Someone wrote to us recently about a dog she takes to nursing homes and hospice facilities. This is a rescued dog who was thrown away by humans and left to fend for herself in a hostile world.
Did this dog become wary of people? Did it take awhile for the dog to learn to trust and love humans? The letter-writer didn't say.
But instead of harboring resentment and living in the past, the dog now brings comfort to people who are suffering and in pain. She does this naturally without expecting a return. Like so many other dogs, she's a master at selfless giving and unconditional love.
The woman mentioned that her dog had not revived anyone from a coma or done some dramatic act of heroism. This had led her to believe her dog didn't have a story she could tell.
We wrote back and encouraged her to write the dog's story. The process of writing would reveal to her how extraordinary her pet really is.
Many people write about their pets after they have died. How about writing now, while you have the gift of looking into their eyes and expressing your gratitude? It will be a way to honor and appreciate your pet here, now, in the moment.
And by the way, post your story on the blogs or email them to us. We'd love to read your stories, the ones that aren't about "Lassie" saving the day, and possibly sharing them with others.
What about your pet? Could you write a story that chronicles the unique spirit and the blessings your dog, cat, bird, horse, rabbit, reptile, or whatever has brought into your life?
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
CASSIE, THE CAT WITH THE EYES OF SOUL by Barbara McGrady
My husband Terry and I were sitting at our vet's office waiting for our turn for the vet to look at Van Gogh, a cat we rescued from the fairgrounds three years ago. He has a chronic problem with feline blistering disease (an autoimmune problem).
While we were there, a young woman walked in with a little cat clutched close to her breast. There was also an older woman and a really cute, talkative little boy who was about three years old. They stood at the counter for a considerable length of time, waiting for the receptionist to return. She was in the back checking on another animal's test results for someone on the telephone.
During their wait, the little boy struck up a conversation with Terry and me. The boy said they had two cats, but one was run over, and now they have one. He believed that cats belong outside, not inside, and that one cat was plenty.
Listening to the boy reminded me of just how much of "us" is reflected in our children. I continued to listen, all the while, watching the reactions of the two adults who accompanied him.
The younger woman, who was holding the cat, had a strange, cold, emotionless look on her face. She would not make eye contact with me, even when I asked, "So why do you have a sweater on your cat? What is wrong with her today?"
She stared off into space and in a barely audible voice said, "She's got bad sores on her neck." I still didn't understand the sweater.
I heard the younger woman say "Mom" to the older woman with her. The little boy must have been the older woman's grandson, as he called her Grandma. The woman holding the cat was the little boy's aunt. The grandma seemed annoyed that it was taking so long, as she tapped her foot continually against the floor.
The receptionist came back to the counter, and I strained to hear the muffled voice of the woman holding the cat. She said to the receptionist, "We need to have her put to sleep."
The receptionist began filling out the papers and looked a little perplexed. Even though people working at a vet's office deal with this sort of situation everyday, I bet it never becomes easy for them.
The cat was young, a dilute tortie. Her eyes were clear and defined. She made direct eye contact with me, while I sat on the bench, waiting for our turn. Without hesitation, I stood up and walked very close to the women and said in a low voice, "If finances are a problem, our organization can help."
The older woman said, "Well, finances are only part of the problem. Our apartment manager won't allow more than one pet, and we just got a dog."
I looked into her daughter's eyes as she held the cat and said, "What about you? Do you want us to save your cat?"
The young woman said, with tight lips, that it was up to her mother. So I turned back to the mother and said, "We will take over total responsibility for this cat if you will allow us to do so. We will pay for all medical expenses and find her a loving home. If you decide to put her to sleep, you certainly can. She is your cat, after all. The decision is yours."
I looked into the daughter's eyes and for the first time, saw a spark of life. She had seemed as if she were in a zombie-like state. The frown lines on her forehead now eased, as she faintly smiled.
The mother was realizing, I think, that she would be saving the euthanasia charges and said, "Well, I guess that would be better than putting her to sleep."
When I looked up, my husband and Van Gogh were gone. They had been called into the exam room without my knowing. As I hurried away I said, "Don't worry, I promise we will place your kitty in only the best of homes."
Van Gogh's exam took an unusually long time, as there were many possible treatments for his autoimmune problem. When the exam was over, Terry walked out into the waiting room with Van. I was packing up things we had brought with our cat when I heard a sound, looked up, and saw the young woman approaching me.
Tears streamed down her face as she said, "I wanted to wait to be able to tell you how happy you made me just now. I didn't want my cat to die. She was fine until my mom got a dog. I think she has really bad fleas from the dog going in and out, so I made her the sweater to try to keep her from scratching. I really love her and want to thank you for saving her life."
A lot became obvious to me just then. I hugged the woman with all my might and told her that I didn't offer to save the cat JUST for the cat's sake but also for her sake. I told her that I somehow sensed her pain and knew she was hurting very badly. I looked her in the eyes and said, "Hey, Happy New Year. We'll take good care of your cat. I promise."
For the next week, we boarded the cat, whose name is Cassie. She received all of her first shots but could not be spayed until her sores were healed. She had a horrible case of fleas and had an allergic reaction to their bites. She received an injection to help her heal and can be spayed in the near future.
Cassie quickly showed us that she is a sweetheart with a splendid personality. I visited her and watched her personality slowly unfold. The girls at the vet's office worked with her to calm her down. They said she was a little nasty the first few days. She was afraid of being put into a cage without knowing what was going to happen to her. You see, she had no idea exactly what was in store for her. Actually, neither did I.
Our Society for the Protection of Animals, is a very small, nonprofit, animal welfare organization with limited funds. Very limited funds. But my inner voice SHOUTED to me that day that this kitten was intended to live, and I was the one intended to see that she did.
We rarely get a call from anyone interested in adopting an adult cat. But three days ago a woman from our local health food store called to say she was divorced, had moved into a new apartment, and was looking for a loving cat to sit on her lap and keep her company.
Sometimes things seem to happen in a synchronistic way. I don't claim to understand it. Since I've begun doing animal rescue, I've seen it again and again and realize what a blessing it is to serve these sometimes-unappreciated creatures.
I picked Cassie up at noon from the vet's and took her to her new home. Jeannie was waiting for us at the front door. I walked into her apartment and felt an incredible sense of peace. I sat Cassie down on Jeannie's floor and expected her to bolt and hide under a sofa somewhere, as most cats and kittens do when first introduced to new surroundings. But that isn't what happened.
Cassie looked around and actually seemed to have an expression of delight on her sweet little feline face. She slowly and confidently walked from room to room, rubbing the sides of her mouth on every object that she could as she walked by. She looked at her brand new litter box as if to say, "Don't worry. I know what that is for."
Jeannie called her over, and Cassie made her way directly, swinging her bottom as she walked as if she really were somebody now. Tears welled in my eyes to see that her personality had remained intact. Looking at her now, no one could have known that she had just recently been within seconds of a certain death. "Of course, I knew I would be rescued by someone!" she seemed to be saying.
Cassie will serve a purpose now as a lifetime companion to this lovely woman from the health food store, who is starting a new life in a new apartment. My guess is these two will become best friends.
You know, I will never forget the look in this kitty's eyes, when she looked back at me at the receptionist's counter. We were her last hope. If, as I've always heard, the eyes are mirrors to the soul, Cassie reflected something to me that day -- a vision of the commonality of spirit of all living beings.
Seize the day. God is compassionate.
BIO:
Barbara McGrady is founder and executive director of the Society for the Protection of Animals, Inc., www.spaohio.org., a nonprofit organization in Fremont, Ohio which gratefully accepts donations.
SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT:
Have you ever listened to your inner voice in regard to an animal's welfare?
While we were there, a young woman walked in with a little cat clutched close to her breast. There was also an older woman and a really cute, talkative little boy who was about three years old. They stood at the counter for a considerable length of time, waiting for the receptionist to return. She was in the back checking on another animal's test results for someone on the telephone.
During their wait, the little boy struck up a conversation with Terry and me. The boy said they had two cats, but one was run over, and now they have one. He believed that cats belong outside, not inside, and that one cat was plenty.
Listening to the boy reminded me of just how much of "us" is reflected in our children. I continued to listen, all the while, watching the reactions of the two adults who accompanied him.
The younger woman, who was holding the cat, had a strange, cold, emotionless look on her face. She would not make eye contact with me, even when I asked, "So why do you have a sweater on your cat? What is wrong with her today?"
She stared off into space and in a barely audible voice said, "She's got bad sores on her neck." I still didn't understand the sweater.
I heard the younger woman say "Mom" to the older woman with her. The little boy must have been the older woman's grandson, as he called her Grandma. The woman holding the cat was the little boy's aunt. The grandma seemed annoyed that it was taking so long, as she tapped her foot continually against the floor.
The receptionist came back to the counter, and I strained to hear the muffled voice of the woman holding the cat. She said to the receptionist, "We need to have her put to sleep."
The receptionist began filling out the papers and looked a little perplexed. Even though people working at a vet's office deal with this sort of situation everyday, I bet it never becomes easy for them.
The cat was young, a dilute tortie. Her eyes were clear and defined. She made direct eye contact with me, while I sat on the bench, waiting for our turn. Without hesitation, I stood up and walked very close to the women and said in a low voice, "If finances are a problem, our organization can help."
The older woman said, "Well, finances are only part of the problem. Our apartment manager won't allow more than one pet, and we just got a dog."
I looked into her daughter's eyes as she held the cat and said, "What about you? Do you want us to save your cat?"
The young woman said, with tight lips, that it was up to her mother. So I turned back to the mother and said, "We will take over total responsibility for this cat if you will allow us to do so. We will pay for all medical expenses and find her a loving home. If you decide to put her to sleep, you certainly can. She is your cat, after all. The decision is yours."
I looked into the daughter's eyes and for the first time, saw a spark of life. She had seemed as if she were in a zombie-like state. The frown lines on her forehead now eased, as she faintly smiled.
The mother was realizing, I think, that she would be saving the euthanasia charges and said, "Well, I guess that would be better than putting her to sleep."
When I looked up, my husband and Van Gogh were gone. They had been called into the exam room without my knowing. As I hurried away I said, "Don't worry, I promise we will place your kitty in only the best of homes."
Van Gogh's exam took an unusually long time, as there were many possible treatments for his autoimmune problem. When the exam was over, Terry walked out into the waiting room with Van. I was packing up things we had brought with our cat when I heard a sound, looked up, and saw the young woman approaching me.
Tears streamed down her face as she said, "I wanted to wait to be able to tell you how happy you made me just now. I didn't want my cat to die. She was fine until my mom got a dog. I think she has really bad fleas from the dog going in and out, so I made her the sweater to try to keep her from scratching. I really love her and want to thank you for saving her life."
A lot became obvious to me just then. I hugged the woman with all my might and told her that I didn't offer to save the cat JUST for the cat's sake but also for her sake. I told her that I somehow sensed her pain and knew she was hurting very badly. I looked her in the eyes and said, "Hey, Happy New Year. We'll take good care of your cat. I promise."
For the next week, we boarded the cat, whose name is Cassie. She received all of her first shots but could not be spayed until her sores were healed. She had a horrible case of fleas and had an allergic reaction to their bites. She received an injection to help her heal and can be spayed in the near future.
Cassie quickly showed us that she is a sweetheart with a splendid personality. I visited her and watched her personality slowly unfold. The girls at the vet's office worked with her to calm her down. They said she was a little nasty the first few days. She was afraid of being put into a cage without knowing what was going to happen to her. You see, she had no idea exactly what was in store for her. Actually, neither did I.
Our Society for the Protection of Animals, is a very small, nonprofit, animal welfare organization with limited funds. Very limited funds. But my inner voice SHOUTED to me that day that this kitten was intended to live, and I was the one intended to see that she did.
We rarely get a call from anyone interested in adopting an adult cat. But three days ago a woman from our local health food store called to say she was divorced, had moved into a new apartment, and was looking for a loving cat to sit on her lap and keep her company.
Sometimes things seem to happen in a synchronistic way. I don't claim to understand it. Since I've begun doing animal rescue, I've seen it again and again and realize what a blessing it is to serve these sometimes-unappreciated creatures.
I picked Cassie up at noon from the vet's and took her to her new home. Jeannie was waiting for us at the front door. I walked into her apartment and felt an incredible sense of peace. I sat Cassie down on Jeannie's floor and expected her to bolt and hide under a sofa somewhere, as most cats and kittens do when first introduced to new surroundings. But that isn't what happened.
Cassie looked around and actually seemed to have an expression of delight on her sweet little feline face. She slowly and confidently walked from room to room, rubbing the sides of her mouth on every object that she could as she walked by. She looked at her brand new litter box as if to say, "Don't worry. I know what that is for."
Jeannie called her over, and Cassie made her way directly, swinging her bottom as she walked as if she really were somebody now. Tears welled in my eyes to see that her personality had remained intact. Looking at her now, no one could have known that she had just recently been within seconds of a certain death. "Of course, I knew I would be rescued by someone!" she seemed to be saying.
Cassie will serve a purpose now as a lifetime companion to this lovely woman from the health food store, who is starting a new life in a new apartment. My guess is these two will become best friends.
You know, I will never forget the look in this kitty's eyes, when she looked back at me at the receptionist's counter. We were her last hope. If, as I've always heard, the eyes are mirrors to the soul, Cassie reflected something to me that day -- a vision of the commonality of spirit of all living beings.
Seize the day. God is compassionate.
BIO:
Barbara McGrady is founder and executive director of the Society for the Protection of Animals, Inc., www.spaohio.org., a nonprofit organization in Fremont, Ohio which gratefully accepts donations.
SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT:
Have you ever listened to your inner voice in regard to an animal's welfare?
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Who Rules Your House?
Our dog Leaf is such an alpha guy that we started to think he was top dog in our home. But then, we began to notice signs that maybe this just isn't so.
Last week, Leaf was regularly following Linda upstairs to her office to sit in a comfy chair and snooze while she worked. Cuddles, our little black-and-white cat, also likes to keep an eye on things from her perch next to Linda's computer.
