When Toronto resident Shefali Jain visits her grandad in Kanpur, India, she notices the special bond he has formed with the local stray dogs. Every morning, he sets out with a bag of fresh food to feed the hungry dogs. According to Jain, who shared the story on Instagram, the dogs recognise the sound of the gate as he opens it and come running towards him.
In the neighbourhood, some people view these dogs as pests. Her nana, the Hindi word for maternal grandfather, thinks differently. He considers them pure and innocent souls, doing everything he can to ensure they are well looked after. Over time, the same few dogs gather outside his house every day, becoming a bright spot in his daily routine. He says the dogs wait for him every morning, and Jain believes he waits for them too.
Dogs refusing to eat
Jain's grandad passed away last October. She returned to Kanpur for the funeral and discovered that the dogs were refusing to eat. Other people had tried to feed them, but to no avail. "They wanted the same hands that fed them every day," she explains.
Jain then gave them an old shirt belonging to her grandad so they could catch his scent one last time. As soon as they sniffed the fabric, they seemed to understand what was happening, she says. She believes the dogs know her nana is no longer there, and they feel his absence every single day.
A granddaughter carrying on his legacy
Jain did not want her grandad's dogs to go hungry, so she bought food for them. She was worried they might reject her offering, but to her surprise, they trusted her. They seemed to remember her from when she had fed them alongside her grandad. Since then, she regularly feeds and cares for the neighbourhood dogs. With every meal, she feels her nana's presence, continuing to look over them through her.
What does science say about canine grief?
Jain's account is a personal testimony rather than a scientific study. Researchers remain cautious when it comes to grief in dogs. A 2022 study published in Scientific Reports, which surveyed 426 Italian owners of at least two dogs, showed that 86% observed behavioural changes in the surviving dog after the death of another dog. These included seeking more attention, playing less, and sometimes losing their appetite. However, the authors point out that these findings rely on owner reports and do not prove that dogs experience grief in the human sense. Furthermore, the study focused on the loss of another dog, not a human companion.
Translated from the FR Wamiz website using artificial intelligence
