The Loss of a Service Dog Through Death: Experiences of Partners

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to explore how service dog partners experience the death of their service dog. Twenty-five partners who had lost a service dog self-selected from those who participated in a larger quantitative study. The quantitative study consisted of an online, anonymous survey targeting service dog handlers who had lost a dog within the last five years. Directed content analysis was used to identify prevalent themes. Results demonstrate that while the death of their service dog was a central life event, their grief was often disenfranchised. Many struggled with both the need to quickly acquire another service dog and the subsequent impact this had on their ability to grieve. Given the unique relationship between service dog and handler, it is important that counselors, service dog organizations and veterinarians are aware of the challenges associated with both loss and replacement and offer appropriate support to their clients.

Introduction

In the United States, 26% of adults report having some type of disability (Bureau, n.d.) and service dogs are increasingly recognized as a viable option to support these people in their daily meaningful tasks. Service dogs offer a myriad of benefits including social support, an increased sense of well-being, and a decreased need for alternative forms of service (Ng & Fine, 2019; Walther et al., 2017; Winkle et al., 2012). Yet, despite this mounting recognition and support for service dogs, there remains a paucity of information about the impact of their death on their human partner.

The relationship between a service dog and partner is significantly different than that between a companion animal and their guardian; unlike the loss of a pet, the loss of a service animal places the partner in a physically, vocationally, and socially vulnerable position (Herlache-Pretzer et al., 2017; Rodriguez et al., 2020). As such, there are unique psychological stressors for partners when these working relationships end (Yamamoto & Hart, 2019). As a result, research studies pertaining to grief and loss following the death of a companion animal may not generalize to the loss of a service dog (Kogan et al., 2021).

Service Dogs

Service dogs, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (Bureau, n.d.), are individually trained to perform specific tasks for an individual person with a physical, psychiatric, intellectual, sensory, or mental disability (U.S. Department of Justice, 2021). Service dogs have public access rights, thus by law, they can accompany their partner in almost all public places (U.S. Department of Justice, 2021). Examples of service animals include guide dogs for the visually or hearing impaired as well as psychiatric or medical alert animals (e.g., seizure detection dogs). A key feature of a service dog's training is that they are taught to perform specific, complex tasks that are directly related to their human partner's disability. For example, a service dog might be trained to alert their partner to an oncoming medical emergency, such as a seizure or insulin response, or in cases of psychiatric issues, interrupt self-injurious behaviors. Another type of service dog may be trained to retrieve objects that an individual with physical limitations is unable to retrieve on their own or open doors with their teeth. Training a service animal involves approximately two years of intensive training and a significant financial investment (Gravrok et al., 2020).

Relationship Between Service Dog and Partner

The bond between a service dog and partner is a unique, supportive, and independence-enhancing relationship (Miller, 2019; Stewart, 2006). Studies have identified how service dogs positively impact disabled people, including their ability to foster socialization and community participation. Service dogs also provide emotional support, security, and contribute to an increased sense of independence and mobility (Fairman & Huebner, 2001; Rintala et al., 2008; Walther et al., 2017). One major challenge for people with disabilities is overcoming feelings of being different and the stigma often associated with having a disability. Individuals may struggle with perceived social acceptance, particularly in areas such as athletic competence and career development. Being part of a person–dog team can help soften feelings of stigmatization (Sanders, 2000). Additionally, service dogs can increase people's locus of control, confidence, and self-concept (Wiggett-Barnard & Steel, 2008). As a result, research suggests that the death of a service dog often has a profound impact on the human partner (Kogan et al., 2021).

Service Dog Partners’ Grief Response

Inevitably, a time will arise where a service dog's working role will end. Unfortunately, many partners who experience the death of their service dog may lack the benefit of an understanding and supportive community. While the service dog community may recognize the meaning and importance of this unique relationship, partners may still encounter challenges in talking about the loss of their dog with family members, work colleagues, and friends (Chur-Hansen, 2010). This places these individuals at an increased risk for experiencing disenfranchised grief – a loss that involves limited social recognition and a lack of ritualized support (Doka, 2008). Furthermore, when considering that service dog partners typically lose several dogs over the course of their lives, the magnitude of this type of loss has the potential to grow exponentially over a partner's lifetime (Wenthold & Savage, 2007; Yamamoto & Hart, 2019).