One day, when Linda was ready to go downstairs, Leaf and Cuddles stood at the top of the stairs to precede her. Leaf started to dart down the steps, but Cuddles was determined to teach him manners. "It's supposed to be ladies first," she seemed to say with a hiss, an upraised paw, and extended claws.
After she took a couple of swipes at the dog, he decided it was in his best interest to pay attention. He backed off and let her go ahead of him. From that day on, when the two of them leave upstairs with Linda, Leaf always lets Cuddles go first.
Okay, does that mean the cat is ruler of our house? We began to be more observant, trying to figure out who's in charge.
That's when we noticed that Leaf would be barking over nothing. He'd stand in the middle of the room, not looking out the window, with no one at the door, yet barking as if to ward off intruders. Before the barking outburst, our cockatiel Sunshine had been screeching. Was this a pattern?
Sure enough, we observed that every time Sunshine screeched over whatever only he could see or hear, Leaf followed the bird's command and began to bark.
Okay, does that mean the bird rules our house?
We affectionately call Leaf "Alpha Dog of the World," because he tends to corral all the dogs at doggy day care and prompt them for when and what to play. Now we may have to amend his title into "Alpha Dog of the World Outside Our Home."
Who sets the pace where you live?
Last week, Leaf was regularly following Linda upstairs to her office to sit in a comfy chair and snooze while she worked. Cuddles, our little black-and-white cat, also likes to keep an eye on things from her perch next to Linda's computer.
One day, when Linda was ready to go downstairs, Leaf and Cuddles stood at the top of the stairs to precede her. Leaf started to dart down the steps, but Cuddles was determined to teach him manners. "It's supposed to be ladies first," she seemed to say with a hiss, an upraised paw, and extended claws.
After she took a couple of swipes at the dog, he decided it was in his best interest to pay attention. He backed off and let her go ahead of him. From that day on, when the two of them leave upstairs with Linda, Leaf always lets Cuddles go first.
Okay, does that mean the cat is ruler of our house? We began to be more observant, trying to figure out who's in charge.
That's when we noticed that Leaf would be barking over nothing. He'd stand in the middle of the room, not looking out the window, with no one at the door, yet barking as if to ward off intruders. Before the barking outburst, our cockatiel Sunshine had been screeching. Was this a pattern?
Sure enough, we observed that every time Sunshine screeched over whatever only he could see or hear, Leaf followed the bird's command and began to bark.
Okay, does that mean the bird rules our house?
We affectionately call Leaf "Alpha Dog of the World," because he tends to corral all the dogs at doggy day care and prompt them for when and what to play. Now we may have to amend his title into "Alpha Dog of the World Outside Our Home."
Who sets the pace where you live?
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Animal Heroes
Recently when a Phoenix dispatcher heard barking on the phone, he had no idea that a German shepherd named Buddy was attempting to save Joe Stainaker's life. The dog had been trained call 911 if Joe had a seizure. And that's what Buddy did. His distress call was just what the doctor ordered.
Most animal hero stories are not quite as dramatic as Buddy's and Joe's, but time and again animals rescue people. Now, as it happened following previous natural disasters, it's our turn to rescue the animals.
Below are some smaller organizations that need donations to help them in their good work. Consider going to their websites, checking them out, and helping. Even though Hurricanes Gustav and Ike have passed, it's not over for the animals nor for the organizations that serve them.
Hopeful Haven, www.hopefulhaven.com Debbie Barlow has been organizing convoys to take food and supplies to farm animals stranded in fields in Louisiana and to farmers and ranchers who can't get to the livestock. Saltwater has saturated the pastures. Hay is ruined. Debbie is bringing cat and dog food to the farms too. It's a desperate situation.
Humane Society of Louisiana, www.humanela.org Jeff Dorson has teamed up with Kenneth's Studio for Hair, a popular salon in Metairie and New Orleans to have what they're calling a 30 in 30 campaign. They want to raise $30,000 in 30 days. They're selling 8-inch plush cat and dog toys named Katrina, Gustav, and Ike online. This special fundraising effort is to bring desperately needed animal supplies and pet food to coastal parishes for the animal shelters there and for returning residents whose stores are closed. They're also having a Hurricane Pet Rally and Reception with a pet food drive in Metairie on September 20th.
MuttShack, www.muttshack.org Amelia St. James continues to work with parishes that need animals rescued and animal shelters refurbished. MuttShack worked closely with Louisiana State Animal Response Team (LSART) which oversees pet evacuations and all other animal-related agencies during disasters. MuttShack and LSART provided animal transport trucks and services at pickup points. Their professionalism and training helped things to go much more smoothly.
Animal Rescue New Orleans, www.animalrescueneworleans.org Charlotte Bass Lilly and Robin Beleau are two of the dedicated people we met when we visited New Orleans after writing our book, Rescued: Saving Animals from Disaster. Evidently their shelter has been destroyed, and they must rebuild. Meanwhile, they continue to coordinate volunteers to keep stranded animals alive.
Houston SPCA, http://hspca.convio.net/site/PageNavigator/homepage_new These are the Animal Cops people on Animal Planet. The organization has set up disaster hotlines for pets and wildlife. They sent rescue teams to areas of Texas that were hard-hit by the hurricanes to evacuate pets from animal shelters. On their website you can see what supplies they need.
Kinship Circle, www.KinshipCircle.org Brenda Shoss runs this organization that specializes in communication about animal rescue needs. Many animal rescuers turn to Kinship Circle for updates on who needs help and where it's needed. They coordinate volunteers for MuttShack's disaster relief. (See above.) Brenda writes in the September 10th issue, "At PPPs [Parish Pickup Points] we tagged animals with numbered bands that matched wristbands worn by their people - in case they became separated, as happened to stranded animals after Katrina. After detailed paperwork, evacuees boarded buses with small animals on their laps. Large animals traveled in airline carriers on climate-controlled trucks. Animals and people went to a mega-shelter in Shreveport, where they stayed side by side.
All of these people and organizations, and there are many more, deserve and need support. If you are reading this blog, at some time in your life, there was probably an animal who rescued you. Now, even though you help animals all the time, this is a special situation that calls for all of us to give back to the best of our ability. The animals, as always, will be grateful.
Most animal hero stories are not quite as dramatic as Buddy's and Joe's, but time and again animals rescue people. Now, as it happened following previous natural disasters, it's our turn to rescue the animals.
Below are some smaller organizations that need donations to help them in their good work. Consider going to their websites, checking them out, and helping. Even though Hurricanes Gustav and Ike have passed, it's not over for the animals nor for the organizations that serve them.
Hopeful Haven, www.hopefulhaven.com Debbie Barlow has been organizing convoys to take food and supplies to farm animals stranded in fields in Louisiana and to farmers and ranchers who can't get to the livestock. Saltwater has saturated the pastures. Hay is ruined. Debbie is bringing cat and dog food to the farms too. It's a desperate situation.
Humane Society of Louisiana, www.humanela.org Jeff Dorson has teamed up with Kenneth's Studio for Hair, a popular salon in Metairie and New Orleans to have what they're calling a 30 in 30 campaign. They want to raise $30,000 in 30 days. They're selling 8-inch plush cat and dog toys named Katrina, Gustav, and Ike online. This special fundraising effort is to bring desperately needed animal supplies and pet food to coastal parishes for the animal shelters there and for returning residents whose stores are closed. They're also having a Hurricane Pet Rally and Reception with a pet food drive in Metairie on September 20th.
MuttShack, www.muttshack.org Amelia St. James continues to work with parishes that need animals rescued and animal shelters refurbished. MuttShack worked closely with Louisiana State Animal Response Team (LSART) which oversees pet evacuations and all other animal-related agencies during disasters. MuttShack and LSART provided animal transport trucks and services at pickup points. Their professionalism and training helped things to go much more smoothly.
Animal Rescue New Orleans, www.animalrescueneworleans.org Charlotte Bass Lilly and Robin Beleau are two of the dedicated people we met when we visited New Orleans after writing our book, Rescued: Saving Animals from Disaster. Evidently their shelter has been destroyed, and they must rebuild. Meanwhile, they continue to coordinate volunteers to keep stranded animals alive.
Houston SPCA, http://hspca.convio.net/site/PageNavigator/homepage_new These are the Animal Cops people on Animal Planet. The organization has set up disaster hotlines for pets and wildlife. They sent rescue teams to areas of Texas that were hard-hit by the hurricanes to evacuate pets from animal shelters. On their website you can see what supplies they need.
Kinship Circle, www.KinshipCircle.org Brenda Shoss runs this organization that specializes in communication about animal rescue needs. Many animal rescuers turn to Kinship Circle for updates on who needs help and where it's needed. They coordinate volunteers for MuttShack's disaster relief. (See above.) Brenda writes in the September 10th issue, "At PPPs [Parish Pickup Points] we tagged animals with numbered bands that matched wristbands worn by their people - in case they became separated, as happened to stranded animals after Katrina. After detailed paperwork, evacuees boarded buses with small animals on their laps. Large animals traveled in airline carriers on climate-controlled trucks. Animals and people went to a mega-shelter in Shreveport, where they stayed side by side.
All of these people and organizations, and there are many more, deserve and need support. If you are reading this blog, at some time in your life, there was probably an animal who rescued you. Now, even though you help animals all the time, this is a special situation that calls for all of us to give back to the best of our ability. The animals, as always, will be grateful.
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Honoring the Animals and Their Caregivers
Yesterday was very special for us. We were asked to do a presentation about pet loss at the Home For Life 4th Annual Memorial Garden Event at the organization's sanctuary in Star Prairie, Wisconsin. On a mild autumn day, with the sun peeking through clouds, we joined about one hundred people to remember the animals who lived out their lives in this amazing place.
The ceremony also included Herb Sam, spiritual advisor to the Mille Lac Band of Ojibwe'. He officiated a Native American memorial service, a poetry reading, and musical performances.
Prior to the presentation we toured the sanctuary. We were greeted with many white- whiskered muzzles of dogs and cats. Their people had left bequests for their animal family members to make sure they have a safe and loving home here.
Many of the younger animals had been rescued from abusive situations or with threats of euthanization hanging over their short lives.
In addition to dogs and cats the sanctuary houses birds, rabbits, a turtle, and a goat. Perhaps most touching were the disabled animals. They scooted around in whatever ways worked best for them along soft green turf.
Each enclosure consists of a cooled and well-ventilated building with an outdoor area where the animals mingle and exercise. Volunteers cared for and played with the residents with much love and attention. Everything gleamed clean and orderly.
Lisa LaVerdiere, founder and executive director of Home for Life, had asked us to do a blessing for the animals who were present today with their people. We designed a participatory blessing. It included inspiring quotes, chanting HU (pronounced hue), a sacred love song to God that animals respond to with appreciation, and closing with an ancient prayer, "May the blessings be."
Afterwards, many people told us how much they had enjoyed our comments about the importance of remembering and honoring the life and death of an animal family member. Their hearts had been opened by animals who shared their lives, enabling them to soar on wings of unconditional love.
Here are the quotes we used in the animal blessing.
"Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened."
--Anatole France
"Not to hurt our humble brethren is our first duty to them, but to stop there is not enough. We have a higher mission -- to be of service to them wherever they require it."
--St. Francis of Assisi
"If I spent enough time with the tiniest creature -- even a caterpillar
-- I would never have to prepare a sermon. So full of God is every creature.
--Meister Eckhart
The ceremony also included Herb Sam, spiritual advisor to the Mille Lac Band of Ojibwe'. He officiated a Native American memorial service, a poetry reading, and musical performances.
Prior to the presentation we toured the sanctuary. We were greeted with many white- whiskered muzzles of dogs and cats. Their people had left bequests for their animal family members to make sure they have a safe and loving home here.
Many of the younger animals had been rescued from abusive situations or with threats of euthanization hanging over their short lives.
In addition to dogs and cats the sanctuary houses birds, rabbits, a turtle, and a goat. Perhaps most touching were the disabled animals. They scooted around in whatever ways worked best for them along soft green turf.
Each enclosure consists of a cooled and well-ventilated building with an outdoor area where the animals mingle and exercise. Volunteers cared for and played with the residents with much love and attention. Everything gleamed clean and orderly.
Lisa LaVerdiere, founder and executive director of Home for Life, had asked us to do a blessing for the animals who were present today with their people. We designed a participatory blessing. It included inspiring quotes, chanting HU (pronounced hue), a sacred love song to God that animals respond to with appreciation, and closing with an ancient prayer, "May the blessings be."
Afterwards, many people told us how much they had enjoyed our comments about the importance of remembering and honoring the life and death of an animal family member. Their hearts had been opened by animals who shared their lives, enabling them to soar on wings of unconditional love.
Here are the quotes we used in the animal blessing.
"Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened."
--Anatole France
"Not to hurt our humble brethren is our first duty to them, but to stop there is not enough. We have a higher mission -- to be of service to them wherever they require it."
--St. Francis of Assisi
"If I spent enough time with the tiniest creature -- even a caterpillar
-- I would never have to prepare a sermon. So full of God is every creature.
--Meister Eckhart
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Animal Rescue Meets Hurricane Gustav
The good news is that from most accounts, animal rescue before and after the hurricane has improved tremendously. The majority of people with pets acted responsibly and brought their pets with them. Animal rescue groups worked side by side with government agencies to get pets onto buses or shipped in air-conditioned trucks to temporary shelters. Standardized record keeping meant people and pets would be reunited. Three years of applying lessons learned after Hurricane Katrina paid off.
See an NBC video clip for some of the best coverage we found about the disaster preparations for pets. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032619/#26486144
The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) video gives a good sense of how much better pet evacuation was organized. http://video.hsus.org/?fr_story=05a4cc52bd83b42070825840fbf20d4bf5c85728&rf=bm
For people who left their pets behind, no excuse is a good one this time. There were loads of options provided. The operation wasn't perfect but it was about a thousand percent better than after Katrina.
This leads us to another point. Pardon our soapbox here, but where was the media in reporting what would happen to the pets? National articles and television news segments didn't start mentioning animals until after most people were on their way out of the area.
