Interspecies entanglement in clinical end of life care

The complex relationships between humans and other animals in contemporary society are beginning to influence how sociological research is understood and performed, including in the healthcare context.

Recent work has shown that the veterinary treatment of family pets provides a unique backdrop for researchers interested in accounts of experiences, frustrations and preferences for the medical treatment of humans. We will apply an interspecies approach to the study of end of life care, using the differences and growing similarities between veterinary care and medical care to generate novel conversations.

Medical and veterinary professionals will share their experiences of conversations about end of life care for humans and animals. Researchers will explore how this data might develop and connect existing academic research and contribute to future discussions about policy.