Scientists have long cautioned against attributing familiar emotions to animals, arguing that it limits our ability to truly comprehend the lives of other creatures. The author focuses on the specific case of grief, and relates story after story - from field sites, farms, and homes - of animals mourning lost companions, mates, or friends.

For years, we have assumed that among the most fundamental lines between humans and other animals is the way we respond to death. But with videos of scrub jay funerals, accounts of elephant mourning, and baboon's carrying their dead, the science of animal grief has opened the proverbial floodgates. And there is no better guide to the kingdom of animal grief and mourning than Barbara King. In this book she takes us to the Serengeti, to duck farms, and sanctuaries, and into the homes and hearts of those who have watched their pets mourn loss. The stories and science she shares range from chimpanzees to sea turtles, to horses and dogs, and her compassion and curiosity bring to life a range of emotions, in the animals and in those who will read this book. The human experience of grief may still be unique, but this book shows that around loss lies yet another connection between us and the living world around us.
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