It would have been very helpful for national media to report that people should be bringing their pets, having them in crates, and bringing medical records. Evidently word hasn't spread that when people think there's no safety for their pets, they will stay through a disaster. This endangers them, the animals, the first responders, and animal rescuers.
See the following article in USA Today's September 1 online edition for a short article about the evacuation. A longer article by Sharon L. Peters is in the Tuesday print edition in the Lifestyle section. We were quoted in these articles and asked to compare pet evacuation processes for the two hurricanes - Katrina and Gustav. "Gustav prompts mass pet evacuations, By Sharon L. Peters, USA TODAY Thousands of pet evacuations were carried out over the weekend ahead of Hurricane Gustav and plans and resources are in place to find and care for the left-behind animals that survive the hurricane. . .
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2008-09-01-gustav-pets_N.htm
Another aspect that fell short, in our opinion, was the availability of pet-friendly hotels. In destinations where people were evacuating, there still weren't nearly enough hotels that welcomed fleeing people with their pets.
We believe that in a crisis, such as a hurricane, ALL hotels should temporarily become pet friendly for those who have their pets in carriers. At least, they could provide pet rooms like smoking rooms. Pets will never do as much damage to a hotel room as humans. Anything a pet does can be cleaned with a good vacuum cleaner and stain remover. Can hotels say the same thing about their human guests?
Check out our website for information on how to prepare pets for disaster and what to keep on hand for any emergency. Go to www.rescuedsavinganimals.com and click on "Preparing for disaster tips."
Save your pet. Save your life. People get hurt when they stay behind or go back into danger to help their pets.
What have you seen or heard that impressed you about the Gustav pet evacuations?
See an NBC video clip for some of the best coverage we found about the disaster preparations for pets. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032619/#26486144
The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) video gives a good sense of how much better pet evacuation was organized. http://video.hsus.org/?fr_story=05a4cc52bd83b42070825840fbf20d4bf5c85728&rf=bm
For people who left their pets behind, no excuse is a good one this time. There were loads of options provided. The operation wasn't perfect but it was about a thousand percent better than after Katrina.
This leads us to another point. Pardon our soapbox here, but where was the media in reporting what would happen to the pets? National articles and television news segments didn't start mentioning animals until after most people were on their way out of the area.
It would have been very helpful for national media to report that people should be bringing their pets, having them in crates, and bringing medical records. Evidently word hasn't spread that when people think there's no safety for their pets, they will stay through a disaster. This endangers them, the animals, the first responders, and animal rescuers.
See the following article in USA Today's September 1 online edition for a short article about the evacuation. A longer article by Sharon L. Peters is in the Tuesday print edition in the Lifestyle section. We were quoted in these articles and asked to compare pet evacuation processes for the two hurricanes - Katrina and Gustav. "Gustav prompts mass pet evacuations, By Sharon L. Peters, USA TODAY Thousands of pet evacuations were carried out over the weekend ahead of Hurricane Gustav and plans and resources are in place to find and care for the left-behind animals that survive the hurricane. . .
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2008-09-01-gustav-pets_N.htm
Another aspect that fell short, in our opinion, was the availability of pet-friendly hotels. In destinations where people were evacuating, there still weren't nearly enough hotels that welcomed fleeing people with their pets.
We believe that in a crisis, such as a hurricane, ALL hotels should temporarily become pet friendly for those who have their pets in carriers. At least, they could provide pet rooms like smoking rooms. Pets will never do as much damage to a hotel room as humans. Anything a pet does can be cleaned with a good vacuum cleaner and stain remover. Can hotels say the same thing about their human guests?
Check out our website for information on how to prepare pets for disaster and what to keep on hand for any emergency. Go to www.rescuedsavinganimals.com and click on "Preparing for disaster tips."
Save your pet. Save your life. People get hurt when they stay behind or go back into danger to help their pets.
What have you seen or heard that impressed you about the Gustav pet evacuations?
Sunday, August 31, 2008
The Animals Need You after Hurricane Gustav
Our blog this week is focused on the preparations for Hurricane Gustav bearing down on the Gulf Coast.
Animal rescue experts urge people to prepare for disaster and evacuate with pets. A Zogby International study found that 44 percent of those who stayed behind when Hurricane Katrina hit did so because they wouldn't abandon their pets. Animal rescue and disaster preparedness for pets has become vital for saving human and animal lives.
On Thursday, we received a frantic call from a woman in Mississippi asking us where she could take her pet because she had to evacuate. The hotel the woman had found wouldn't accept pets. It's unbelievable, three years after Katrina, that there still aren't enough pet-friendly hotels. People died because they wouldn't leave their animal family members behind and had no place to go with them. This kind of tragedy can't be allowed to happen again.
Yet even though Hurricane Katrina precipitated the largest animal rescue operation in history, chronicled in our book, RESCUED, and the PETS Act provided federal incentives for states to include pet evacuation in disaster planning, complacency has returned.
Many people are simply not prepared with a pet disaster kit that contains food, water, photos of their pets, and medications. They haven't compiled a list of pet-friendly hotels along evacuation routes. (See www.rescuedsaving animals.com for items to pack in a pet disaster kit and tips for preparing to be safe in any emergency.) This means they are putting their lives, the lives of their pets, and the lives of animal rescuers at risk.
When we did interviews in New Orleans for RESCUED, we visited Animal Rescue New Orleans (ARNO). The executive director told us a story that we'll never forget. She explained that volunteers in search of abandoned animals after Hurricane Katrina found an entire family that had refused to evacuate because they couldn't bear to leave their pets behind. The family's cat, starving and nearly dead, was lifted off a woman's lap by the ARNO rescuer and brought to their shelter. The entire family had perished. We all had tears in our eyes while listening to this tragic story. People choose to stay in or return to dangerous situations rather than abandon their pets."
Below is a partial list of some of the organizations that are on the ground right now. They all need donations of money, NOT ITEMS, to keep them doing the good work of saving animals. It's a VERY costly process. Please consider making a donation.
United Animal Nations, uan.org
MuttShack Animal Rescue Foundation, muttshack.org
Animal Rescue New Orleans, animalrescuenreworleans.org
Humane Society of South Mississippi, hssm.org
Humane Society of Louisiana, humanela.org
Houston SPCA, houstonspca.org
Pets America, petsamerica.org
Hopeful Haven, hopefulhaven.com
Code 3 Associates, code3associates.org
Louisiana State Animal Rescue Team, lsart.org
International Fund for Animal Welfare, ifaw.org
Animal rescue experts urge people to prepare for disaster and evacuate with pets. A Zogby International study found that 44 percent of those who stayed behind when Hurricane Katrina hit did so because they wouldn't abandon their pets. Animal rescue and disaster preparedness for pets has become vital for saving human and animal lives.
On Thursday, we received a frantic call from a woman in Mississippi asking us where she could take her pet because she had to evacuate. The hotel the woman had found wouldn't accept pets. It's unbelievable, three years after Katrina, that there still aren't enough pet-friendly hotels. People died because they wouldn't leave their animal family members behind and had no place to go with them. This kind of tragedy can't be allowed to happen again.
Yet even though Hurricane Katrina precipitated the largest animal rescue operation in history, chronicled in our book, RESCUED, and the PETS Act provided federal incentives for states to include pet evacuation in disaster planning, complacency has returned.
Many people are simply not prepared with a pet disaster kit that contains food, water, photos of their pets, and medications. They haven't compiled a list of pet-friendly hotels along evacuation routes. (See www.rescuedsaving animals.com for items to pack in a pet disaster kit and tips for preparing to be safe in any emergency.) This means they are putting their lives, the lives of their pets, and the lives of animal rescuers at risk.
When we did interviews in New Orleans for RESCUED, we visited Animal Rescue New Orleans (ARNO). The executive director told us a story that we'll never forget. She explained that volunteers in search of abandoned animals after Hurricane Katrina found an entire family that had refused to evacuate because they couldn't bear to leave their pets behind. The family's cat, starving and nearly dead, was lifted off a woman's lap by the ARNO rescuer and brought to their shelter. The entire family had perished. We all had tears in our eyes while listening to this tragic story. People choose to stay in or return to dangerous situations rather than abandon their pets."
Below is a partial list of some of the organizations that are on the ground right now. They all need donations of money, NOT ITEMS, to keep them doing the good work of saving animals. It's a VERY costly process. Please consider making a donation.
United Animal Nations, uan.org
MuttShack Animal Rescue Foundation, muttshack.org
Animal Rescue New Orleans, animalrescuenreworleans.org
Humane Society of South Mississippi, hssm.org
Humane Society of Louisiana, humanela.org
Houston SPCA, houstonspca.org
Pets America, petsamerica.org
Hopeful Haven, hopefulhaven.com
Code 3 Associates, code3associates.org
Louisiana State Animal Rescue Team, lsart.org
International Fund for Animal Welfare, ifaw.org
Hurricane Gustav Means Save Your Pet, Save Your Life
Angel Animals Network Press Release:
Minneapolis, Minnesota, August 29, 2008 -- With Hurricane Gustav bearing down on the Gulf Coast, animal rescue experts urge people to prepare for disaster and evacuate with pets. A Zogby International study found that 44 percent of those who stayed behind when Hurricane Katrina hit did so because they wouldn't abandon their pets. Animal rescue and disaster preparedness for pets has become vital for saving human and animal lives. Allen and Linda Anderson, pet experts and Minneapolis-based authors of the award-winning book "RESCUED: Saving Animals from Disaster," (New World Library, September, 2006), provide practical suggestions to pet owners for fast evacuation in the wake of any emergency.
Linda Anderson says, "We just received a frantic call from a woman in Mississippi asking us where she could take her pet because she had to evacuate. The hotel the woman had found wouldn't accept pets. It's unbelievable, three years after Katrina, that there still aren't enough pet-friendly hotels. People died because they wouldn't leave their animal family members behind and had no place to go with them. This kind of tragedy can't be allowed to happen again."
Yet even though Hurricane Katrina precipitated the largest animal rescue operation in history, chronicled in Rescued, and the PETS Act provided federal incentives for states to include pet evacuation in disaster planning, complacency has returned. Most people are simply not prepared with a pet disaster kit that contains food, water, photos of their pets, and medications or a list of pet-friendly hotels along evacuation routes. This means they are putting their lives, the lives of their pets, and the lives of animal rescuers at risk.
Allen Anderson says, "When we did interviews for Rescued in New Orleans, we visited Animal Rescue New Orleans (ARNO). The executive director there told us a story that we'll never forget. She explained that volunteers in search of abandoned animals after Hurricane Katrina found an entire family that had refused to evacuate because they couldn't bear to leave their pets behind. The family's pet, starving and nearly dead, was lifted off a woman's lap by the ARNO rescuer and brought to their shelter. The entire family had perished. We all had tears in our eyes while listening to this tragic story. People choose to stay in or return to dangerous situations rather than abandon their pets."
A husband-and-wife writing team with the popular Angel Animals book series, the Andersons drew upon Allen Anderson's eight years as an Atlanta police officer and his position as director of safety for an international nonprofit organization to focus on how to stay safe through an emergency. The couple interviewed hundreds of animal rescuers and survivors of the Gulf Coast hurricanes. Allen Anderson says, "Tragedy is compounded when people feel guilt and severe depression over loss of a companion or service animal. Laws and policies regarding the value of rescuing animals have not caught up with the reality that pets are family members living in two out of three American households. Disaster escalated after Hurricane Katrina and again in Lebanon when people wouldn't evacuate from a war zone due to the no-pets-allowed policies."
Among other vital pieces of information, the Andersons discuss are:
The five crucial questions everyone with a pet must ask to assess if they are prepared for disaster
--What essential elements are needed in a pet preparedness kit for an owner to evacuate safely and quickly in the event of a house fire, neighborhood chemical spill, terrorism threat, evacuation order, or natural disaster such as hurricanes, tornadoes, wildfires, floods, and earthquakes
--How to have a family emergency disaster plan that includes pets
--What should be in a person's car or a safe deposit box that could save lives
--What questions to ask of local, state, and national emergency planning committees, fire and police departments, and legislators to make sure people have support for pet evacuation and sheltering in disasters
--What will get a person into a shelter or rescue vehicle and why they and their pet could be turned away.
Animal Rescue for Gulf Coast 2008
Below is a partial list of organizations expected to be involved in animal rescue for Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas. The Andersons can supply additional contacts that will help reporters who want to cover the Hurricane Gustav story for the media. The couple hopes that the media will get word out about how to keep pets safe and near their families through a disaster situation.
--United Animal Nations
--MuttShack Animal Rescue Foundation
--Louisiana SPCA
--Humane Society of Louisiana
--Animal Rescue New Orleans
--Audubon Zoo
--Houston SPCA
--Humane Society of South Mississippi
--Pets America operates with Texas Veterinary Medical
Rescued: Saving Animals from Disaster has been called a must-read for every pet owner and anyone who has considered volunteering for animal rescue.
"The authors stress that owners must take primary responsibility for their pets and that rescue volunteers should be properly trained ... their advice is well taken." -- Publisher's Weekly review, 7-24-06
"Compelling, fascinating, and most important -- highly moral." --Ben Stein, author, actor, commentator
"A finely written, touching, and important book." --Karen Dawn, DawnWatch.com, author of Thanking the Monkey: Rethinking the Way We Treat Animals
"It is important to tell their stories so we can learn from both the successes and disappointments of that unforgettable ordeal." -- John Ensign, DVM, United States Senator, Nevada, from his foreword for Rescued.
###
Minneapolis, Minnesota, August 29, 2008 -- With Hurricane Gustav bearing down on the Gulf Coast, animal rescue experts urge people to prepare for disaster and evacuate with pets. A Zogby International study found that 44 percent of those who stayed behind when Hurricane Katrina hit did so because they wouldn't abandon their pets. Animal rescue and disaster preparedness for pets has become vital for saving human and animal lives. Allen and Linda Anderson, pet experts and Minneapolis-based authors of the award-winning book "RESCUED: Saving Animals from Disaster," (New World Library, September, 2006), provide practical suggestions to pet owners for fast evacuation in the wake of any emergency.