Given the fact that these dog/human partnerships typically end with the death of the dog, it is imperative to better understand the impact of this loss on human partners. The purpose of this qualitative study was to gain a better understanding of how service dog partners experience the decline and death of their service dog in order to make clinically meaningful suggestions for service dog partners, service dog organizations and veterinarians.

Method

Study Sample

The research team partnered with Canine Companions (a service dog organization that provides service dogs to adults, children, and veterans with disabilities), to recruit via internal organizational marketing mediums such as email and newsletters service dog partners who had lost a service dog within the past five years. Interested partners were directed to an online, anonymous, quantitative survey created in the Qualtrics platform. At the end of the survey, participants were asked if they would like to volunteer to participate in a follow-up interview. Those who indicated they were interested were directed to a new survey in which they were asked to provide their name and contact information. In this way, all surveys remained anonymous. All partners interviewed were offered a $50 Amazon gift card for their time. This research was approved by [redacted name's] Institutional Review Board.

Data Collection

Participants completed an individual semi-structured interview lasting from 30–90 min by Zoom or telephone. Graduate students trained in qualitative interviewing conducted the interviews. The interview centered on the events leading up to their service dog's death, the impact of the loss, the partner's potential transition to a successor dog (if applicable), and their grief process. Each interview was recorded, transcribed, and reviewed by the research team to verify accuracy of data. The transcribed Microsoft Word documents were uploaded into MAXQDA, a software program that organizes data to support a systematic approach to coding and analysis of qualitative data (Kuckartz & Rädiker, 2019). MAXQDA is designed for use in qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods research.

Data Analysis

To analyze the qualitative data, we used directed content analysis, a method guided by theory or prior research that is a more structured process than conventional content analysis (Hickey & Kipping, 1996; Potter & Levine-Donnerstein, 1999). “The goal of a directed approach to content analysis is to validate or conceptually extend a theoretical framework or theory” (Hsieh & Shannon, 2005, p. 1281).

We began by reading through each transcript and identifying key concepts as initial coding categories (Potter & Levine-Donnerstein, 1999). Next, based on bereavement and continuing bonds theories (Doka, 2008; Field et al., 2009), as well as prior research on pet loss (Carmack, 2003; Habarth et al., 2017; Orsini, 2005; Packman et al., 2011), we determined operational definitions for each coding category. Data that could not be coded were identified and analyzed later to determine if they represented a new theme or a subcategory of an existing theme. One advantage of directed content analysis is that “existing theory can be supported and extended” (Hsieh & Shannon, 2005, p. 1281). We next independently coded the responses and reviewed the codes until consensus was reached. Throughout the process, we kept meticulous notes of all code definitions, themes, and patterns within the data and tracked progress towards code and meaning saturation (Hennink et al., 2017). We determined that code saturation was achieved at interview eight but continued to read interviews until we reached meaning saturation (the interview data no longer elucidated nuanced meanings).

Results

The following eight themes encapsulate the pre and post-loss bereavement experiences of service dog partners: more than just a dog; stoicism and declining health; my one in a million dog: centrality of loss; social constraints and disenfranchised grief experiences; transition to a new service dog: no time to grieve; and areas of support.

More Than Just a Dog

Service dogs embody the strength, nimbleness, and balance of their partners’ limbs and digits. They also function as their partners’ eyes and ears to warn of incoming communications or dangers. Unlike companion animals, service dogs work tirelessly to support their partners in completing activities of daily living at home, work, and community settings. Examples of their jobs include opening doors and refrigerators, holding money or other objects with their mouths, pulling wheelchairs, picking up items, and alerting partners to phone calls or approaching objects such as cars. As such, partners described their service dogs as different from a companion animal: “They are more than just a dog” and “almost like a friend, a close friend”. When asked to elaborate on this close relationship, the same partner explained, “I’ve had pet dogs and continue to have pet dogs – and it's kind of maybe, maybe heartless but I don't intend it that way – they’re [service dogs] almost a tool more than they are a pet.”. In the minds of partners, their service dogs are essential in helping them navigate independently in the world.

