Grieving Aspin Fights Sleep at Owner's Funeral
Georgia lost two of her owners within a month.
(SPOT.ph) There’s nothing like the unconditional love of a pet—a sentiment that becomes even more poignant in the face of their owner's death. Such is the case with an aspin named Georgia, who was seen fighting off sleep at her owner’s wake in Binalonan, Pangasinan as captured in a now viral clip on TikTok.
User Bailey Jean Manuel posted a 40-second video of her tita’s pet dog Georgia sitting on a monobloc chair, trying so hard not to fall asleep. The caption read: “Kahit antok na antok na si Georgia tita babantayan ka pa rin niya.”
Manuel shared in an interview with GMA Integrated News that Georgia had originally belonged to her lola who passed away last month in March. That was when Georgia was given a new home with her tita. That's two of her owners gone in one month.
“Puyat na puyat ‘yung aso kasi wala pa isang buwan noong namatay ‘yung lola namin tapos sumunod ‘yung tita ko. Kahit umaga nagbabantay din siya. Kahit pinapaalis, ayaw talagang umalis. Bumabalik," Manuel told GMA Integrated News. "Lagi siyang nandoon, kapag gutom, umaalis ta's babalik ulit. Hihiga ulit sa carpet, tapos uupo sa upuan.”
And Georgia returns to the same monobloc seat every time. Why? Manuel said the seat has a clear view of her tita's picture above the coffin.
@mwellll Kahit antok na antok na si Georgia tita babantayan ka pa din nya.
♬ Scott Street (Slowed Down) - Phoebe Bridgers
The TikTok video has racked up over 31.8 million views and 6.6 million likes since it was posted on April 3. As for Georgia, Manuel said she will be put under the care of her tita’s sister, who lives next door.
Also read: Philippines' Hachiko? Dog Waits Over a Year for Dead Owner Outside Hospital
Do dogs actually grieve their owners’ death?
Dogs may not understand death in the same way humans do, but they do perceive someone's absence and can experience profound changes as a result. Their sense of grief is likely tied to the disruption of their daily routine and the loss of a relationship rather than an understanding of death as a concept.
Studies have observed that dogs can exhibit behavioral changes after the death of a family member, including their human owners. These behaviors may include decreased appetite, changes in sleeping patterns, lethargy, and a general decrease in playfulness—all of which can be indicative of a mourning process.
“My definition of grief is that a surviving animal shows distress through behavior that is markedly divergent from his routine,” anthropology professor Barbara King explained in an article for the American Kennel Club.
Numerous pet owners in the comment section of Manuel's video also reported changes in their dog's behavior that suggest mourning after the loss of a family member, including clinging behavior, searching behaviors, and stress-induced vocalizations. You can read through them below in case you needed a reminder of just how much we don't deserve dogs.
Also read: Before Killua: This Aspin Was Killed After Being Mistaken for Another Dog