Linda Anderson says, "We just received a frantic call from a woman in Mississippi asking us where she could take her pet because she had to evacuate. The hotel the woman had found wouldn't accept pets. It's unbelievable, three years after Katrina, that there still aren't enough pet-friendly hotels. People died because they wouldn't leave their animal family members behind and had no place to go with them. This kind of tragedy can't be allowed to happen again."
Yet even though Hurricane Katrina precipitated the largest animal rescue operation in history, chronicled in Rescued, and the PETS Act provided federal incentives for states to include pet evacuation in disaster planning, complacency has returned. Most people are simply not prepared with a pet disaster kit that contains food, water, photos of their pets, and medications or a list of pet-friendly hotels along evacuation routes. This means they are putting their lives, the lives of their pets, and the lives of animal rescuers at risk.
Allen Anderson says, "When we did interviews for Rescued in New Orleans, we visited Animal Rescue New Orleans (ARNO). The executive director there told us a story that we'll never forget. She explained that volunteers in search of abandoned animals after Hurricane Katrina found an entire family that had refused to evacuate because they couldn't bear to leave their pets behind. The family's pet, starving and nearly dead, was lifted off a woman's lap by the ARNO rescuer and brought to their shelter. The entire family had perished. We all had tears in our eyes while listening to this tragic story. People choose to stay in or return to dangerous situations rather than abandon their pets."
A husband-and-wife writing team with the popular Angel Animals book series, the Andersons drew upon Allen Anderson's eight years as an Atlanta police officer and his position as director of safety for an international nonprofit organization to focus on how to stay safe through an emergency. The couple interviewed hundreds of animal rescuers and survivors of the Gulf Coast hurricanes. Allen Anderson says, "Tragedy is compounded when people feel guilt and severe depression over loss of a companion or service animal. Laws and policies regarding the value of rescuing animals have not caught up with the reality that pets are family members living in two out of three American households. Disaster escalated after Hurricane Katrina and again in Lebanon when people wouldn't evacuate from a war zone due to the no-pets-allowed policies."
Among other vital pieces of information, the Andersons discuss are:
The five crucial questions everyone with a pet must ask to assess if they are prepared for disaster
--What essential elements are needed in a pet preparedness kit for an owner to evacuate safely and quickly in the event of a house fire, neighborhood chemical spill, terrorism threat, evacuation order, or natural disaster such as hurricanes, tornadoes, wildfires, floods, and earthquakes
--How to have a family emergency disaster plan that includes pets
--What should be in a person's car or a safe deposit box that could save lives
--What questions to ask of local, state, and national emergency planning committees, fire and police departments, and legislators to make sure people have support for pet evacuation and sheltering in disasters
--What will get a person into a shelter or rescue vehicle and why they and their pet could be turned away.
Animal Rescue for Gulf Coast 2008
Below is a partial list of organizations expected to be involved in animal rescue for Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas. The Andersons can supply additional contacts that will help reporters who want to cover the Hurricane Gustav story for the media. The couple hopes that the media will get word out about how to keep pets safe and near their families through a disaster situation.
--United Animal Nations
--MuttShack Animal Rescue Foundation
--Louisiana SPCA
--Humane Society of Louisiana
--Animal Rescue New Orleans
--Audubon Zoo
--Houston SPCA
--Humane Society of South Mississippi
--Pets America operates with Texas Veterinary Medical
Rescued: Saving Animals from Disaster has been called a must-read for every pet owner and anyone who has considered volunteering for animal rescue.
"The authors stress that owners must take primary responsibility for their pets and that rescue volunteers should be properly trained ... their advice is well taken." -- Publisher's Weekly review, 7-24-06
"Compelling, fascinating, and most important -- highly moral." --Ben Stein, author, actor, commentator
"A finely written, touching, and important book." --Karen Dawn, DawnWatch.com, author of Thanking the Monkey: Rethinking the Way We Treat Animals
"It is important to tell their stories so we can learn from both the successes and disappointments of that unforgettable ordeal." -- John Ensign, DVM, United States Senator, Nevada, from his foreword for Rescued.
###
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Saying Goodbye to Your Angel Animals: Finding Comfort after Losing a Pet
Angel Animals Story of the Week
August 27, 2008
Visit us at www.angelanimals.net
Dear Friends of Angel Animals,
Welcome to a SPECIAL EDITION of the Angel Animals Story of the Week.
We are excited to be officially announcing the release of a new book that we hope will help you cope with the devastating sadness of pet loss. It is SAYING GOODBYE TO YOUR ANGEL ANIMALS: Finding Comfort after Losing a Pet.
Now more than ever, companion animals are considered members of the family, so when they die, the grief is heartbreaking with a deep sense of loss.
As authors of a series of books about human-animal companionship, we understand that special kind of grief, and in our new book we help guide those who are anticipating or coping with the loss of a pet. Through inspiring stories and practical advice, the book
shows readers that the bond of love between humans and their animals never dies.
With a sincere and personal approach, SAYING GOODBYE offers guidance on helping children grieve, honoring your religious beliefs, helping others know what to say or do to offer consolation, and planning a meaningful memorial ceremony or tribute.
The book includes three different types of memorial services that you can select sections from or use, as is, to honor your pet with family and friends. It is a perfect gift to give anyone whose beloved pet has passed away or been lost.
We have also established a NEW website to accompany the book, www.sayinggoodbyetoyourangelanimals.com There, we invite you to post memorials, photos, and videos and discuss pet loss topics.
Because we have received thousands of stories and letters from people who are brokenhearted over the loss of their cherished pets, we know how the heartbreak is compounded when others don't understand the depth and intensity of their grief. Pet loss can be underrated and trivialized by insensitive remarks and lack of awareness.
Marty Tousley, certified hospice bereavement counselor said after reading SAYING GOODBYE, "As a grief counselor who also specializes in pet loss, I've read dozens of books about coping with the loss of our beloved animal companions. This is one of the best, because it covers all the important aspects of this different kind of grief, including why we feel the loss of our pets so deeply, what we can expect in the grief that accompanies pet loss, and how we can memorialize our cherished friends. It carries my highest recommendation."
Here are some of book's sections (excerpted from the Table of Contents) to give you a taste of its scope:
*You Have Friends Who Understand
*Meditation: The Rainbow Bridge Reunion
*Organic Grieving
*What to Do with Regrets and Guilt
*Our Personal Beliefs about Animals, Souls, and Death
*Seeking Professional, Online, and Group Support
*Consoling Surviving Animals in a Multiple-pet Family
*Children and Pet Loss
*How to Handle a Disagreement with Your Religion's Beliefs
*Lasting Tributes to Your Animal Companion
*Together Again Memorial Service
*Communicating with Animals after Death
*Spiritual Plane Animal Advocates
*Dreams of Animals Who Have Died
*How Do You Know When You're Ready to Adopt Another Pet?
*Recommended Websites, Books, and Pet Loss Services
This week's Angel Animals Story of the Week is an excerpt from SAYING GOODBYE that offers a lit path through the sadness and depression phases of grief.
Email this newsletter in its entirety to your animal-loving friends and encourage them to sign up for our weekly publication. They will be joining a terrific community of thousands of like-minded people from people around the world.
We do not sell to or share our newsletter subscriber list with anyone.
Animal blessings,
Allen & Linda Anderson
* * * * *
STORY OF THE WEEK
WHEN ANIMALS TELL YOU THEY ARE READY TO LEAVE
By Allen and Linda Anderson
Reprinted with permission from SAYING GOODBYE TO YOUR ANGEL ANIMALS, pp.16-18 (New World Library 2008, softcover, $13.95 retail, ISBN# 978-1-57731-626-8, 146 pages). All rights reserved.
Robert Frost wrote in a poem about loss, "I have been one acquainted with the night." Pet loss has acquainted many of us with the night. Your nights may be extending as you sleep a lot longer, or they may be torturous as you wrestle with insomnia.
You may be eating too much or too little. A sense of hopelessness and despair could be making you feel listless, anxious, fearful, or despondent. The rainbow's color blue may be washing over your life with overwhelming sadness.
Grieving over pet loss may be complicated by other losses you have endured, whether recently or in the past. Some people go through a series of losses simultaneously as chapters in their lives close in rapid succession.
Often depression deepens if the lost pet was a link to someone who has previously left your life through death, separation, or divorce. Now you are mourning multiple losses, and it's difficult to comprehend that the ocean behind this wave of grief comes from something else.
Losses are also complicated when the death was violent, sudden, or accidental. Images of the dying animal may linger in your mind, causing nightmares or even post-traumatic stress disorder. These kinds of losses will probably require that you seek professional help from a bereavement counselor or therapist.
Sometimes it helps to remember the signs that your animal companion must have sensed death was imminent and even that she welcomed it as a relief from suffering. You may have, without realizing it, asked your pet if this was the right time for her to die. The answer may have come in ways you didn't recognize then but that can comfort and lift you out of despair now.
Often after you ask the animal if he is ready to die, he will do something uncharacteristic as a way of trying to communicate with you. Sometimes an animal who has been very sick will rally enough to make eye contact, reach out a paw to touch you, or show affection to you in a way that undeniably says he is saying goodbye. The animal may appear to you in a dream and give an answer through imagery, such as walking away from you until he disappears.
Don Marx asked his Maine Coon cat, Kit-3, to give him a clear sign that a fatal disease had run its course and it was time for the cat to leave this world.
That night, after requesting an irrefutable sign, Don was surprised to find the cat walking toward him on his bed. For weeks, Kit-3 hadn't had the strength to jump on the bed. Don wrote, "Kit-3 stood staring down at me, lowered himself, and pressed his closed mouth against my lips for several seconds. Then he rested his head on my arm for a moment, and I kissed him again. He rose, made his way to the foot of the bed and onto the floor again. That, I knew, was the signal I had asked for. Kit-3 kissed me good-bye."
Your grief is natural and understandable. It is what it is. But you know in your heart that this delightful soul, who shared your deepest joys and sorrows, would want for you to find happiness again.
SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT:
"Meditation: Take a moment to remember signs that your animal companion gave to let you know the time of death was approaching."
* * * * *
ANGEL ANIMALS QUOTES OF THE WEEK
What Experts Are Saying about SAYING GOODBYE TO YOUR ANGEL ANIMALS:
"Allen and Linda Anderson's book gives us permission to acknowledge the intense bond we have with our animal companions and the deep loss we can experience after their deaths. It provides helpful stories, exercises, and memorial services respecting a variety of beliefs. Infused with kindness, their work offers us help, hope, and a rainbow during the storm. I have learned from it and will celebrate and share it."
-- The Reverend Mary Piper, Episcopal priest and chaplain, cofounder of the pet loss support program at Heart of the Valley Humane Society in Bozeman, Montana
"This masterful and beautiful book is rich with wisdom, inspiration, and sound advice. I highly recommend this thoughtful, illuminating, and comforting book."
-- Diane Pomerance, PhD, creator and director of the Pet Grief Counseling Program, SPCA of Texas, and author of WHEN YOUR PET DIES
"As a veterinary medical correspondent and lifetime pet lover, I believe in both the power of pets and the power of stories to heal. This book. . .offers a wide range of healing activities, wise information, compassionate reflection, and practical help for honoring and memorializing the life of your pet."
-- Dr. Marty Becker, resident veterinarian on ABC's GOOD MORNING AMERICA and author of CHICKEN SOUP FOR THE PET LOVER'S SOUL
"Let me say this about SAYING GOODBYE TO YOUR ANGEL ANIMALS: I love it. I treasure it. The Andersons have left no question unposed, no conflict bypassed, no reflection unacknowledged. If you are facing or have faced the loss of a beloved animal friend, let this book be your companion and your comfort. There exists no better exploration of this landscape of loss."
-- Susan Chernak McElroy, author of ANIMALS AS TEACHERS AND HEALERS and WHY BUFFALO DANCE
"In this latest offering, the Andersons prove themselves to be the very angels and divine messengers of hope they write about in their Angel Animals series. SAYING GOODBYE TO YOUR ANGEL ANIMALS is fine reading for those who seek to better understand the agony of pet loss and priceless gift of compassion and love for anyone anticipating or coping with the loss of a cherished animal companion."
--Marty Tousley, certified hospice bereavement counselor specializing in pet loss and author of CHILDREN AND PET LOSS and THE FINAL FAREWELL
"Allen and Linda Anderson care about those who have experienced loss. SAYING GOODBYE TO YOUR ANGEL ANIMALS inspires and brings comfort to anyone who has lost a beloved animal companion. -
--Niki Behrikis Shanahan, author of THE RAINBOW BRIDGE: PET LOSS IS HEAVEN'S GAIN and THERE IS ETERNAL LIFE FOR ANIMALS
"Allen and Linda Anderson, clergy members and authors of ANGEL DOGS, offer ways to sort out the 'barrage of emotions' after loss. Among the seven chapters are 'Covered Bridges - Shelters from the Storms of Pet Loss,' 'Swinging Bridges - Rituals that Heal and Beliefs that Cause Pain,' and 'Memorial Bridges -Memorial Services for Angel Animals,' which begins with an epigraph from Dostoevsky's THE BROTHERS KARMAMZOV, 'Love all of God's creation. . .'"
--FOREWORD MAGAZINE, August 20, 2008
"SAYING GOODBYE TO YOUR ANGEL ANIMALS is meant to help you through the process of loss. Through various exercises and meditations, readers will come to grips with their sadness, anger, and guilt so that they can hold only the good memories to their heart."
--TCM REVIEWS, August 8, 2008
"The book is really fantastic. Not only is your writing style sincere and thoughtful, but the book also offers tons of practical advice to help people going through such a devastating loss. Your work is really great!
--Maura Halpern, http://humanemewsings.blogspot.com
"A very well-written book and I have already recommended it to several people who've written to me recently on the passing of their beloved cats."