Extending beyond their roles involving physical and functional responsibilities, service dogs also serve as social lubricants and reduce their partners’ feelings of marginalization. While wearing their service vests and carrying out their working roles, service dogs foster opportunities for dialogue with strangers that do not typically happen when the partners are out in public without their dogs. As social ambassadors, service dogs promote activities and relationships outside of the home. One partner shared about the full life their dog enabled:

We would go for fun activities, we would go to the skate parks, or we would go to one of the local parks that had a creek in the middle of it. Or we would walk on the Coast Trail, but we would do a fun activity so that we were out and they got me out of the house more often than I would have if I had just been alone.

Over time, partners become confident that their dogs will respond to cues and often begin feeling comfortable expanding out-of-home activities that bring them joy and a sense of community. One respondent proclaimed; “I could do whatever I wanted to do and not have to think about it. So, if I wanted to go visit my daughter six hours away, you know, I would put [my dog] in the car and go up there and not worry about it. It was just very, very freeing”. Service dogs open doors (literally and figuratively) for their partners and enable them to participate in activities that bring meaning and reduce feelings of isolation. As such, when service dogs become gravely ill and can no longer carry out their working roles, partners lose more than just a dog – they lose their sense of independence and freedom.

Stoicism and Declining Health

Due to the omnipresence of their service dog and their reliance on them, partners are acutely aware of changes in their dog's behaviors. Examples include slower time to respond to commands, limping, or making sounds indicating their discomfort when carrying out physically challenging activities. These changes often create a myriad of worries and questions related to what these symptoms mean for the dog's health and their ability to carry out their working roles, and what this might mean for their future relationship. Handlers rely on their veterinary providers to accurately diagnose health issues and predict how these health changes can alter their dog's role. Inherent in this trusted relationship with their veterinarian is the assumption that he/she will notice and discuss any sign, symptom, or behavior that may signify the need to begin preparing for the dog's retirement or end-of-life transition.

Due to the innate stoic nature of most dogs, service dogs often mask any signs of physical distress or discomfort. This can lead to a delayed diagnosis of a serious physical ailment or terminal disease. One partner explained that she instinctively knew her dog's health was declining and took her dog to several specialists. Yet, none found the terminal brain tumor until it was too late. This participant's grief and guilt were palpable:

It was really horrible. And I still feel guilty because I feel like I failed him. You know that I didn't know that he was sick like that.”… “I still feel terrible. I let him down, but I did everything that I could. I took him, I drove him to see a neurologist.

Even as their health declines, service dogs frequently work through their pain to carry out their jobs. One partner proclaimed, “He's a stellar dog. He's gonna put a face on for you. You know, he's gonna mask it because he feels like he needs to do his job “. The importance of their dog's health, and the potential for a missed or delayed diagnosis, drove several partners to advocate for their service dog's health and the need to educate veterinary professionals about service dogs’ stoic nature and masking of symptoms.

My One in a Million Dog: Centrality of Loss

Although each partner's narrative of their dog's death included nuanced features, interwoven throughout all the stories was a thread portraying how each dog's death became a central, life-altering event. Given the physical nature of their duties, most service dogs have an 8–10 year working capacity. Over the course of this time together, partners and their dogs spend most every waking moment together and develop an inseparable emotional bond. Therefore, when a service dog dies, almost every facet of their life is impacted. One partner proclaimed: “It's like, you know, you can love something and lose it, but it's not a part of your existence”.

