Having lost both a family member and close pets that were essentially family... it does make sense. Losing a pet is not the same as losing a human being, but...

Having lost both a family member and close pets that were essentially family... it does make sense. Losing a pet is not the same as losing a human being, but... I can understand the analogy. A pet may have been an active part of the family for a decade, participating in many of the same activities as the family from dinner time to family outings. Some pets are taken on specifically in times of emotional need, such as after losing a family member or in place of a child that can't be conceived. Such pets may not be actual humans but they do fill a role and fill a hole similar to one. Again, not the same, but I can see circumstances where the analogy makes sense. And it's special when it does, this doesn't apply to every pet ever.