--Pauline, editor, www.thedailymews.com
"I found much comfort in your book. Thanks so much for understanding how I feel!"
--Comment on Saying Goodbye, You Tube video,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CcgZWxx2Lug&feature=email
* * * * *
ANNOUNCEMENTS - HOW TO PURCHASE SAYING GOODBYE AND OTHER ANGEL ANIMALS BOOKS
ANGEL ANIMALS ONLINE BOOKSTORE AUTOGRAPHED, discounted-price copies of SAYING GOODBYE TO YOUR ANGEL ANIMALS are available now at www.shop.angelanimals.net/main.sc
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NEW WORLD LIBRARY OFFERS SAYING GOODBYE AND OTHER ANGEL ANIMALS BOOKS
Go to www.newworldlibrary.com to order this and other books by Allen and Linda Anderson. Our publisher also sells books by outstanding animal book authors such as Amelia Kinkade, Marta Williams, Susan Chernak McElroy, June Cotner, Linda Kohanov, Rev. Gary Kowalski, and many other best-selling authors.
***
SAYING GOODBYE is also available at online bookstores - Amazon.com, BN.com, Borders.com, and at regular bookstores. If it's not in stock, ask the store to order it.
* * * * *
ANGEL ANIMALS BLOGS & FORUMS
Please visit any of the blogs and forums below to comment on past and current articles and stories. We look forward to reading your comments and stories. This is a great way to get to know other people's thoughts, experiences, and concerns about the angel animals who share their lives and to comment on "Angel Animals Story of the Week" items.
Visit the Angel Animals Network Forums at: www.angelanimals.net/forum.html
www.sayinggoodbyetoyourangelanimals.com
Become our friend at www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=711934289 and at www.twitter.com/angelanimals
Angel Animals Network (Allen & Linda Anderson Angel Animals Blog) Visit http://blog.angelanimals.net
Beliefnet.com (Allen & Linda Anderson Angel Pets Fan Club) Visit
http://community.beliefnet.com/index.php?page_id=1107&group_id=661";
Seattle Post-Intelligencer (Allen & Linda Anderson Angel Animals Reader Blog Visit http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/angelanimals";
* * * * *
ANGEL ANIMALS VIDEO PRESENTATIONS
We have produced a series of short videos about the work of Angel Animals. In the videos we share a bit about ourselves. We also present our message of the spiritual connection between animals and humans. Visit www.youtube.com/user/angelanimalsnetwork to view a variety of video by Angel Animals with Allen and Linda Anderson.
* * * * *
BOOKS by Allen and Linda Anderson:
All of Allen and Linda's books are available at www.shop.angelanimals.net, other online or regular bookstores, some Costco stores, at many gift shops that sell animal books, and through www.newworldlibrary.com, which offers discounts for purchasing multiple books. ANGEL HORSES, ANGEL DOGS, and ANGEL CATS are also available through One Spirit Book Club.
SAYING GOODBYE TO YOUR ANGEL ANIMALS: Finding Comfort after Losing Your Pet, available now
ANGEL DOGS WITH A MISSION: Divine Messengers in Service to All Life (available for pre-order; released October 1, 2008)
ANGEL ANIMALS: Divine Messengers of Miracles
RESCUED: Saving Animals from Disaster www.rescuedsavinganimals.net Winner of the American Society of Journalists and Authors (ASJA) Outstanding Book Award.
ANGEL HORSES: Divine Messengers Hope
ANGEL DOGS: Divine Messengers of Love
RAINBOWS & BRIDGES: An Animal Companion Memorial Kit
ANGEL CATS: Divine Messengers of Comfort
GOD'S MESSENGERS: What Animals Teach Us about the Divine
* * * * *
OTHER INFORMATION
The Angel Animals Network is devoted to collecting and disseminating original, true stories about the spiritual connection between people and animals. You can learn more about the Angel Animals at www.angelanimals.net. Visit our Angel Animals Online Shopping at www.shop.angelanimals.net.
If you send this newsletter to others (and we hope that you will), please don't change it in anyway and include the information above about the Angel Animals Network. Thank you.
This newsletter is sent to you by the Angel Animals Network. Copyright 2008, Allen and Linda Anderson, Angel Animals Network. All rights reserved. Nothing in this newsletter may be reproduced or published without the written permission of the individual authors and/or copyright owners. Angel Animals(r) is a registered trademark.
August 27, 2008
Visit us at www.angelanimals.net
Dear Friends of Angel Animals,
Welcome to a SPECIAL EDITION of the Angel Animals Story of the Week.
We are excited to be officially announcing the release of a new book that we hope will help you cope with the devastating sadness of pet loss. It is SAYING GOODBYE TO YOUR ANGEL ANIMALS: Finding Comfort after Losing a Pet.
Now more than ever, companion animals are considered members of the family, so when they die, the grief is heartbreaking with a deep sense of loss.
As authors of a series of books about human-animal companionship, we understand that special kind of grief, and in our new book we help guide those who are anticipating or coping with the loss of a pet. Through inspiring stories and practical advice, the book
shows readers that the bond of love between humans and their animals never dies.
With a sincere and personal approach, SAYING GOODBYE offers guidance on helping children grieve, honoring your religious beliefs, helping others know what to say or do to offer consolation, and planning a meaningful memorial ceremony or tribute.
The book includes three different types of memorial services that you can select sections from or use, as is, to honor your pet with family and friends. It is a perfect gift to give anyone whose beloved pet has passed away or been lost.
We have also established a NEW website to accompany the book, www.sayinggoodbyetoyourangelanimals.com There, we invite you to post memorials, photos, and videos and discuss pet loss topics.
Because we have received thousands of stories and letters from people who are brokenhearted over the loss of their cherished pets, we know how the heartbreak is compounded when others don't understand the depth and intensity of their grief. Pet loss can be underrated and trivialized by insensitive remarks and lack of awareness.
Marty Tousley, certified hospice bereavement counselor said after reading SAYING GOODBYE, "As a grief counselor who also specializes in pet loss, I've read dozens of books about coping with the loss of our beloved animal companions. This is one of the best, because it covers all the important aspects of this different kind of grief, including why we feel the loss of our pets so deeply, what we can expect in the grief that accompanies pet loss, and how we can memorialize our cherished friends. It carries my highest recommendation."
Here are some of book's sections (excerpted from the Table of Contents) to give you a taste of its scope:
*You Have Friends Who Understand
*Meditation: The Rainbow Bridge Reunion
*Organic Grieving
*What to Do with Regrets and Guilt
*Our Personal Beliefs about Animals, Souls, and Death
*Seeking Professional, Online, and Group Support
*Consoling Surviving Animals in a Multiple-pet Family
*Children and Pet Loss
*How to Handle a Disagreement with Your Religion's Beliefs
*Lasting Tributes to Your Animal Companion
*Together Again Memorial Service
*Communicating with Animals after Death
*Spiritual Plane Animal Advocates
*Dreams of Animals Who Have Died
*How Do You Know When You're Ready to Adopt Another Pet?
*Recommended Websites, Books, and Pet Loss Services
This week's Angel Animals Story of the Week is an excerpt from SAYING GOODBYE that offers a lit path through the sadness and depression phases of grief.
Email this newsletter in its entirety to your animal-loving friends and encourage them to sign up for our weekly publication. They will be joining a terrific community of thousands of like-minded people from people around the world.
We do not sell to or share our newsletter subscriber list with anyone.
Animal blessings,
Allen & Linda Anderson
* * * * *
STORY OF THE WEEK
WHEN ANIMALS TELL YOU THEY ARE READY TO LEAVE
By Allen and Linda Anderson
Reprinted with permission from SAYING GOODBYE TO YOUR ANGEL ANIMALS, pp.16-18 (New World Library 2008, softcover, $13.95 retail, ISBN# 978-1-57731-626-8, 146 pages). All rights reserved.
Robert Frost wrote in a poem about loss, "I have been one acquainted with the night." Pet loss has acquainted many of us with the night. Your nights may be extending as you sleep a lot longer, or they may be torturous as you wrestle with insomnia.
You may be eating too much or too little. A sense of hopelessness and despair could be making you feel listless, anxious, fearful, or despondent. The rainbow's color blue may be washing over your life with overwhelming sadness.
Grieving over pet loss may be complicated by other losses you have endured, whether recently or in the past. Some people go through a series of losses simultaneously as chapters in their lives close in rapid succession.
Often depression deepens if the lost pet was a link to someone who has previously left your life through death, separation, or divorce. Now you are mourning multiple losses, and it's difficult to comprehend that the ocean behind this wave of grief comes from something else.
Losses are also complicated when the death was violent, sudden, or accidental. Images of the dying animal may linger in your mind, causing nightmares or even post-traumatic stress disorder. These kinds of losses will probably require that you seek professional help from a bereavement counselor or therapist.
Sometimes it helps to remember the signs that your animal companion must have sensed death was imminent and even that she welcomed it as a relief from suffering. You may have, without realizing it, asked your pet if this was the right time for her to die. The answer may have come in ways you didn't recognize then but that can comfort and lift you out of despair now.
Often after you ask the animal if he is ready to die, he will do something uncharacteristic as a way of trying to communicate with you. Sometimes an animal who has been very sick will rally enough to make eye contact, reach out a paw to touch you, or show affection to you in a way that undeniably says he is saying goodbye. The animal may appear to you in a dream and give an answer through imagery, such as walking away from you until he disappears.
Don Marx asked his Maine Coon cat, Kit-3, to give him a clear sign that a fatal disease had run its course and it was time for the cat to leave this world.
That night, after requesting an irrefutable sign, Don was surprised to find the cat walking toward him on his bed. For weeks, Kit-3 hadn't had the strength to jump on the bed. Don wrote, "Kit-3 stood staring down at me, lowered himself, and pressed his closed mouth against my lips for several seconds. Then he rested his head on my arm for a moment, and I kissed him again. He rose, made his way to the foot of the bed and onto the floor again. That, I knew, was the signal I had asked for. Kit-3 kissed me good-bye."
Your grief is natural and understandable. It is what it is. But you know in your heart that this delightful soul, who shared your deepest joys and sorrows, would want for you to find happiness again.
SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT:
"Meditation: Take a moment to remember signs that your animal companion gave to let you know the time of death was approaching."
* * * * *
ANGEL ANIMALS QUOTES OF THE WEEK
What Experts Are Saying about SAYING GOODBYE TO YOUR ANGEL ANIMALS:
"Allen and Linda Anderson's book gives us permission to acknowledge the intense bond we have with our animal companions and the deep loss we can experience after their deaths. It provides helpful stories, exercises, and memorial services respecting a variety of beliefs. Infused with kindness, their work offers us help, hope, and a rainbow during the storm. I have learned from it and will celebrate and share it."
-- The Reverend Mary Piper, Episcopal priest and chaplain, cofounder of the pet loss support program at Heart of the Valley Humane Society in Bozeman, Montana
"This masterful and beautiful book is rich with wisdom, inspiration, and sound advice. I highly recommend this thoughtful, illuminating, and comforting book."
-- Diane Pomerance, PhD, creator and director of the Pet Grief Counseling Program, SPCA of Texas, and author of WHEN YOUR PET DIES
"As a veterinary medical correspondent and lifetime pet lover, I believe in both the power of pets and the power of stories to heal. This book. . .offers a wide range of healing activities, wise information, compassionate reflection, and practical help for honoring and memorializing the life of your pet."
-- Dr. Marty Becker, resident veterinarian on ABC's GOOD MORNING AMERICA and author of CHICKEN SOUP FOR THE PET LOVER'S SOUL
"Let me say this about SAYING GOODBYE TO YOUR ANGEL ANIMALS: I love it. I treasure it. The Andersons have left no question unposed, no conflict bypassed, no reflection unacknowledged. If you are facing or have faced the loss of a beloved animal friend, let this book be your companion and your comfort. There exists no better exploration of this landscape of loss."
-- Susan Chernak McElroy, author of ANIMALS AS TEACHERS AND HEALERS and WHY BUFFALO DANCE
"In this latest offering, the Andersons prove themselves to be the very angels and divine messengers of hope they write about in their Angel Animals series. SAYING GOODBYE TO YOUR ANGEL ANIMALS is fine reading for those who seek to better understand the agony of pet loss and priceless gift of compassion and love for anyone anticipating or coping with the loss of a cherished animal companion."
--Marty Tousley, certified hospice bereavement counselor specializing in pet loss and author of CHILDREN AND PET LOSS and THE FINAL FAREWELL
"Allen and Linda Anderson care about those who have experienced loss. SAYING GOODBYE TO YOUR ANGEL ANIMALS inspires and brings comfort to anyone who has lost a beloved animal companion. -
--Niki Behrikis Shanahan, author of THE RAINBOW BRIDGE: PET LOSS IS HEAVEN'S GAIN and THERE IS ETERNAL LIFE FOR ANIMALS
"Allen and Linda Anderson, clergy members and authors of ANGEL DOGS, offer ways to sort out the 'barrage of emotions' after loss. Among the seven chapters are 'Covered Bridges - Shelters from the Storms of Pet Loss,' 'Swinging Bridges - Rituals that Heal and Beliefs that Cause Pain,' and 'Memorial Bridges -Memorial Services for Angel Animals,' which begins with an epigraph from Dostoevsky's THE BROTHERS KARMAMZOV, 'Love all of God's creation. . .'"
--FOREWORD MAGAZINE, August 20, 2008
"SAYING GOODBYE TO YOUR ANGEL ANIMALS is meant to help you through the process of loss. Through various exercises and meditations, readers will come to grips with their sadness, anger, and guilt so that they can hold only the good memories to their heart."
--TCM REVIEWS, August 8, 2008
"The book is really fantastic. Not only is your writing style sincere and thoughtful, but the book also offers tons of practical advice to help people going through such a devastating loss. Your work is really great!
--Maura Halpern, http://humanemewsings.blogspot.com
"A very well-written book and I have already recommended it to several people who've written to me recently on the passing of their beloved cats."
--Pauline, editor, www.thedailymews.com
"I found much comfort in your book. Thanks so much for understanding how I feel!"
