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Books > Sport & Leisure > Natural history, country life & pets > Domestic animals & pets > General
We live more intimately with nonhuman animals than ever before in
history. The change in the way we cohabitate with animals can be
seen in the way we treat them when they die. There is an almost
infinite variety of ways to help us cope with the loss of our
nonhuman friends - from burial, cremation, and taxidermy; to
wearing or displaying the remains (ashes, fur, or other parts) of
our deceased animals in jewellery, tattoos, or other artwork; to
counsellors who specialize in helping people mourn pets; to classes
for veterinarians; to tips to help the surviving animals who are
grieving their animal friends; to pet psychics and memorial
websites. But the reality is that these practices, and related
beliefs about animal souls or animal afterlife, generally only
extend, with very few exceptions, to certain kinds of animals -
pets. Most animals, in most cultures, are not mourned, and the
question of an animal afterlife is not contemplated at all.
Mourning Animals investigates how we mourn animal deaths, which
animals are grievable, and what the implications are for all
animals.
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