A Labrador starved to death beside the lifeless body of its owner, a man in his 80s found after a police welfare check due to a prolonged absence. The dog had food available: the body itself. It did not touch it.
That story sparked a question that almost no one investigates seriously: would your pet eat you if you died alone and no one arrived in time? A team of French researchers led by Thomas Colard, from the University of Lille, analyzed 63 real cases and found a pattern. In 24% of bodies found within the first 24 hours, there was evidence that dogs had consumed parts of the deceased.
First responders consulted—police officers, paramedics, and animal rescue personnel—agree on something revealing: cats tend to start biting the body as soon as it cools, while dogs tend to watch over or protect it, at least until decomposition erases the scent that connects them to their owner. So don’t trust your cat 100%.