--Comment on Saying Goodbye, You Tube video,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CcgZWxx2Lug&feature=email
* * * * *
ANNOUNCEMENTS - HOW TO PURCHASE SAYING GOODBYE AND OTHER ANGEL ANIMALS BOOKS
ANGEL ANIMALS ONLINE BOOKSTORE AUTOGRAPHED, discounted-price copies of SAYING GOODBYE TO YOUR ANGEL ANIMALS are available now at www.shop.angelanimals.net/main.sc
***
NEW WORLD LIBRARY OFFERS SAYING GOODBYE AND OTHER ANGEL ANIMALS BOOKS
Go to www.newworldlibrary.com to order this and other books by Allen and Linda Anderson. Our publisher also sells books by outstanding animal book authors such as Amelia Kinkade, Marta Williams, Susan Chernak McElroy, June Cotner, Linda Kohanov, Rev. Gary Kowalski, and many other best-selling authors.
***
SAYING GOODBYE is also available at online bookstores - Amazon.com, BN.com, Borders.com, and at regular bookstores. If it's not in stock, ask the store to order it.
* * * * *
ANGEL ANIMALS BLOGS & FORUMS
Please visit any of the blogs and forums below to comment on past and current articles and stories. We look forward to reading your comments and stories. This is a great way to get to know other people's thoughts, experiences, and concerns about the angel animals who share their lives and to comment on "Angel Animals Story of the Week" items.
Visit the Angel Animals Network Forums at: www.angelanimals.net/forum.html
www.sayinggoodbyetoyourangelanimals.com
Become our friend at www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=711934289 and at www.twitter.com/angelanimals
Angel Animals Network (Allen & Linda Anderson Angel Animals Blog) Visit http://blog.angelanimals.net
Beliefnet.com (Allen & Linda Anderson Angel Pets Fan Club) Visit
http://community.beliefnet.com/index.php?page_id=1107&group_id=661";
Seattle Post-Intelligencer (Allen & Linda Anderson Angel Animals Reader Blog Visit http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/angelanimals";
* * * * *
ANGEL ANIMALS VIDEO PRESENTATIONS
We have produced a series of short videos about the work of Angel Animals. In the videos we share a bit about ourselves. We also present our message of the spiritual connection between animals and humans. Visit www.youtube.com/user/angelanimalsnetwork to view a variety of video by Angel Animals with Allen and Linda Anderson.
* * * * *
BOOKS by Allen and Linda Anderson:
All of Allen and Linda's books are available at www.shop.angelanimals.net, other online or regular bookstores, some Costco stores, at many gift shops that sell animal books, and through www.newworldlibrary.com, which offers discounts for purchasing multiple books. ANGEL HORSES, ANGEL DOGS, and ANGEL CATS are also available through One Spirit Book Club.
SAYING GOODBYE TO YOUR ANGEL ANIMALS: Finding Comfort after Losing Your Pet, available now
ANGEL DOGS WITH A MISSION: Divine Messengers in Service to All Life (available for pre-order; released October 1, 2008)
ANGEL ANIMALS: Divine Messengers of Miracles
RESCUED: Saving Animals from Disaster www.rescuedsavinganimals.net Winner of the American Society of Journalists and Authors (ASJA) Outstanding Book Award.
ANGEL HORSES: Divine Messengers Hope
ANGEL DOGS: Divine Messengers of Love
RAINBOWS & BRIDGES: An Animal Companion Memorial Kit
ANGEL CATS: Divine Messengers of Comfort
GOD'S MESSENGERS: What Animals Teach Us about the Divine
* * * * *
OTHER INFORMATION
The Angel Animals Network is devoted to collecting and disseminating original, true stories about the spiritual connection between people and animals. You can learn more about the Angel Animals at www.angelanimals.net. Visit our Angel Animals Online Shopping at www.shop.angelanimals.net.
If you send this newsletter to others (and we hope that you will), please don't change it in anyway and include the information above about the Angel Animals Network. Thank you.
This newsletter is sent to you by the Angel Animals Network. Copyright 2008, Allen and Linda Anderson, Angel Animals Network. All rights reserved. Nothing in this newsletter may be reproduced or published without the written permission of the individual authors and/or copyright owners. Angel Animals(r) is a registered trademark.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
What You Should NEVER Say to Someone Whose Pet Has Died
Over the years we have received thousands of letters and phone calls from people who have lost a believed animal companion and are plunged into even deeper sadness by insensitive remarks and actions. We decided to ask readers of our Angel Animals Story of the Week newsletter what they thought should never be said to someone who is grieving over a pet's death.
Below are the thoughtless remarks followed by our readers' comments.
"It was only a dog/cat/rabbit/horse. . .Get over it!"
Bianca Rothschild wrote about this kind of remark: "A lifetime of devotion and supreme loyalty brushed aside and rudeness of the individual personified."
Debra Walker-Nipp: "Cleo was not just a dog. She was my true soul mate and gave her life to us. True devotion can't be replaced or found that easily."
"Why don't you just get another one?"
Kathy: "No way can you ever replace a special animal. Each one is unique. I truly believe God made them that way, as he did us humans."
"They are just stupid, dumb animals anyway."
Marla Johnson heard that comment about her deceased rabbit. She wrote, "I couldn't believe how insensitive of a remark that was because in my opinion animals are very evolved spiritual beings who are here on this planet to help humans become kinder, more loving, and compassionate people."
"You really didn't need all the health costs and food expenses of those animals."
A reader named Teresa responded to this remark by saying, "If I choose to spend my ENTIRE check on my babies, it's none of your business."
"At least it wasn't a person. Or, you could have lost a family member instead of an animal."
Jeanne Walker: "My animals are family members. I don't own them. They are part of my family in the truest sense of the word - nonjudgmental, loving, and forgiving.
We have listed resources here that can help you or family and friends as you cope with the highly estimated source of grief and sadness that occurs when a pet dies. We hope these resources help and encourage you to add comments with others you would recommend.
Saying Goodbye to Your Angel Animals
www.sayinggoodbyetoyourangelanimals.com
Interfaith Association of Animal Chaplains
www.AnimalChaplains.com, E-mail: AnimalClergy@aol.com
Everlife Memorials
www.EverlifeMemorials.com
The Animal Love and Loss Network (ALLN)
www.alln.org
The Association for Pet Loss and Bereavement, Inc. (APLB0)
www.aplb.org
Delta Society, The Pet Loss and Bereavement section
http://archive.deltasociety.org/AnimalsHealthPetLossHotline.htm
International Association of Pet Cemeteries (IAPC)
www.iaopc.com
Grief Healing
www.griefhealing.com
In Memory of Pets: Beyond Life's Gateway
www.in-memory-of-pets.com
Pet Loss Grief Support
www.petloss.com
Pet Loss Support Page
www.pet-loss.net
Rainbows Bridge
www.rainbowsbridge.com
Remember Your Pets
www.rememberourpets.com
There Is Eternal Life for Animals
www.eternalanimals.com
In Memory Of Pets
www.in-memory-of-pets.com
Animals in Heaven
www.ourchurch.com/member/w/w_lasalle
www.creatures.com/LaSalle.html
Pet Loss Support: Healing the Grief of Pet Loss DVD/Video
www.griefandlosshelpsongletter.com/indexpetlossdvd.htm
Classic Memorials, Inc.
Pet Loss & Pet Memorials Resources
http://www.everlifememorials.com/v/pet-loss.htm
Dogbunny Gazette
www.chinupchinook.com
Joyful Spirit
www.joyful-spirit.com
Mississauga Pet Loss Support
www.mississaugapets.com/petloss.html
Grief Healing
www.griefhealing.com
Pet Loss and Grief Support
www.creatures.com/PetLoss.html
If pet loss is something you are going through or continue to cope with, please accept our condolences. We know how much it hurts. We know there are people who understand. Take care of yourself by reaching out to them.
Below are the thoughtless remarks followed by our readers' comments.
"It was only a dog/cat/rabbit/horse. . .Get over it!"
Bianca Rothschild wrote about this kind of remark: "A lifetime of devotion and supreme loyalty brushed aside and rudeness of the individual personified."
Debra Walker-Nipp: "Cleo was not just a dog. She was my true soul mate and gave her life to us. True devotion can't be replaced or found that easily."
"Why don't you just get another one?"
Kathy: "No way can you ever replace a special animal. Each one is unique. I truly believe God made them that way, as he did us humans."
"They are just stupid, dumb animals anyway."
Marla Johnson heard that comment about her deceased rabbit. She wrote, "I couldn't believe how insensitive of a remark that was because in my opinion animals are very evolved spiritual beings who are here on this planet to help humans become kinder, more loving, and compassionate people."
"You really didn't need all the health costs and food expenses of those animals."
A reader named Teresa responded to this remark by saying, "If I choose to spend my ENTIRE check on my babies, it's none of your business."
"At least it wasn't a person. Or, you could have lost a family member instead of an animal."
Jeanne Walker: "My animals are family members. I don't own them. They are part of my family in the truest sense of the word - nonjudgmental, loving, and forgiving.
We have listed resources here that can help you or family and friends as you cope with the highly estimated source of grief and sadness that occurs when a pet dies. We hope these resources help and encourage you to add comments with others you would recommend.
Saying Goodbye to Your Angel Animals
www.sayinggoodbyetoyourangelanimals.com
Interfaith Association of Animal Chaplains
www.AnimalChaplains.com, E-mail: AnimalClergy@aol.com
Everlife Memorials
www.EverlifeMemorials.com
The Animal Love and Loss Network (ALLN)
www.alln.org
The Association for Pet Loss and Bereavement, Inc. (APLB0)
www.aplb.org
Delta Society, The Pet Loss and Bereavement section
http://archive.deltasociety.org/AnimalsHealthPetLossHotline.htm
International Association of Pet Cemeteries (IAPC)
www.iaopc.com
Grief Healing
www.griefhealing.com
In Memory of Pets: Beyond Life's Gateway
www.in-memory-of-pets.com
Pet Loss Grief Support
www.petloss.com
Pet Loss Support Page
www.pet-loss.net
Rainbows Bridge
www.rainbowsbridge.com
Remember Your Pets
www.rememberourpets.com
There Is Eternal Life for Animals
www.eternalanimals.com
In Memory Of Pets
www.in-memory-of-pets.com
Animals in Heaven
www.ourchurch.com/member/w/w_lasalle
www.creatures.com/LaSalle.html
Pet Loss Support: Healing the Grief of Pet Loss DVD/Video
www.griefandlosshelpsongletter.com/indexpetlossdvd.htm
Classic Memorials, Inc.
Pet Loss & Pet Memorials Resources
http://www.everlifememorials.com/v/pet-loss.htm
Dogbunny Gazette
www.chinupchinook.com
Joyful Spirit
www.joyful-spirit.com
Mississauga Pet Loss Support
www.mississaugapets.com/petloss.html
Grief Healing
www.griefhealing.com
Pet Loss and Grief Support
www.creatures.com/PetLoss.html
If pet loss is something you are going through or continue to cope with, please accept our condolences. We know how much it hurts. We know there are people who understand. Take care of yourself by reaching out to them.
Saturday, August 16, 2008
What do the stars do for animals?
We recently had the pleasure of meeting movie star and animal activist Tippi Hedren. She was honored at an event hosted by Minnesota Proud. The organization was created to honor the people from Minnesota who have earned recognition in the film and television industry. Minnesota Proud also created the Minnesota "Walk of Fame" similar Hollywood Walk of Stars and presented Tippi with a star that will be installed on the sidewalk in front of the historic State Theater in Minneapolis.
Tippi's extraordinary sanctuary for big cats, Shambala, was featured in our book, RESCUED: Saving Animals from Disaster. We spent many hours doing phone interviews, follow-up emails, faxes, and more phone calls in order to include her story in the book. But we had never met Tippi in person.
The agenda for the event was a mix of a retrospective of her films, an interview and chat with Tippi, followed by a short film about her ROAR Foundation and the Shambala Sanctuary. Dinner was held afterwards at a nearby restaurant.
Tippi autographed her section of the book for us and was every bit as warm, gracious, and elegant as we had imagined her to be. We have photos posted for you to see what was a special event for us. Go to www.angelanimals.net/tippi.html. For more information about Shambala, go to www.shambala.org. To read about the Minnesota Proud project, visit www.minnesotaproud.org/.
Who are your favorite celebrities in support of animal welfare?
Tippi's extraordinary sanctuary for big cats, Shambala, was featured in our book, RESCUED: Saving Animals from Disaster. We spent many hours doing phone interviews, follow-up emails, faxes, and more phone calls in order to include her story in the book. But we had never met Tippi in person.
The agenda for the event was a mix of a retrospective of her films, an interview and chat with Tippi, followed by a short film about her ROAR Foundation and the Shambala Sanctuary. Dinner was held afterwards at a nearby restaurant.
Tippi autographed her section of the book for us and was every bit as warm, gracious, and elegant as we had imagined her to be. We have photos posted for you to see what was a special event for us. Go to www.angelanimals.net/tippi.html. For more information about Shambala, go to www.shambala.org. To read about the Minnesota Proud project, visit www.minnesotaproud.org/.
Who are your favorite celebrities in support of animal welfare?
Saturday, August 9, 2008
Why do you call animals, angels?
Radio and television hosts and newspaper reporters frequently ask this question when we do interviews for our books. Sometimes it is accompanied by a snide comment such as, “My pet isn’t an angel!” Then they go on to report all the behavior that drives them crazy. Usually they end their tirade by saying, “But he’s family, and we love him.”
Over these many years, we have come up with answers to the question about animals as angels. We explain that our definition of an angel animal springs from the Greek derivation for the word angel, or angelos. This word literally means messenger. We believe (and have thousands of stories to back us up) that animals serve as divine messengers who bring assurance to people that yes, indeed, there is love in this world.
Then we get into the thornier aspect of the question: Is every animal an angel? This question is usually asked with a certain animal in mind who has done something humans don't consider to be angelic. How could such an animal be called an angel?
