Recent media coverage has highlighted cases where pets fed on their owners after their death during lockdowns. Dr. Tatyana Golneva notes that such incidents have long been part of observed patterns in animal behavior.
She recalls that even in old stories, people warned that a creature could turn to eating what is available when hunger is extreme. While dogs and cats are not identical to pigs, they share a common impulse: when nothing else is offered, they will eat whatever is put before them. The issue, Golneva explains, is not a moral failing but instinct—predatory drives that surface under severe stress, much like human reactions in similar situations.
“A dog that shows strong affection for its owner can still turn to human flesh once the owner is gone,” she says. The instinct is at work, and the animal may perceive the body as food for survival rather than as a host. This distinction matters in understanding the behavior rather than judging the animal’s character.
Golneva also points to studies that examine how animals respond to human corpses. In a controlled examination of corpse decomposition in a designated area, researchers observed cats entering the area and gnawing on remains. This finding is notable because cats are typically viewed as hunters rather than scavengers, which highlights the complexity of animal responses when food is scarce.
In extreme circumstances, both cats and dogs may turn to human meat when there is no other source of nutrition. Yet these situations are extraordinary, arising from intense stress, wild behavior, or serious mental distress in the animal, the veterinarian adds.
Veterinarian Aziz Alekberov concurs, explaining that the main trigger is stress from losing an owner and facing hunger in a confined space without access to food. The absence of regular feeding can push an animal toward desperate actions, even though such cases remain rare.
“Even under severe hunger and mistreatment, dogs won’t typically attack their owners for food,” Alekberov notes. People in desperate circumstances may also resort to extreme behavior, such as communally consuming those who died in a disaster like the Andes crash decades ago. These examples illustrate how primal instincts can surface in both humans and animals under pressure.
“I was locked in and untouched for almost 30 days with its dead owner”
Veterinarian Mikhail Shelyakov, holding a top clinical qualification, emphasizes that pets are not part of the human food chain and do not see their owners as a meal. Protein and sustenance are found through available feeds, not through direct consumption of people, in most cases.
He adds that some dogs are trained to attack humans, but ordinary pets, including stray animals, generally do not attack to eat people. Their actions are more about asserting dominance or responding to perceived threats than about hunger for human flesh.
Observers note that dogs that have interacted with starving animals frequently describe attacks as acts of intimidation rather than predation. The goal appears to be control and display rather than feeding, He explains.
In a related observation, Dmitry Fedoseev, co-owner of a veterinary clinic, describes cases where dogs arrived after long periods of hunger while their owners had died nearby. In such scenarios, pets may show only minor bites while seeking to awaken senses, and outright consumption of a person remains uncommon. He notes that in his clinic, animals in similar situations typically do not consume human flesh, and many dogs may be unable to distinguish a piece of meat’s origin simply by instinct.
Feoseev also cautions that when dogs encounter meat, they cannot reliably identify whether it is chicken, pig, or human. This limitation underscores the need for careful assessment and reassurance in handling such cases.
“An animal that tastes human flesh can be triggered at any time”
There is a belief that tasting human flesh can set off a lasting urge in some animals. Dr. Ekaterina Baldrueva shares the view that a once-tasted human piece can act as a trigger in future encounters with people. In many cases, this experience leaves a mark on the animal’s psyche, eroding trust and respect toward humans. As a result, some pets who have undergone such experiences are euthanized, while others may be steered toward rehabilitation under careful supervision. Any rehabilitative plan must be tailored to the individual animal and handled privately by trained professionals.
Shelyakov agrees that while it is unlikely an animal will repeatedly target people for consumption, lasting psychological changes are possible. Rehabilitation and socialization may be pursued for non-dangerous pets under controlled conditions, but this work requires a specialized, case-by-case approach. In any scenario, animals that have not faced ongoing stress are far less likely to attempt such acts again.