Owner Demographics

Gender: female/male/prefer not to say

Age (in years)

City

Country

State (for USA citizens)

Highest level of education achieved: primary school/ high school- secondary education/Tertiary level education, e.g., Degree or other form of graduate level education (e.g., BSc, BA, HND)/Post-graduate education (e.g., PhD, MSc, MA)

Marital status: single/married- long term committed relationship/divorced—separated/other

Household composition: one person/multi person

Your role in the household: parent- primary caregiver/daughter—son/single person family/housemate/other

Presence of children in the household: yes/no

Number of children (0–14 years old) in the home: 0/1/2/3/4/more than 4

Age of the youngest child (days/weeks/months/years, please specify)

Age of the oldest child (months/years, please specify)

House with yard/garden: yes/no

What do you do for a living?

The deceased dog

Gender: female/male

Sexual status: intact/entire- neutered/desexed

Age at acquisition: before 50 days/ 50–70 days/ 71–90 days/91 days–1 year/more than 1 year/homebred

Age at death (months/years, please specify)

Size: small (less than 10 kg)/medium (10–25 kg)/ large (25–40 kg)/giant (more than 40 kg

Source: shelter/breeder/stray/pet shop/private (friend, relative)/other

Main reason you acquired/adopted this dog: companionship/security/precursor of children/for the children/the dog needed a home/Special needs (i.e., seeing eye dog, therapy animal)/work needs/dog sports/other

When did your animal pass away?: less than 6 months ago/6–12 months ago/more than 12 months ago

Was the death expected?: yes/no

Were you living alone when your dog died?: yes/no

Which of the following best describes the role filled by this animal in your relationship?: partner/friend/source of protection/working animal/family (baby)/family (brother/sister)/simply an animal

Was the dog euthanased? Yes/no

Reason for euthanasia: dog’s health issue/dog’s behavioural issue/owner’s issue/the dog was not euthanased

In case of euthanasia for behavioural issues, can you please specify the cause:

How long has the dog lived with you (months/years, please specify)?

Was this your first dog?: yes/no

In your opinion, to this dog you were: simply a human/ a friend/ a group member/other—positive relationship/other—negative relationship

Lexington Attachment to Pets Scale Please consider the following statements to the pet that has passed away. Before answering, take a few minutes to think about your dog, your relationship and the life you have shared together. Read the following statements referring to this relationship, although the statements are formulated in the present tense, consider the relationship you had with your dog and indicate if you strongly agree, agree, neither agree or disagree, disagree, or strongly disagree with each statement by circling the appropriate answer. 1 = strongly disagree 2 = disagree 3 = neither agree or disagree 4 = agree 5 = strongly agree

My pet means more to me than any of my friends

Quite often I confide in my pet

I believe that pets should have the same rights and privileges as family members

I believe my pet is my best friend

Quite often, my feelings toward people are affected by the way they react to my pet

I love my pet because he/she is more loyal to me than most of the people in my life

I enjoy showing other people pictures of my pet

I think my pet is just a pet

I love my pet because he/she never judges me

My pet knows when I am feeling bad

I often talk to other people about my pet

My pet understands me

I believe that loving my pet helps me stay healthy

Pets deserve as much respect as humans do

My pet and I have a very close relationship

I would do almost anything to take care of my pet

I play with my pet quite often

I consider my pet to be a great companion

My pet makes me feel happy

I feel that my pet is a part of my family

I am not very attached to my pet

Owning a pet adds to my happiness

Animal-Human Continuity Scale Directions: Please answer each of the following questions as honestly as you can. Use the scale provided below. Choose only one answer. 1 = Strongly Disagree 2 = Moderately Disagree 3 = Slightly Disagree 4 = Unsure Slightly 5 = Agree 6 = Moderately Agree 7 = Strongly Agree

I consider my pet to be a friend

Humans have a soul but animals do not.

Humans can think but animals cannot.

People have a life after death but animals do not.

People are animals.

Animals are afraid of death.

People evolved from lower animals.

People are superior to animals.

Animals can fall in love.

People have a spiritual nature but animals do not.

The needs of people should always come before the needs of animals.

It’s okay to use animals to carry out tasks for humans.

It’s crazy to think of an animal as a member of your family.

The Positivity Scale The following statements describe how a person might act in certain situation. 1 = strongly disagree 2 = disagree 3 = neither agree or disagree 4 = agree 5 = strongly agree

I have great faith in the future

I am satisfied with my life

Others are generally here for me when I need them

I look forward to the future with hope and enthusiasm

On the whole, I am satisfied with myself

At times, the future seems unclear to me

I feel I have many things to be proud of

I generally feel confident in myself

Testoni Death Representation Scale The following questionnaire is the result of various interviews held with many participants and it deals with the most common forms of representing death and the relative thoughts. There are no “exact answers”: this questionnaire considers only personal opinions. Please: think for a moment what death and dying means to you and answer the following questions.

EVALUATION 1 = absolutely disagree 2 = disagree 3 = indifferent 4 = agree 5 = absolutely agree

Death is only a passage. After my death, I will continue to be and I will continue to remember all experiences of this life.

Death is a definitive annihilation. After my death I will cease to exist, therefore I won’t have any experiences.

Death is a radical change. After my death I will no longer be conscious of being myself.

Death is a definitive annihilation. After my death, even if others remember me, I won’t remember anything.

Death is only a passage. After my death, I will continue to exist and therefore I will have experiences.

Death is a radical change. After my death I will have experiences that will not have any connection with my present life.