Each partner distinctly remembered the death of each of their service dogs; however, for most of our participants, there was one (or sometimes more than one) dog that was especially significant and central in their lives. These dogs were frequently portrayed as a “one in a million dog”. The traits that typically elevated these dogs to this status include an ability to predict their partner's needs without being asked and learn novel commands that foster partners’ additional independence or socialization, as well as have an affectionate personality. When these exceptional dogs die, their absence creates an intense void and resultant distress for the partner, as well as for their friends and family. The more dependent the partner is on their dog for activities of daily living and socialization, the more complex and overwhelming is their bereavement. As proclaimed by one partner:

So, we always know that we have to put our dogs down. And, we know the pain of doing it. And we were told early on that these dogs will change your life, but I had no idea how life-changing because of their abilities and their intelligence and their love for us.

The first service dog is often the hardest bereavement trajectory. Partners shared how their first dog dramatically changed their quality of life and interactions with the world, and their absence left a life-shattering void. One partner proclaimed about the loss of her first service dog: “I imagine it's probably what a parent feels. There's different children, and you love them all, but in different ways”. Although service dog training courses incorporate discussions about the potential hardship the death of a service dog may elicit, few partners are prepared for the devastating rippling effects of their loss.

Social Constraints and Disenfranchised Grief Experiences

Service dog partners frequently feel isolated in their grief, with friends and family having minimal understanding of the depth of this unique loss (Kogan et al., 2021; Lepore & Revenson, 2007). Partners often cannot leave their homes without their service dogs. Thus, people in almost every facet of their lives are familiar with their service dog and acknowledge their absence after death. Although these social connections are there to offer support, they often lack important insights into the profundity of the service dog-partner bond. This can contribute to increased feelings of social constraint, and painful feelings that their friends and family are not really there for them during their grief. One partner attempted to portray this relationship to their coworkers:

They think it's the same as [the death of] a pet animal. And I was like, ‘it's not the same. Not at all like it. I can't explain it to you, but it's not the same’. And I started talking about it, like, ‘If your child died or something, or your spouse’. And then they kind of started getting it.

Though many participants reported finding it helpful to have coworkers, friends, and community members acknowledge their loss, some simultaneously explained the difficulty in finding a safe place where someone does not bring up their service dog's death:

I have to keep explaining all the time. It made it really hard for me to actually grieve. Because every time I thought I was kind of somewhat healing, they would bring it back up. I’m like, ‘How am I ever going to get over this?’.

While some partners feel they cannot escape people asking about their loss, others feel completely isolated in their grief and find it challenging to trust other people with the full extent of their feelings, highlighting the complexities of this loss. As a result, some partners choose to limit their conversations with others who they feel lack a real understanding of the bond they had with their service dog. During one of this study's interviews, a partner revealed to the interviewer, “You’re probably the first person I talked to about it”. Regardless of the number of people with whom partners can share their story, very few reported feeling they have someone in their daily life who could understand the enormity of this type of loss. This leads many partners to feel disenfranchised in their grief and uncomfortable talking about the death of their service dog.

Transition to New Service Dog: No Time to Grieve

The thought of acquiring a new service dog adds an additional layer of distress to many partners’ grief. Yet, most partners face a time when they would have to plan for this transition. Most of our participants had gone through this process, with the exception of a couple partners who explained they chose not to find a new dog due to concurrent life transitions, strong family support, or the need to heal from their loss. The very nature of this relationship and the short working lifespan of service dogs means that most partners experience multiple losses over the course of their lifetime. The need to obtain a new service dog as soon as possible to resume previous independence often translates into a shorted period of time for partners to grieve and adjust to their loss. Many partners have to meet their new dog and start training without an adequate break or time to emotionally process the transition.

Despite their grief, partners have to put their emotions aside so that they can focus on training their new dogs. Their grief can resurface, however, at times like when they meet their potential new partner or when the new dog struggles to learn an essential command. Several partners reflected on their hesitancy to welcome a new service dog into their hearts:

And the new dog that I’ve got now, she's a great replacement. She's got a very outgoing personality, and she's been easy to bond with. I finally made the conscious decision of “Yes, this partnership is going to work—it's going to be long term”. But, I do think there was a little bit of hesitation to get too close too quick.

Grief can compound with each new death of a beloved service dog due to a truncated time to grieve while simultaneously creating rapport with a new service dog.

