4 comments about Angel Whiskers: Reflections on Loving and Losing a Feline Companion.

1. No matter what the circumstances of your loss, there will be a poem or story here that reflects it. For anyone who has lost a beloved cat or is looking for a way to comfort someone who has, I highly recommend this book.



2. This book has helped me release some of the pain suffered through losing my beloved feline friend. The deep realization that others also mourn such devoted pets, makes one feel less alone. The vintage photographs portray the love people can feel for these remarkable creatures known as Cats.



3. Whether you are a dog or a cat lover, you will find "Angel Whiskers" especially inspirational, and fully realize the strength and unbreakable bond that exists between humans and animals. The photos, stories, and memorials are those everyone can relate to on a personal level. Both "Angel Whiskers" and "Angel Pawprints" will always provide me with the comfort I need in remembering my beloved pets.



4. This book contains a lovely collection of written poems and memorials to beloved cats. The Cleveland Amory tale of the passing of Polar Bear is classic and guaranteed to make you weep. Also contained herein is the famous "Rainbow Bridge" poem by Anonymous. But new to me was the answering poem "Request from Rainbow Bridge" by Constance Jenkins, which I had not seen before and which I found to be one of the best pieces in the book. There is a small excerpt from the wonderful little book "Charles: the story of a friendship" by Michael Joseph which is sadly out of print, but well worth the effort of trying to track down a copy. The written tributes were most moving and offer some warmth from the freezing, howling winds of grief at the loss of a beloved "fur-person". The vintage photographs presented with the poems and stories were also surprisingly touching. Looking at them, the love humans had and have for their pets is a tangible and powerful emotion captured on film. I found this book to be much more of a balm for sorrow than "The Heart that is Loved Never Forgets". It is a good companion book to Philip Schreibman's "My Cat Saved my Life" and would make an extremely thoughtful gift for someone who is mourning their cat.

3 comments about Coping With the Loss of a Pet.

1. This book is like receiving a hug from a whole bunch of people who have also lost their special pets and feel as bad as you do. It is brief, basically every chapter deals with one stage of the grieving process and offers stories/situations that you can identify with and offers advice on healing and validation. That's it no more and no less. Don't expect a bunch of info. on any issues of any sort. I would suggest that you also get another book such as "Coping with sorrow on the loss of your pet" by Moira Anderson, which is excellent and deals with a lot of issues and is very informational. However, do get this book it gives you what you need when you're in pain and need a shoulder to cry on.
   The fact this it is a short quick read can be a real blessing at those times when that will be the most you can manage.



2. My vet lent me a copy of this book after my dearly, beloved 17 1/2 year calico cat died. It's a quick read (which at a time like this is necessary -- my concentration level just isn't here) and deals well with such a tough subject.

   In a few places, the author describes exactly how I am feeling and lets me know it is OK to feel the way I do.

   One area the author didn't delve into was "do pets go to heaven?". I have found several other books which specifically address this topic.

   Since the book is older, it doesn't have quite the list of other resources one may be looking for, but I found it to be a help.

   Thank you, Christina, for helping us pet lovers cope with such a gigantic loss.




3. After having my animal put to sleep after trying other alternatives with no results, I had to deal not only with the grief but guilt.Why guilt, that I couldnt answer since I had spent thousands of dollars on a dog trying to make him live a little longer. I found this book and after reading this not only did it help ease my mind, it also helps me when Im feeling down.I miss my collie but I have come to realize there is a time you have to do whats best for them and not whats best for you. This author deals with a sensitive subject that adults and children deal with as long as there is a animal in their life.

4 comments about The Heart That Is Loved Never Forgets: Recovering from Loss: When Humans and Animals Lose Their Companions.

1. This book was a literal life-line for me. I am very grateful that the little book store in my neighborhood happened to have this particular book available just hours after I had my beloved cat put down under unusually urgent and traumatic circumstances.
   I could not have imagined there being such a book, so full of feeling and understanding, so articulate and wise and gentle, about pets and pet loss.
   The author speaks from the heart with courage and sensitivity. This book literally was like a healing balm. It got me through.
   Immediately I called my vet to suggest that they have it in stock for pet owners, as well as the little book store I got it from to make sure they ordered another since I took the last copy (I couldn't stand the thought of depriving another mouring pet owner of the comfort I received from reading this book.)
   I don't know what I would've done without having come across this truly original and heart-mending book.



2. I actually lost my copy of this book, and I've added it to my wish list so I can replace it. The book is written in anecdotal format; the author uses case studies from her practice to demonstrate how particular remedies are used in particular cases of grief/shock. You don't have to be a Ph.D. or a hugely experienced homeopath to use this book.
   
