How Animals Grieve Paperback – April 17, 2014

I loved this book, much of it is very sad, however, it is well written with many examples of the title. Ms. King, provides irrefutable evidence and example after example of animal grief.I bought this book, because I had lost my beloved Jack Russell Terrier, "Shubael", (Old Nantucket name!) Shubael, had a kitty friend, who loved and cared for him in his declining years. The night before he died, she climbed into his bed and wrapped her paws around him, sheltering him and keeping him warm...she purred him to sleep and he rested comfortably, through the night. Since he died, she has not been the same. I bought this book, because I knew that animals grieved, they are like humans. Only many humans are too selfish, greedy, uncaring or disinterested to acknowledge that animals, grieve.This work of Ms. King's is a watershed, in my opinion. It is easy to read, although the subject matter is difficult. If anyone has ever seen a group of horses surround a companion in death, then they will understand. Cows, do the same. I have heard of captive and wild birds, pass away soon after their bird friends have died. I have known cats, who do the very same.This book shatters the long held beliefs that animals have no emotions or feelings. This book is a joy, in its own way to read. It gives credence, in written form to what many, many pets owners have surely known. Finally, there is an acknowledgement, to the evidence that many pet and animal owners have witnessed for years and years. Pigs, do it, sheep do it, dolphins do it, whales do it. Killer whales, do it!!! Some higher level, fish do it!!!Death is also difficult, for most higher order animals. It is only humans, who up until this point, have decided that we are the only ones with any emotions. I have personally, seen animals wither and die from the loss of a friend, just like humans...we are not alone in our grief and we should be evolving enough to understand this concept. Ms. King, lays animal grief at our doorstep and makes us wiser human beings for it.And for all you ELEPHANT POACHERS, out here..ELEPHANTS grieve the longest and take death the hardest!! So, stop poaaching elephants..

A colleague loaned me this at a time when I grieve the loss of my beloved dog Maddie. The evidence for animal grief gave me comfort. King's style is readable. The book is an excellent model of academic inquiry that acknowledges limitations as well as the human aspect of research. If I had the opportunity to teach Comp 101/102 to a class of future animal anthropologists and/or vets, this would be my text book of choice. I've since purchased several copies: one for my own shelf, and a few for gifts to fellow animal lovers.

Do animals show emotion? Anyone who has had dogs, cats, and other house pets as companions would certainly answer in the affirmative. We have all observed and felt the joy, the anger, and the anticipation that our furry friends exhibit throughout the day. But what about deeper emotions? Are some emotions the exclusive domain of human beings and nothing else? One specific emotion that is debated is that of grief and in this book, How Animals Grieve, author Barbara King attempts to set the record straight about animals and the way they respond to the passing of a friend or family member.The book is loaded with stories of animal grief, some of them told by ordinary people who observed animals and followed their plight after learning that a fellow animal friend perished. Others are more research- oriented and are told by those working in a scientific capacity. I like that the book includes both because, while it is certainly a good idea to include stories of official scientific analysis and study for credibility’s sake, it is also good to hear stories told by everyday people who have observed animals in the act of grieving and are ready to share their experiences.Another thing I like about the book is that it doesn’t jump to conclusions. It doesn’t take the extreme position that every sign of distress or any change in behavior following the death of an animal’s loved one is a sure sign of animal grief. Instead, the book fully admits that, as much as we would like to think of our animal cousins as being just like us humans, more research is needed before we can draw these or other absolute conclusions.There is no doubt that certain species of animals are more self- aware and thus more capable of displaying grief and other complex emotions. Elephants, dolphins, dogs, cats, and several others rank more highly on the emotion- capable list than others and this book presents several convincing stories about these animals and their rituals, reactions, and often fascinating behavior when confronted with death. And it isn’t always grief between animals of the same species. One particularly interesting story told in this book took place between an elephant and a far smaller canine companion. This, and other anecdotes, keep this book personal, comforting, and readable.Whether animals are capable of complex emotions isn’t something that is settled in the halls of science. But there is ample evidence that animals do feel emotions at higher levels, including that of grief. How Animals Grieve is a good book for learning more about this often-fascinating branch of biology and at the very least, it will have you thinking in a more open- minded way the next time you see a living, walking creature in a state of distress.

This book was much more detailed then I thought it was going to be (thats a good thing). The author goes about the question of wither animals grieve or not in a scientific manner, not through an emotional, non-fact backed opinionated way. Some of the observations that the author made were also surprising (such as which animals you would have thought would grieve more than others). If you are interested in animals or psychology this is the book for you!

outstanding. I give this whenever a friend with a pet loses a family member and causes the oet to grieve. It is always helpful. It is extremely interesting.

I thought the book was okay. Not great, just okay. I felt the author pulled back from saying what she really wanted to say - in order to please folks? I don't know.

I was impressed with how much this book relates to death as seen in a variety of animals, and to the extent that animals grieve for their lost companions or babies. It gave me a greater respect and understanding for the feelings of animals as they go through the grieving process. The author tells about observations and studies of animals experiencing grief and emotional pain, and often taking days, or even weeks to heal. Animals have deeper emotions and feelings than many of us give them credit for having.

sempre grandi Dereck e Beverly Jubert però questo film in realtà è Big Cat Odyssey. Se non ci fosse lo sbaglio del National Geofraphic italiano (Gli Ultimi Leoni / The Last Lions è la storia della leonessa Ma di Tau) darei cinque stelle.

I absolutely find this book fascinating!! Animals are pure amazing, someone with a very intelligent mind created every one of them and this book so gives evidence of that. I believe the creator is God Almighty! So glad I purchased it.....

Scientists are often quick to discourage the anthropomorphising of animals. In the scientific world, attaching human qualities to non human species can be limiting, resulting in a lack of understanding. While I do agree that the majority of us are guilty of viewing wild animals through rose tinted glasses, I believe that there is so much evidence of animal emotion, that a refusal to investigate due to a fear of anthropomorphising is even more damaging.Most of us have our own examples of displays of animal emotions. I've had many pets over the years, each with their own unique personalities. At times they've seemed unfathomable, yet at others they seem so like us, that it becomes ridiculous to dismiss their capacity to feel. In her latest book, anthropologist Barbara King, explores the concept of grief within the animal kingdom, showing that mourning isn't uniquely human.Whenever people talk about animal grief, the first thing that comes to my mind is how when one of my cats died, the others entered the room one by one in order to smell her body. To me this seems like their way of acknowledging her death, and in essence, saying their goodbyes. From case studies examined throughout her book, King demonstrates that animals (like humans) seem to do better when they're able to say goodbyes to their companions. She highlights the obvious sense of loss that some animals feel upon losing their families or playmates, both in the domestic and wild. From the elephants who caress the bones of their kin, to the dolphins who helplessly try and keep their deceased young afloat, there seems to be an unrelenting mass of evidence that supports the theory of animal grief.Perhaps it's our desire to demonstrate our dominance over animals that leads to the belief that they're incapable of sharing emotions that we recognize as our own. This book certainly goes a long way in opening eyes to the contrary. It's sensitively written, showing a real respect for the animals mentioned. It's also not too scientifically overwhelming, seeming beautifully poetic in places. With chapters on animal suicide, and passages detailing extreme cruelty, this is at times a heartbreaking book that seems to demand further introspection. It's a fantastic read, highly recommended.

A lovely book, although I am beginning to detect a bias, but that is no bad thing.

if you love ellys youll love this remarkable book