Areas of Support

Several factors and entities emerged as beneficial in a partner's grieving process. These include: family/friends, service dog training organization, veterinarian, the dog's puppy raiser, as well as personal ways that they chose to memorialize their dogs. Many participants reported feeling that the people who best understand the gravity of their loss, and often feel their own personal loss, are family members who live with them in the home. Another source of support frequently mentioned was Canine Companions. This organization often serves as a sounding board and conduit between partners and their veterinarian when faced with end-of-life decisions. As reported by numerous partners, Canine Companions also offers supportive ears, grief support resources, and help preparing for the potential transition to a new service dog.

Another source of support was the person who raised and trained the dog as a puppy. These ‘puppy raisers’ share a unique bond with their dog's partner. Each of the service dog partners shared powerful stories about the ways in which their puppy raiser supported both their own and their dog's psychosocial well-being. Examples included navigating the service dog's behavioral and physical challenges as well as providing respite. As the time approached to consider retirement or end-of-life transitions, many partners reported that they consulted with their dog's raiser to solicit advice and consider their thoughts and feelings during this pivotal transition in the dog's care. It is not uncommon for these raisers to be present during euthanasia or to care for the service dog if the owner is not physically able to provide end-of-life care. A partner shared about the extraordinary care provided by her dog's raiser as his health declined:

Then his puppy raiser actually hired a private airplane and flew to get him…I spoke with her every day and he was with her maybe for two months. She set an alarm to give him his medication every few hours. She tried everything, all kind of chemo. And then he wasn't doing well and she had to put him down.

Another example of the continued commitment from puppy raisers:

She reached out to me and said, ‘I will be there if you want me there’. Of course, every part of my body wanted to say ‘No, I’m fine’. But I was like, “No, I have to take this gift”. She was with us because she knew how special [dog's name] was.

The shared sense of history and connection with their service dog's raiser can bring immense comfort to partners at their dog's end-of-life and into bereavement.

Partners also commonly contacted their dog's raiser for grief support following the death of their service dog. Given their familiarity with the dog, these puppy raisers are seen as safe people with whom to discuss their loss. One partner stated: “I ended up calling his puppy raiser because I am actually still friends with her and she was one of the people who really helped to comfort me. So, I’m glad that [service dog training organization] allows us to have that relationship if we want it so that we can have that kind of comfort”.

In addition to supportive people, many handlers engage in acts of memorialization to foster a continued bond with their dog after death. Examples include displaying photographs, going to places where they used to go with their dogs, and retaining their dog's belongings and placing them somewhere prominent. Participants reported that photographs often brought back positive memories: “I have a photo up in my bedroom; it makes me think of him. I try to remember the good things and not always horrible things. So, I try to have it help me remember the good times”. Some handlers reported that their veterinary clinics also support memorialization by creating paw prints. This felt “like a piece of [service dog's name] was still there” with them. These acts of memorialization support the expression of continuing bonds with their deceased service dogs and were described as being invaluable when trying to process their grief and emotional transition to a new service dog.

Discussion

This is one of the few studies to address the experiences of service dog partners following the death of their dog. Findings highlight the profound and disenfranchised grief endured by service dog partners when their dogs die. The narratives portray the essential roles that their service dogs play in providing a sense of normalcy, friendship, and connection to the world.

Our companion quantitative survey highlighted that the more central the loss, the more complex the grief (Kogan et al., 2021). With respect to event centrality, the level to which individuals created meaning around the loss predicts the extent of grief (Bellet et al., 2018). Building upon that, the results from this study highlighted the fact that service dog partners view their dogs as much more than just a companion animal. For example, although service dog partners enjoy the ways in which their dogs can enhance socialization and connections with others, they additionally require and rely upon them for their daily health and living activities. It is understandable that the decline and death of a service dog brings specific challenges and high levels of distress. It is important to note that this loss is typically endured numerous times, as many service dog partners have multiple dogs over their lifetime. While the initial service dog's death is often the most salient, the death of subsequent service dogs can be equally painful.

