property and has advocated for pet theft reform.”
