And other grisly details we learned about our pets from a forensic anthropologist. Warning: You’ll never be able to look at a Maru video the same way again.
Carolyn Rando, Ph.D., is a forensic anthropologist at the UCL Institute of Archaeology and CASE Academy. One of her favorite topics of research is animal scavengers. So, naturally, we asked her questions about pets eating their owners.
"Yes, your pets will eat you when you die, and perhaps a bit sooner than is comfortable. They tend to go for the neck, face, and any exposed areas first, and then, if not discovered in time, they may proceed to eat the rest of you," Rando told BuzzFeed over email.
Dr. Carolyn Rando / Via UCL Institute of Archaeology
Your dog just might try to eat you while you're passed out and drunk.
Rando mentions a sordid case that was analyzed in a 1994 study published in the American Journal of Forensic Medicine & Pathology.
The case involves a middle-aged woman who got too drunk and passed out. Her dog, a red setter, had started biting her face while she was unconscious. She later died, but the dog couldn't even wait a whole day to munch on his owner — and started chewing on her face within 16 hours of the woman last being seen alive.
Will Varner / Via BuzzFeed
"Why would 'Fluffy' want to eat me after my death? In many cases, the simple answer is instinct," Rando said.