Breaking Up Is Hard To Do
In September I posted Custody Is Going To The Dogs, discussing the attachment we have to our dog, something not easily broken up even when the family is.
Because of this, courtroom custody battles over the family dog have been popping up around the country.
What it didn’t cover was what the dog (or cat) goes through. I saw an article out of the UK stating that an animal charity has claimed that when a relationship is over it has an effect on the animal.
The increasing frequency of relationship breakdown means pets are developing obsessive and compulsive disorders, including self-harming and cats sucking or chewing on woollen items such as blankets, because of the stress caused by their owners breaking up.
Leading UK veterinary charity, the PDSA (Peoples Dispensary for Sick Animals) is now urging owners to make the well-being of their pets a central part of the process of agreeing a separation.
The key to this article is the word “claimed”, there wasn’t an official study. All the same, it is interesting. Do think think there is any validity to the claim? Give me a bark.
I firmly believe that a break up would cause major stress to the pets - just as it does to the people. I realize that they don’t process things the same way as we do, regardless, they get used to having everyone together and, simular to a small child, you can’t explain to them the reason the missing pawrent isn’t around.
I see behaviorial differences in Abby & Shadow when my husband is out of town for more than just one night - which is quite frequently!
This one is easy fur us…if anything happens (DOG WILLING). My dad signed the adoption papers. This was an arrangement just before my MOM came to officially live with my dad. Before they were married.
Of course there is an affect on the dogs when people’s relationships break up. Or simply when someone they are used to seeing stops being around.