Tami Harbolt

Publication Date

7-1993

Advisor(s) - Committee Chair

Erika Brady, Lynwood Montell, Richard Meyer

Comments

Access granted to WKU students, faculty and staff only.

After an extensive unsuccessful search for the author, this thesis is considered an orphan work, which may be protected by copyright. The inclusion of this orphan work on TopScholar does not guarantee that that orphan work may be used for any purpose and any use of the orphan work may subject the user to a claim of copyright infringement. The reproduction of this work is made by WKU without any purpose of direct or indirect commercial advantage and is made for purposes of preservation and research.

See also WKU Archives - Authorization for Use of Thesis, Special Project & Dissertation

Original department Modern Languages & Intercultural Studies

Degree Program

Department of Modern Languages

Degree Type

Master of Arts

Abstract

Research concerning the human-animal bond has focused primarily on the grief reactions of pet owners when the pets die. The following study examines the use of burial rituals as they apply to pet loss and bereavement. The subjects describe experiences of honoring pets with funerals and burials influenced by human burial traditions. Whether the pet is buried in a pet cemetery or on private property, many pet owners consider the act of burying their pets a means of expressing grief over the loss of a valued companion. It was found that these pets often play the role of surrogate children to the owners, influencing the importance of the funeral ritual.

Disciplines

Anthropology | Folklore | Social and Behavioral Sciences | Social and Cultural Anthropology

Download

Share

COinS