Mother Teresa once compared herself to a pencil God used for writing a love letter to the universe. Love letters, unfortunately, don’t always bring happy news. Love letters might convey a desire to end the relationship. They could strike the wrong note and fill the receiver with discomfort.
Messages can be joyful, sad, protective, or hurtful. Messages might not be deciphered for many years as life goes on and time does its duty of bringing perspective. On the other hand a message of love might make the beloved’s heart sing.
Because both animals and humans are souls, or divine sparks of God, clothed in physical form, they can serve as divine messengers. As with humans, some animal messengers are better than others. Some dilute the message with their own fears or destructive tendencies. As spiritual beings, animals vary in their states of consciousness. Yet they, too, serve as instruments, pencils in the hand of a loving God. More often then not, their messages uplift rather than destroy and turn our faces to the divine sender.
Do you think animals are angels in furry or feathery bodies?
Over these many years, we have come up with answers to the question about animals as angels. We explain that our definition of an angel animal springs from the Greek derivation for the word angel, or angelos. This word literally means messenger. We believe (and have thousands of stories to back us up) that animals serve as divine messengers who bring assurance to people that yes, indeed, there is love in this world.
Then we get into the thornier aspect of the question: Is every animal an angel? This question is usually asked with a certain animal in mind who has done something humans don't consider to be angelic. How could such an animal be called an angel?
Mother Teresa once compared herself to a pencil God used for writing a love letter to the universe. Love letters, unfortunately, don’t always bring happy news. Love letters might convey a desire to end the relationship. They could strike the wrong note and fill the receiver with discomfort.
Messages can be joyful, sad, protective, or hurtful. Messages might not be deciphered for many years as life goes on and time does its duty of bringing perspective. On the other hand a message of love might make the beloved’s heart sing.
Because both animals and humans are souls, or divine sparks of God, clothed in physical form, they can serve as divine messengers. As with humans, some animal messengers are better than others. Some dilute the message with their own fears or destructive tendencies. As spiritual beings, animals vary in their states of consciousness. Yet they, too, serve as instruments, pencils in the hand of a loving God. More often then not, their messages uplift rather than destroy and turn our faces to the divine sender.
Do you think animals are angels in furry or feathery bodies?
Sunday, August 3, 2008
The Bonds of Divine Love Between People and Animals
As we write, we're being watched (coached?) by our rescued cat, friend, and co-worker Cuddles. She curls up and observes with her loving eyes gently focused upon us. Throughout licking her paws and stretching, Cuddles continues to be steadfast in her presence. We dearly love her.
Is part of her spiritual mission in this life to support ours? We believe it is.
We, as do others, have important messages to bring to a world where there is so much suffering, turmoil, and loneliness. We long for people to understand that the bonds of divine love between people and animals, and among animals for each other, transcend fear, anger, rivalry, and isolation. Repeatedly, it is the animals who teach a better way to all of us. We recently visited New Orleans to give a presentation about Angel Animals and the heroic efforts of animal rescuers on the Gulf Coast after Katrina.
We gave our talk to the veterinarian technicians for whom we have the highest regard and respect. They were attending a reception at the American Veterinary Technician Association's annual conference. Our talk was meant to be a reminder about the necessity of cherishing the spiritual connection with animals.
In our book "RESCUED: Saving Animals from Disaster," excerpted below, we tell the story of a man who witnessed the heroics of an animal during the worst conditions. This man marveled at a dog who loved his mate more than he valued his own safety and comfort. His story sets the tone for our book. With the retelling of this heart-opening experience, we pause to remember that animals often fulfill the spiritual mission of showing people how to be more compassionate human beings.
"Days after the levees in New Orleans broke, Chris Cutter, communications director for the International Fund for Animal Welfare, worked on a boat that maneuvered through toxic water. No one, human or animal, would have wanted to spend a minute more than necessary in it. Chris recalls, 'We saw a dog swimming in the muck.' Chris's boat steered toward the dog. Instead of allowing the rescuers to help him into the vehicle, the dog turned around and swam away from the boat. That is when they heard barking coming from inside a house.
"The rescuers steered to follow the dog. He led them to the back of his house where a female dog, 'his girlfriend,' as Chris calls her, was trapped inside. Only after the rescuers freed the female dog did this big, shaggy husky allow the rescuers to haul him into the boat.
"As the boat moved away one of the rescuers petted him, saying, 'You're such a good boy.' Her hand jerked suddenly off the dog's head, as if she had touched a sizzling stove. 'My hand is burning,' she told Chris.
"'The dog could have saved himself,' Chris says. 'Instead, he swam off so we would find his girlfriend. When you are dealing with things like that, it is hard not to think that there is a validity in what you are doing. That there is something bigger going on.'"
This dog made a conscious decision and was acting with purpose to save a life. Thank goodness for Chris and the animal rescuers. They listened to their intuition and inner guidance and decided to follow this brave dog back to his barely surviving mate.
Is part of her spiritual mission in this life to support ours? We believe it is.
We, as do others, have important messages to bring to a world where there is so much suffering, turmoil, and loneliness. We long for people to understand that the bonds of divine love between people and animals, and among animals for each other, transcend fear, anger, rivalry, and isolation. Repeatedly, it is the animals who teach a better way to all of us. We recently visited New Orleans to give a presentation about Angel Animals and the heroic efforts of animal rescuers on the Gulf Coast after Katrina.
We gave our talk to the veterinarian technicians for whom we have the highest regard and respect. They were attending a reception at the American Veterinary Technician Association's annual conference. Our talk was meant to be a reminder about the necessity of cherishing the spiritual connection with animals.
In our book "RESCUED: Saving Animals from Disaster," excerpted below, we tell the story of a man who witnessed the heroics of an animal during the worst conditions. This man marveled at a dog who loved his mate more than he valued his own safety and comfort. His story sets the tone for our book. With the retelling of this heart-opening experience, we pause to remember that animals often fulfill the spiritual mission of showing people how to be more compassionate human beings.
"Days after the levees in New Orleans broke, Chris Cutter, communications director for the International Fund for Animal Welfare, worked on a boat that maneuvered through toxic water. No one, human or animal, would have wanted to spend a minute more than necessary in it. Chris recalls, 'We saw a dog swimming in the muck.' Chris's boat steered toward the dog. Instead of allowing the rescuers to help him into the vehicle, the dog turned around and swam away from the boat. That is when they heard barking coming from inside a house.
"The rescuers steered to follow the dog. He led them to the back of his house where a female dog, 'his girlfriend,' as Chris calls her, was trapped inside. Only after the rescuers freed the female dog did this big, shaggy husky allow the rescuers to haul him into the boat.
"As the boat moved away one of the rescuers petted him, saying, 'You're such a good boy.' Her hand jerked suddenly off the dog's head, as if she had touched a sizzling stove. 'My hand is burning,' she told Chris.
"'The dog could have saved himself,' Chris says. 'Instead, he swam off so we would find his girlfriend. When you are dealing with things like that, it is hard not to think that there is a validity in what you are doing. That there is something bigger going on.'"
This dog made a conscious decision and was acting with purpose to save a life. Thank goodness for Chris and the animal rescuers. They listened to their intuition and inner guidance and decided to follow this brave dog back to his barely surviving mate.
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
A Camel's Gift of Grace
As we have done from time to time, we would like to share a story from our Angel Animals Story of the Week. "A Camel's Gift of Grace" was fist published in the weekly newsletter on July 26, 2008. It is a lesson in acceptance from a very wise camel.
A CAMEL'S GIFT OF GRACE
By Damaris Miller
I was at the Greeley Stampede working as a wrangler one beautiful day in June 2008. This is our yearly celebration with lots of things to do for the kids. When my shift was finished, I walked through the park area. I noticed a large camel waiting to give rides. As I watched him, I started to talk to him on the inner, soul to soul.
Being an animal lover, I said, "I am so sorry you have to do these things with all the noise around."
With such grace he said to me, "Acceptance means for now, this situation, this moment, requires me to do it, and so I do it willingly."
The camel's communication reminded me of an important quote from the book A NEW EARTH. I had been reading it at that time.
A quiet went through me. I felt no one around, just the camel and me. He had no anger in him, only love for what he was doing.
What a lesson for us all. It doesn't matter whether you are human, horse, dog, or a huge camel. The lessons are the same, because we are all soul learning the same lessons on our road to God.
The camel's grace was so evident. It made me realize that our teachers are all around us. We just have to be open and listen.
Thank you for the gift from a very special camel.
BIO:
Damaris Miller's story "Dreaming My Farewell to Springer" is featured in ANGEL ANIMALS: Divine Messengers of Miracles. She has two children, three grandchildren, and one great-grandson. Her passions are horses and going to the mountains. She lives on a ranch in Colorado, where she takes care of horses. Damaris also works as a medical receptionist.
SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT:
When you observe animals doing less than pleasant work, what lessons in graceful acceptance could you learn from them?
A CAMEL'S GIFT OF GRACE
By Damaris Miller
I was at the Greeley Stampede working as a wrangler one beautiful day in June 2008. This is our yearly celebration with lots of things to do for the kids. When my shift was finished, I walked through the park area. I noticed a large camel waiting to give rides. As I watched him, I started to talk to him on the inner, soul to soul.
Being an animal lover, I said, "I am so sorry you have to do these things with all the noise around."
With such grace he said to me, "Acceptance means for now, this situation, this moment, requires me to do it, and so I do it willingly."
The camel's communication reminded me of an important quote from the book A NEW EARTH. I had been reading it at that time.
A quiet went through me. I felt no one around, just the camel and me. He had no anger in him, only love for what he was doing.
What a lesson for us all. It doesn't matter whether you are human, horse, dog, or a huge camel. The lessons are the same, because we are all soul learning the same lessons on our road to God.
The camel's grace was so evident. It made me realize that our teachers are all around us. We just have to be open and listen.
Thank you for the gift from a very special camel.
BIO:
Damaris Miller's story "Dreaming My Farewell to Springer" is featured in ANGEL ANIMALS: Divine Messengers of Miracles. She has two children, three grandchildren, and one great-grandson. Her passions are horses and going to the mountains. She lives on a ranch in Colorado, where she takes care of horses. Damaris also works as a medical receptionist.
SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT:
When you observe animals doing less than pleasant work, what lessons in graceful acceptance could you learn from them?
Saturday, July 26, 2008
A Service Cat to the Rescue
An article caught our attention this week because it's pretty rare to hear something about a service cat. In a February 4, 2008 article by Theresa Campbell for the DAILY SUN, a newspaper in The Villages, Florida, Campbell writes about Dusty. He is a Persian cat who belongs to Kathy McDonald. She has had seizures ever since being a teen. Although she takes medication, sometimes the seizures still occur. That's where Dusty comes in.
Before McDonald is about to have a grand mal seizure, Dusty alerts her by licking her face. That's how she knows to sit down in a safe place where she won't be hurt.
Dusty is a registered service cat. Trained to walk on a leash, the cat wears a badge and accompanies McDonald everywhere. Dusty sleeps by McDonald's head at night, ever vigilant. In the article she says, "I heard about a lady who has a bird that can tell when she's going to have a seizure. The bird can talk and he says, 'She's doing it again.'"
McDonald calls Dusty her "feline angel." We agree.
Have you heard of or experienced animals, other than dogs, who perform healing services for people?
Before McDonald is about to have a grand mal seizure, Dusty alerts her by licking her face. That's how she knows to sit down in a safe place where she won't be hurt.
Dusty is a registered service cat. Trained to walk on a leash, the cat wears a badge and accompanies McDonald everywhere. Dusty sleeps by McDonald's head at night, ever vigilant. In the article she says, "I heard about a lady who has a bird that can tell when she's going to have a seizure. The bird can talk and he says, 'She's doing it again.'"
McDonald calls Dusty her "feline angel." We agree.
Have you heard of or experienced animals, other than dogs, who perform healing services for people?
Leaf and the Enormous Black Crow
Part of being a mother, whether to an animal or human, is to teach our young ones how to protect themselves. Our rescued cocker spaniel Leaf reminded us of that responsibility this week.
Now that it is spring, the crows have returned to our neighborhood. Since this is our first spring with Leaf, we hadn't thought about how these enormous black birds might view our tiny new family member.
One morning we let Leaf out in the backyard to take care of his bodily needs. Linda suddenly had an inner nudge to go out and check on him. Linda stood on the back deck, watching Leaf sniff and enjoy spring dew on green grass. Then she noticed a huge crow, the size of a hawk, perched on a high branch of a tree overlooking the yard. The crow focused silently and ominously on Leaf. He seemed to be thinking, "Breakfast!"
Linda immediately called to Leaf and brought him back in the house. Our little guy remained oblivious to the fact that he might have been tempting a predator with his small body. So as good "pet parents," we had to sit down to have a talk with Leaf about the facts of life in a neighborhood with crows.
Ever since hearing our parental admonitions, Leaf has become more aware of his surroundings. Before venturing to the backyard, he stands at the top of the steps on the deck and surveys the sky and tree branches. After he is certain there are no crows around, he enjoys his outing. We have been pleased to see that our little dog is a quick study in the ways of a world where danger lurks in unexpected places.
Now that it is spring, the crows have returned to our neighborhood. Since this is our first spring with Leaf, we hadn't thought about how these enormous black birds might view our tiny new family member.
One morning we let Leaf out in the backyard to take care of his bodily needs. Linda suddenly had an inner nudge to go out and check on him. Linda stood on the back deck, watching Leaf sniff and enjoy spring dew on green grass. Then she noticed a huge crow, the size of a hawk, perched on a high branch of a tree overlooking the yard. The crow focused silently and ominously on Leaf. He seemed to be thinking, "Breakfast!"
Linda immediately called to Leaf and brought him back in the house. Our little guy remained oblivious to the fact that he might have been tempting a predator with his small body. So as good "pet parents," we had to sit down to have a talk with Leaf about the facts of life in a neighborhood with crows.