   Over the years I have used recommendation from this book to help animals recover from the death of their owners and abandonment in shelters. My most recent rescue--a cat who had been surrendered to a shelter when his former owner became too sick to take care of him, almost died while in the shelter (from illness and a broken heart), found a home and then was kicked back to the shelter due to behavior issues, and finally moved into my house, where he lives happily and peacefully with my two older cats--benefited profoundly from the advice given in this book. Only yesterday I was able to use information I remembered from this book to help a baby goat whose mother orphaned him.
   
   If you are looking for a book to help YOU recover from pet loss, this book isn't for you. There are numerous books on the market to help humans recover from pet loss. This book is designed for you to help your animal companion cope with his or her grief and emotional turmoil after losing a beloved human or animal friend.
   
   One word of caution: The author (and I) believe that animals have souls and feelings--NOT that animals are people in fur suits, but that animals have feelings which they manifest in their own way unique to their species. If this approach to animal welfare is too "woo woo" for you, you may want to give this book a miss. But if you are interested in homeopathy and you sense that your animal is depressed or otherwise traumatized by a loss, this book will be a great reference tool. Shelter workers and animal "foster carers" could benefit from this book, too.



3. I am a volunteer foster mom for kittens and cats, having had about 200 animals adopted.I deal with animal loss-I have to deal with cats I raised in my home and personally feel the loss and adopters who call me in tears and are very distresses. I recommend this book-probably because it doesn't have poetry and stories that move readers to tears, I find people can read that their feelings of loss are very valid and extremely personal-and it helps. I am not a professional but I am asked for help when an animal is ill or passed away and this book is short enough that readers will stay with it. The homeopathic part of this book is not for everyone-probably only a small portion of animal owners.But I followed some suggestions and as they say "It can't hurt to try!"



4. I think potential buyers of this book should not be deceived by the title into thinking that it is a guide to healing from pet loss, as I was. The author is a fervent, not to say fanatic, veterinary homeopath. What starts out as personal anecdotes about euthanizing or losing beloved pets turns into anecdotes about rescuing traumatized animals (surely a laudable thing) and healing them with things like Natrum muriaticum (chloride of sodium)and Borax (borate of sodium). As a pet lover myself, I'm the last to point a finger at someone who anthropomorphizes animals, but I do start wondering when animal emotions are supposedly "understood" by a human to such a fine degree - is it really possible to distinguish "rage in general" vs. rage from being left alone" vs. "rage at having the throat touched", and that each of these different rages can be cured by a different herb? Perhaps it is possible, and since the author believes in long-distance telepathic communication with animals, perhaps she knows something that I don't. The communication I have experienced from animals has truly been deeper than anything I was ever taught could be possible - but I wonder if layering on too much human emotion spoils the purity, the difference of relating to an animal rather than another human. The book makes several good, though not original points; that giving our pets a peaceful end to suffering requires great courage of the heart, that animals do suffer emotional trauma and do grieve the loss of human or other animal companions. The human-animal bond is indeed a very special, very important bond to forge - the capacity to love another outside oneself is paramount to being a good human being. Becoming the "ambassador" for an animal requires commitment, watchfulness and care; what our companion animals give us in return is beyond measure. Had I been interested in learning homeopathic veterinary medicine, I would have purchased this author's other book "Homeopathic First Aid for Animals". If you are looking for a book to help you deal with grief at losing a beloved (pet of any type, parent, a love), buy "My Cat Saved My Life" by Philip Schreibman. It will help you much more.
   AFTERWORD: (9/5/01) It is now almost a year since I lost my beloved 17-year-old cat, Hugo. I felt moved to add a few words to what I wrote about this book in 11/00. I want to clarify that I believe with all my being that our companion animals DO indeed understand us when we talk to them and and touch them and can even read our moods. (Read Anthony Gugielmo's book, "The Walrus on My Table"). And I hope with all my heart that telepathic communication between animals and humans and healing with homeopathic remedies occur. But I bought this book based on the title, which is such a comforting statement when you are grieving a loss..."the heart that is loved never forgets". It would have been the perfect title for the books "Angel Paws" and "Angel Whiskers", both books that deal with coping with the grief over losing a companion animal better than the above volume. I hold no quarrel with this this book, nor this author's point of view. I just wanted others in my situation to know that better solace for sorrow could be found elsewhere. I have moved on to rescue two other cats since I lost Hugo; a 10-year-old cat whose owner had to enter a nursing home and could not take his cat and a starving kitten from my driveway. I say this not to glorify myself, but to make the point that, no matter how much I love my other feline companions, the hole in my heart left by my bright spirit, Hugo's, absence will never be filled as long as I am alive. I know that I will meet him again, when, as they say, I go over the "Rainbow Bridge" myself. I also want to tell seniors and their relatives/dear ones something very important - the animal shelter community has changed. If you are lonely for an animal companion, but are resisting because you worry about whether you will "be around"...stop hesitating! There are MANY animals out there who would be so happy to share your life, no matter for how long! I never in the world thought I would adopt a 10-year-old cat (I am turning 50 this year); but I did and it was a revelation. Even if one or both of you has only a few years left, don't they deserve to be happy ones?, full of love? There are so many sad animal stories around, but we should realize that things ARE getting better, that some people DO care, and that love can be just around the corner, for today, for tomorrow, for who knows how long? And there will be others to pick up the torch and carry the love forward. God Blesses All Creatures, if one can but see.

