Will they come back to visit me?
In Taiwanese folk belief, the dead come home to see their family on the seventh day. Some owners wait for their pets this way too. Beliefs differ from place to place.
A real example
Less than a week after her golden retriever died, University of Maryland professor Jen Golbeck saw the dog curled up in its bed in the living room. When she looked again, it was gone. She does not believe in ghosts, but after collecting 544 owners' stories, she found most such experiences were peaceful and comforting.
Research, Maryland Today (University of Maryland), 12 Apr 2024Read the original
What others said
「On the monthly anniversary of my dog's passing, I felt that morning as if they were sleeping by my pillow like before.」
Shared online (reworded) Japan, Oct 2026What people do in different places
Day seven: a belief that the dead come home to see familyTaiwan: a funeral custom for people; a folk belief
Some owners wait for their pet to come home on day sevenTaiwan: a public figure did this for her cat in 2026
Set out food, water and toys on day sevenChina: some owners follow the human custom
Rites every seven days, up to day 49Taiwan: from the Buddhist idea of an in-between state
Some Buddhist scholars say memorial rites help pets reach paradiseJapan: e.g. day-7 and day-49 rites; views differ
Set up an altar on Oct 27 to welcome them homeMexico: a folk custom before Day of the Dead; not official
Some see dreams, butterflies or rainbows as signs from themUS: from 544 owner reports in a study
Sources
1 post from an owner online: reworded and anonymised, showing only the platform, region and month. We keep the original link privately.
Updated 25 Oct 2026. This page updates daily from owners’ posts.