The level of grief experienced by service dog partners is similar to the grief experienced by individuals whose companion animal has died (Kogan et al., 2021). However, because partners need their service dogs for essential life activities, their dogs are often quickly replaced after a death. These rapid transitions leave limited time to process the magnitude of their loss. The need to quickly build a working relationship with a new service dog without having time to process their recent loss can result in frustrations with the new dog's ability to carry out their role. That is, many partners cannot help but to compare a newly acquired younger, less experienced dog with their old dog- one they trusted and loved. Unfortunately, many partners do not have the luxury to wait until they are emotionally prepared for a new dog.

In addition to the actual death, the anticipated loss of a service dog can feel overwhelming for some partners and make it hard for them to recognize their dog's physical decline. Adding to this challenge is the fact that many service dogs show little signs of pain or discomfort, even when hurt or ill. Several partners noted that even if they did notice behavioral changes, their dogs still performed their jobs; thus, serious issues were sometimes overlooked. When an injury or illness went undetected, partners often felt intense guilt, believing that they should have known what was happening and obtained veterinary care earlier.

Similar to companion animal death, the death of a service dog often feels disenfranchised, yet there are some noteworthy differences which impact the grieving process. Although partners may have a large social circle who understand the service dog relationship, this can at times, complicate the grieving process. Partners and their dogs are always together and thus, people at work as well as friends and family also tend to develop a relationship with the dogs. Consequently, when a service dog dies, partners must not only tend to their own sadness, but also others’ opinions and grief, especially when the dog is replaced by a successor dog (Nicholson et al., 1995). As one partner eluded, “It felt like people were thinking–’You always have a service dog- What's the big deal’”.

Recommendations and Implications

This qualitative study extended and deepened the findings from our quantitative service dog loss research (Kogan et al., 2021), and underscores the need for anticipatory and post death support for service dog partners. Helping support partners when their service dog first becomes sick and/or shows signs of aging is critically important. Mental health professionals should encourage service dog partners to communicate with their veterinarians whenever they begin to see behavioral or health changes. This proactive approach could assuage their worries if nothing is wrong or be a means to begin proactively dealing with their dog's medical issues. In addition, helping partners as they wrestle with the elements involved in obtaining a replacement service dog can be of value. partners often feel the need to rush through the grief process without having time or emotional space, making the death and transition even more distressing—having adequate support during this time is crucial.

Participants repeatedly shared the challenges they felt with their friends, family, or workmates after their service dog's death or when they received a replacement dog. It would be helpful for mental health providers and/or service dog organizations to provide an easy access route to support (i.e., peer, individual or group therapy) to process their loss (Burke et al., 2015). Therapy could help partners navigate through their service dog's decline and death journey, create meaning through rituals/memorials, and engage in comforting continuing bonds expressions (Neimeyer et al., 2006; Packman et al., 2011). Counselors could also help teach partners how to directly communicate their needs to others and work through feelings of isolation when others don't understand their unique grief experience. Lastly, partners extolled the meaningful and often crucial relationships they developed with the people who trained and raised their service dogs. Service dog partners should be encouraged to stay connected with these instrumental and supportive people throughout their dog's lives.

Conclusions and Future Research

This study has several limitations. First, because data were collected during the COVID-19 pandemic, results may differ if conducted during another, less stressful time. In particular, several participants either couldn't get a replacement dog when they needed one, or received one sooner than is typical. Second, given the retrospective nature of the data collection, memories of the events may be skewed. Lastly, the sample was limited to Canine Companions’ partners with mobility issues or those with hearing impairments; therefore, caution is suggested when generalizing to other types of service dog partnerships. Thus, it would be of value to conduct similar research with other types of service dogs (e.g., guide dogs for the blind; psychiatric service dogs; seizure alert dogs, etc.) to investigate if the same patterns and relationships exist given the specific service partners’ needs.

Results from this study suggest the need for targeted psychoeducational materials and support for service dog partners that emphasize and normalize anticipatory grief, bereavement experiences, and challenges associated with transitioning to a new service dog. Service dog organizations, service dog puppy raisers, mental health providers, and veterinary professionals can all play a vital role in supporting handlers through these challenging times.