5 comments about Will I See Fido in Heaven?: Scripturally Revealing God's Eternal Plan for His Lesser Creatures.

1. The subject of animals going to heaven is one that I have prayed about many times over a period of decades. This book is an answer to my prayers.
   
   As an animal lover and dog rescuer, I have always hoped animals could go to heaven and I tended to believe they did; but as a Christian, I needed solid bibical answers to be really, really sure. I feel that I have those answers now. I feel that my heart is finally at rest and at peace with the knowledge that animals do indeed go to heaven. What a joy, not to mention, a relief!
   
   Thank you so much for writing the book.
   
   C. Nichols



2. This book helped me to understand that I will see my beloved dog again. It answered my questions of how God feels about animals.



3. This book couldn't have come at a better time for me. It seems the Lord knew exactly what I needed when I visited my library 2 days before a mission trip, 2 days following the tragic death of our beloved pet Nadia. As I read the book, I kept my Bible close and it all made perfect sense. I received such peace from God through the teachings of Ms. Buddemeyer-Porter. I thank the Lord for this answer to my prayer.



4. A wonderful review not only of scripture, but also how well-known theologians down through history agree: You will see Fido in Heaven. I cannot rate this book high enough.



5. If you have ever lost a pet or know someone who has, then, aside from the Bible, this is the ONE book you really should read and share. Since it came to my attention on Amazon, I have gifted this book several times always with the same grateful result.

2 comments about The Good Shepherd: A Special Dog's Gift of Healing.

1. This is a book that is well worth reading. If you like stories about dogs who help people in ways that they very much needed, then this is the book for you.



2. This is an amazing story of inspiration and hope about a very special German shepherd named Grizzly, his young master who battled long and valiantly with terminal cancer, and the boy's courageous mother who was rescued from her own crippling grief by this incredible dog. Fulfilling her son's dying wish, Lana Davis began bringing Grizzly to hospitals to visit sick children, and soon began training others to do the kind of work she and Grizzly were doing. During the next six years, Lana and Grizzly co-founded two successful animal-assisted therapy organizations, including the Utah Animal-Assisted Therapy Association, trained hundreds of volunteer teams to carry on their work, and helped to heal the broken hearts of dozens of abused and emotionally troubled children. Today, though blind, Grizzly continues to inspire others with his almost unbelievable intuition for discerning what people need, be it his special brand of talk or a furry body to hug.

   Here's what some early reviewers have said about this book:

   "I cried throughout this incredibly moving book. It proves what I claimed in Dogs Never Lie About Love, that dogs have a greater capacity for love than do humans. And they are more sensitive, and wiser and more compassionate, the list goes on and on. This book shows the profound love and compassion that dogs feel, mysteriously and wonderfully, for us. A book for anyone who loves dogs, and children, and the love between dogs and children." - Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson, author of Dogs Never Lie About Love and When Elephants Weep.

   "Do not be fooled into believing that this is merely a book about a brave boy, a mother with a fierce and tender heart, and their uncannily intelligent dog. It is, of course, about these things but, more important, it is about relationships and about healing. The Good Shepherd teaches us just how broad and strong and miraculous the horizon of relationships can be when we include animals in the mix as friends, family, and--yes--as mentors and healers." - Susan McElroy, author of Animals as Teachers and Healers, in her Foreward to The Good Shepherd

   "This book of love and courage demonstrates the healing powers of animals when our hearts are open to them. It gives new meaning to being 'touched by an angel.' Many angels are animals, and many animals become angels in our lives." -Dr. Michael W. Fox, veterinarian and author of The Soul of the Wolf and numerous other books.

   "Tears of sadness and tears of joy streamed down my face as story after story opened my heart to the love, miracles, and healing shared by Grizzly and Lana. A must-read for all animal-lovers." - Dr. Allen M. Schoen, author of Love, Miracles, and Animal Healing

   "Jo Coudert's words touch one like gentle hands on an animal--and reach the same level of communication." - Betty White, actress and author

   "After reading The Good Shepherd, no one can doubt the ability of animals to teach and heal. Readers will enjoy abundant moving stories of troubled individuals changed by the power of the human-animal bond and animal-assisted therapy. Following the examples of Lana and Grizzly, I hope thousands of people-animal teams will seek training to share their special kind of love with people in need in their own families and communities." - Linda Hines, President and CEO, Delta Society

5 comments about Journey Through Pet Loss - Revised Edition 2000.

