Professor Samantha Hurn from Exeter University blogs about an ongoing research project into companion animal bereavement in children, funded by the Society for Companion Animal Studies (SCAS).

‘This project is concerned with exploring how to better support children as they encounter and negotiate what might otherwise constitute disenfranchised grief, where disenfranchised grief refers to feelings of loss which are not recognised or socially validated’ (S. Hurn).

In her blog series, Professor Hurn documents her daughter M’s experiences of companion animal loss chronologically to inform the development of the SCAS-funded research project (How best to say goodbye?)