Tell us: how were you affected by grief over a pet?

"According to the study, grieving pet owners can suffer from prolonged grief disorder (PGD) although currently only those grieving the loss of a person can be diagnosed. This mental health condition, brought about by the death of a loved one, can last months or even years, and often involves intense longing and despair, problems socialising and going about daily tasks."

"You can tell us about how you were affected by grief over your pet using this form. Your responses, which can be anonymous, are secure as the form is encrypted and only the Guardian has access to your contributions. We will only use the data you provide us for the purpose of the feature and we will delete any personal data when we no longer require it for this purpose."

New research in PLOS One finds grief after a pet's death can be as chronic as grief for a human family member. Grieving pet owners can meet criteria for prolonged grief disorder (PGD) despite current diagnostic rules applying only to losses of people. PGD may persist for months or years and commonly includes intense longing, despair, social withdrawal, and difficulty carrying out daily routines. The Guardian invites people who experienced pet loss to share what their pet meant to them and how the loss affected family life. Responses can be anonymous, are encrypted and accessible only to the Guardian, and personal data will be deleted when no longer required.

Read at www.theguardian.com