1. My Annabelle Kitty was 6 years old and one amazing kitty. She came every time I called her name. She was very loving to me, always petting me and purring. She got sick and in less than 11 hours she was unexpectedly gone. The vet thinks it was a blot clot. She died New Years morning 2008. I have other pets, but none like my Annabelle. She always had a way of always being there and she was so comforting. My first step in truly healing was this tape program. I would go lie down, but on my earphones and just close my eyes and listen to the woman talk about her dog. It helped to have my feelings validated by someone who has been there. These tapes helped me not to feel so alone. I have the support of my husband and 10 year old daughter, but the woman on the tapes helped me to deal with my grief. I was not doing very well and was not being there for my daughter and husband like I needed to be because of the loss I felt. It took a few days of focusing on what the woman said on the tapes, but I did what she said and it helped more than anything else. I am very grateful for the tapes. (I am not sure if my tapes were the revised edition or not)
   Blessings,
   Stephanie



2. Journey Through Pet Loss...takes us in the steps of grieving for a loved family pet. Deborah's audio also seems more personal to the listener. It touches you--because she understands the loss."
   
   Bennet Pomerantz AUDIOWORLD



3. Sometimes losing a dear animal friend can seem more overwhelming than the loss of a human in our lives. This is one of the many things that complicate the grieving process. The author explains that there are many bounds set by society and our own inner voice that attempt to dictate how long and how much we should mourn a beloved companion's passing. She explains why the loss of an animal can be a much more raw experience than the loss of a family member, friend or relative because of the mixed feelings and complicated relationships that we have with other humans. That simple, loving animal spirit that was so close to you is suddenly gone. There is no buffering element, no memories of a heated exchange that soured your relationship - nothing to blunt the pain. This can bring feelings of confusion and guilt, or painful memories of the loss of a child or spouse, and many other emotions. The author does an excellent job of explaining the reasons for these feelings, and suggests many different ways of working through them. She explains the phases of the grieving process and where to find help if serious emotional states are triggered. She also explains that we frequently project a part of our own psyche onto our pets, which can unleash unexpected effects on their passing.

   Despite the fact that I might have made this sound rather technical, it is not. The author puts forth a very gentle and concerned effort to do what the title implies - help you through the journey of pet loss.




4. I recommend this book to anyone who needs help through the stages of grief. It is practical and insightful.



5. The author uses moving vignettes from the death of her own pet to help others review their own feelings of grief. After each topic, she encourages the listener to turn off the tape and reflect on his or her own memories and feelings.

   She discusses pet memorials, stages of grief, euthanasia and hospice options. She emphasizes that each person has his or her own unique feelings. Different individuals might make different, equally valid choices for the beloved pet.

   I liked the sections on complicated grief. Pet loss can often reactivate deeper feelings about past losses. The pet's death may be a chance to work through other life experiences.

   Many of her general suggestions for dealing with pet loss could be useful for the entire family.

   The section on children's reactions to pet loss could have been stronger. I had a sense that the author was more comfortable dealing with adults and their animals. However, she did bolster her section on children with quotes from other authors and gave useful references.

   Carol E. Watkins, M.D.

2 comments about Dog Gone : Coping With the Loss of a Pet REVISED.

1. Earlier this week our family suffered the loss of another beloved dog. After the initial shock lessened I remembered
   what I call "The Grady Book". Up to attic I went and dug it out so that I could share it with my 7yr. old twin granddaughters. I knew Mr. Bronson during the time he was writing this book, my daughter Robin was his childrens' Nanny. I remember how concerned and caring he was regarding his girls feelings about Gradys death.
   I felt that the book was just what my family needed this week, and as expected, it helped us all. We will all miss the big black Lab that has a part of the family for so long, but we will also remember the good times and smile.



2. I had recently lost my 12 yr. old Old English Sheepdog. He meant a great deal to me. In an attempt to cope with my feelings of loss, I found this book and ordered it. Little did I know the author would be writing about the loss of his OES, Grady. The author explains what it was like for him to lose Grady in a way that will touch your own feelings of loss. You will smile, remember little things, and shed some tears along the way. The book is a quick read, and is very easy for the average person to understand. The book has helped me to understand that I am not the only person to struggle with the loss of their companion. I highly recommend it for any dog lover, but especially OES lovers.

No comments about Saying Goodbye to Your Pet: Children Can Learn to Cope with Pet Loss.

No comments about Forever Friends: Resolving Grief After the Loss of a Beloved Animal.

No comments about The Rainbow Bridge.