Whether it's a cat, dog, bird or fish — the death of a beloved family pet for some people evokes grief akin to the death of a human family member. So should pet bereavement leave be introduced?
Psychologist Lisa Cohen told Breakfast that for some people, a pet could be their only family member and they feel a deeper connection because of this.
"It's somebody who is really important to them," she said.
Current legislation means bereavement leave can only be taken if a human dies and not for the death of an animal companion.
She said the impact of losing a pet "hits people in different ways" – but doesn't believe workplaces should be mandated to offer bereavement leave for the death of pets.
"It's sadness, it's grief, it's loss and it hits people in different ways and the depth of that differs for each person," she said.
Cohen said for others "a pet's a pet", and they don't view their animal the same way as they would a family member or child.
"It's more about acceptance. One person's values might differ from another."
Cohen said there should be "more compassion" around understanding someone's connection to their pet.
"I've seen so many changes in what is acceptable, what is understandable, and a lot of compassion has opened up over the years," she said.
When asked whether employers should be understanding of people requesting bereavement leave for a pet, Cohen said the practice would need to become more widely accepted.
"I kept going to work, because it didn't occur to me that I wouldn't. Or that there was another option," she said.
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