Ever since hearing our parental admonitions, Leaf has become more aware of his surroundings. Before venturing to the backyard, he stands at the top of the steps on the deck and surveys the sky and tree branches. After he is certain there are no crows around, he enjoys his outing. We have been pleased to see that our little dog is a quick study in the ways of a world where danger lurks in unexpected places.
New York Animal People
Animals reveal the softer side of humanity even in places that are usually associated with brashness or lack of compassion. Rightly or wrongly, movies and news reports often depict New Yorkers as too busy to befriend strangers. Yet, we were delighted by an especially rewarding experience prior to the event we were about to do at a Barnes & Noble bookstore in Long Island.
As residents of Minnesota, we have often watched lines of cars stop to let a family of ducks waddle cross the road. But what we experienced in New York showed us that people's loving connection with animals unites all of us in ways that express the best in human nature.
Mary was a bookstore patron who had arrived early to attend our presentation. She rushed into the area where we setting up the event and urged Allen to go with her. She asked, "Can you help an injured sparrow?"
Allen followed Mary to find that a baby bird had flown into the storefront display window. The little fellow stood very still on the sidewalk, looking dazed and in shock.
By this time, a circle of men, women, teens, and children, who were rooting for the little fellow, had surrounded the stunned bird. Nearly a dozen New Yorkers all wanted to help the bird. Mary repeatedly and sincerely said to those who had gathered, "This sparrow was trying to attend the God’s Messengers’ book lecture." Pointing to Allen, she said, "This is the person who is doing the lecture. The bird was trying to get into the store but didn't know about the glass."
Another woman, Pat, gently touched the bird's back, stroking his feathers. The crowd gave a cheer when the bird moved his head back and forth and opened his tiny eyes, blinking, and taking in all that was going on around him. After a few seconds of Pat's gentle touch and the encouragement of the onlookers, the sparrow flew off into the parking lot area. At that moment, the people who had been watching began shouting and saying things like, "He's going to be okay! Look, he's flying!" They were delighted to witness the spunk and courage of this tiny New York survivor.
Pat stayed outside to follow the sparrow's progress. Allen went back into the store and continued to prepare for our presentation. A few minutes later, Pat hurried over and said, "Good news! The little bird flew to the trees. He's going to live!"
We were touched by the love, respect, and openhearted generosity that these Long Island, New York residents gave to a small creature. When Pat announced that the sparrow was fine, someone said, "God keeps his eye upon the sparrow." Such a beautiful moment reminded all of us of the truth in this statement.
Just the previous day Linda went to a hair salon in Stony Brook, Long Island. Her visit started a party when she asked if anyone had pets. The first words out of the manicurist's mouth were, "I have a cat and she saved my life." From that point on, everyone had a pet story to share. Animals brought Linda, a stranger, together with a roomful of the salon’s regular clients in an instant bonding as they shared their mutual interests.
We loved our visit to the Big Apple where we found friendship flourishes among humans and animals in homes, businesses, and in nature.
What does your love of animals reveal about you?
As residents of Minnesota, we have often watched lines of cars stop to let a family of ducks waddle cross the road. But what we experienced in New York showed us that people's loving connection with animals unites all of us in ways that express the best in human nature.
Mary was a bookstore patron who had arrived early to attend our presentation. She rushed into the area where we setting up the event and urged Allen to go with her. She asked, "Can you help an injured sparrow?"
Allen followed Mary to find that a baby bird had flown into the storefront display window. The little fellow stood very still on the sidewalk, looking dazed and in shock.
By this time, a circle of men, women, teens, and children, who were rooting for the little fellow, had surrounded the stunned bird. Nearly a dozen New Yorkers all wanted to help the bird. Mary repeatedly and sincerely said to those who had gathered, "This sparrow was trying to attend the God’s Messengers’ book lecture." Pointing to Allen, she said, "This is the person who is doing the lecture. The bird was trying to get into the store but didn't know about the glass."
Another woman, Pat, gently touched the bird's back, stroking his feathers. The crowd gave a cheer when the bird moved his head back and forth and opened his tiny eyes, blinking, and taking in all that was going on around him. After a few seconds of Pat's gentle touch and the encouragement of the onlookers, the sparrow flew off into the parking lot area. At that moment, the people who had been watching began shouting and saying things like, "He's going to be okay! Look, he's flying!" They were delighted to witness the spunk and courage of this tiny New York survivor.
Pat stayed outside to follow the sparrow's progress. Allen went back into the store and continued to prepare for our presentation. A few minutes later, Pat hurried over and said, "Good news! The little bird flew to the trees. He's going to live!"
We were touched by the love, respect, and openhearted generosity that these Long Island, New York residents gave to a small creature. When Pat announced that the sparrow was fine, someone said, "God keeps his eye upon the sparrow." Such a beautiful moment reminded all of us of the truth in this statement.
Just the previous day Linda went to a hair salon in Stony Brook, Long Island. Her visit started a party when she asked if anyone had pets. The first words out of the manicurist's mouth were, "I have a cat and she saved my life." From that point on, everyone had a pet story to share. Animals brought Linda, a stranger, together with a roomful of the salon’s regular clients in an instant bonding as they shared their mutual interests.
We loved our visit to the Big Apple where we found friendship flourishes among humans and animals in homes, businesses, and in nature.
What does your love of animals reveal about you?
What does your love of animals reveal about you?
Question: Why would the University of Oregon College of Business Administration be profiling 667 pet owners?
Answer: People with pets are major players in the world of business.
The American Pet Products Manufacturers Association reports in its 2003/2004 National Pet Owners Survey that 62 percent of U.S. households now welcome at least one pet into their homes. These humans are fueling $31 billion in pet products, more than people spend annually on human toys or candy. Add to products the popular pet services – massages, chiropractic, acupuncture, liposuction, gourmet dinners, and hotel accommodations – and you get an industry that is vitally interested in what will make you buy that designer dog dish or French day bed. (“New Survey Shows America’s Love Affair with Their Pets Stronger than Ever” by Tierra Griffiths and Julie Rowe)
So Oregon’s College of Business Administration graduate students, under the leadership of Lynn Kahle, head of the marketing department, tried to figure out what your choice of a pet tells about you. With that essential information, marketers can appeal to your sensibilities and convince you that Precious really does need a plastic bowl with a lid that doubles as a Frisbee.
Here’s what they found with their questionnaire:
--Dog owners tend to be more honest and forthright than most other people. They are loyal and religious;
--If you consider yourself to be a cat person, you probably are a bit of a loner yet have fairly high job satisfaction. You tend not to toe the line when it comes to the rules and rituals of an organized religion;
--People who are primarily attracted to fish as pets are more optimistic than most and not as materialistic or concerned about social status.
Kahle concludes, “A more thorough understanding of the motivations, values, and lifestyles of pet owners can help marketers design more effective advertising approaches, both for pet products and in advertisements for nonpet products.” (“We Lavish Love, Money on Our Pets Study Reveals Psyches of Animal Owners” by Ranny Green, Seattle Times, 1993)
So the gathering of this kind of data is how pet commercials are targeted directly at what excites and interests you – not your animal companion.
Well, we have a slightly different take on the subject. We think that not only do animals often reflect a person’s psyche, they also mirror their souls, or the amount of love in their hearts. It’s our opinion that a person who says, “I don’t like animals,” is experiencing a disconnect between the heart and the mind. Ask any animal lover and they will tell you: Animals are our hearts.
In our book, God’s Messengers: What Animals Teach Us about the Divine, we write, “Sometimes before we speak at a book event, we say to the bookstore manager, ‘Watch the people who come in the door. Animal lovers are the most compassionate and generous people on the planet.’ We speak about you with confidence because we know that when you relate to animals in a loving and respectful way, you have the opportunity to learn from some of life’s wisest teachers and to be restored by its most skillful healers.”
Answer: People with pets are major players in the world of business.
The American Pet Products Manufacturers Association reports in its 2003/2004 National Pet Owners Survey that 62 percent of U.S. households now welcome at least one pet into their homes. These humans are fueling $31 billion in pet products, more than people spend annually on human toys or candy. Add to products the popular pet services – massages, chiropractic, acupuncture, liposuction, gourmet dinners, and hotel accommodations – and you get an industry that is vitally interested in what will make you buy that designer dog dish or French day bed. (“New Survey Shows America’s Love Affair with Their Pets Stronger than Ever” by Tierra Griffiths and Julie Rowe)
So Oregon’s College of Business Administration graduate students, under the leadership of Lynn Kahle, head of the marketing department, tried to figure out what your choice of a pet tells about you. With that essential information, marketers can appeal to your sensibilities and convince you that Precious really does need a plastic bowl with a lid that doubles as a Frisbee.
Here’s what they found with their questionnaire:
--Dog owners tend to be more honest and forthright than most other people. They are loyal and religious;
--If you consider yourself to be a cat person, you probably are a bit of a loner yet have fairly high job satisfaction. You tend not to toe the line when it comes to the rules and rituals of an organized religion;
--People who are primarily attracted to fish as pets are more optimistic than most and not as materialistic or concerned about social status.
Kahle concludes, “A more thorough understanding of the motivations, values, and lifestyles of pet owners can help marketers design more effective advertising approaches, both for pet products and in advertisements for nonpet products.” (“We Lavish Love, Money on Our Pets Study Reveals Psyches of Animal Owners” by Ranny Green, Seattle Times, 1993)
So the gathering of this kind of data is how pet commercials are targeted directly at what excites and interests you – not your animal companion.
Well, we have a slightly different take on the subject. We think that not only do animals often reflect a person’s psyche, they also mirror their souls, or the amount of love in their hearts. It’s our opinion that a person who says, “I don’t like animals,” is experiencing a disconnect between the heart and the mind. Ask any animal lover and they will tell you: Animals are our hearts.
In our book, God’s Messengers: What Animals Teach Us about the Divine, we write, “Sometimes before we speak at a book event, we say to the bookstore manager, ‘Watch the people who come in the door. Animal lovers are the most compassionate and generous people on the planet.’ We speak about you with confidence because we know that when you relate to animals in a loving and respectful way, you have the opportunity to learn from some of life’s wisest teachers and to be restored by its most skillful healers.”
What might a hidden camera reveal about animal world in your home and yard?
The Washington Post's David A. Fahrenthold recently wrote an article that ran in our Minneapolis Star Tribune on Wednesday, November 14, 2007. It was titled, "What Wild Animals Do. . .When Humans Aren't Looking." The article reported on a Smithsonian Institution project in which fifty motion-triggered cameras were placed strategically along the Appalachian Trail for six hundred miles.
Everyday life in the forest turned out to be both fascinating and funny. Scientists who collected and studied the 1,900 digital photos found out that black bears have increased in numbers greater than anyone knew.
Deer stared into the camera like, well, a deer caught in headlights. Bears attacked or scratched the cameras. According the article, the bears' relationship with the cameras were "producing some extreme close-ups that were hard to decipher. Eventually, researchers realized that they were looking at fuzzy posteriors." Take that, you scientists!
This article made us speculate about what hidden cameras might pick up in our "forest" while we are away. Would a camera find the cats with their arms lovingly around the dog? (Wishful thinking.) Would the bird shout out things we've never heard him say?
What might a hidden camera reveal about animal world in your home and yard?
Everyday life in the forest turned out to be both fascinating and funny. Scientists who collected and studied the 1,900 digital photos found out that black bears have increased in numbers greater than anyone knew.
Deer stared into the camera like, well, a deer caught in headlights. Bears attacked or scratched the cameras. According the article, the bears' relationship with the cameras were "producing some extreme close-ups that were hard to decipher. Eventually, researchers realized that they were looking at fuzzy posteriors." Take that, you scientists!
This article made us speculate about what hidden cameras might pick up in our "forest" while we are away. Would a camera find the cats with their arms lovingly around the dog? (Wishful thinking.) Would the bird shout out things we've never heard him say?
What might a hidden camera reveal about animal world in your home and yard?
Friday, July 25, 2008
Animals and the Art of Having Fun
The black and white kitty sat in the window ledge, looking out at squirrels skittering by and birds swooping down from the sky. Only her white whiskers twitched as soft spring air breezed past her face. Occasionally her tail, with the tip looking as if it had been dipped in vanilla ice cream, waved back and forth, charting the movement of a neighbor out for a jog or a mother pushing her baby's carriage on the sidewalk. Nothing disturbed this cat. No muscles twitched in her body as she rested on her chest, paws tucked like a monk's hands within the folds of long black sleeves.
This is a cat who has mastered the art of having fun. She has discovered the joy of letting life pass by without needing to participate in or control it.
Most of us have had memorable experiences with animal companions who have shown us how to play by throwing a ball, chasing a string, grooming feathers or hair, or playing hide and seek. Their antics have added much to our sometimes overburdened days and nights.
As part of the spiritual and deeply loving connections people and animals make with each other, one agreement that seems to be universal is that when we most need it, animals will show us how to become more balanced. Through their friendship and creativeness, pets enrich our lives by bringing smiles to our faces.
Let Us Entertain You
In our home we've learned that animals serve as messengers when God or Life is trying to let us know that it's time to dump the workload, release our attachments to getting things accomplished, and relax.
Our dog Leaf, is an example of an animal who knows what is fun. He sits, ball in mouth, ready to run, catch, run, catch, run. If we're not paying enough attention, he drops the ball and bats it back for himself like he is playing soccer. If we still don't figure out that it's supposed to be playtime, Leaf will even roll his ball to the cat, Cuddles.
We've observed how Cuddles can make almost anything into a toy. She sits like a princess for long periods of time and then without warning attacks a paperclip, rubber band, or Q-tip that has fallen to the floor. The object becomes a monster that she has to stalk, hunt, and conquer. This cat can see the most innocent objects and with her creative imagination turn them into playthings. If only we could amuse ourselves that well, we wouldn't feel the need to rent videos or go to movies to entertain ourselves.
Jake and Jill
We've received many stories from people who rescued animals and, in turn, felt rescued by them. During times of hardship, animals help people move past their emotional turmoil into a brighter outlook.
Jill East from North Carolina sent the Angel Animals Network a story about how a special dog friend named Jake taught her to slow down and enjoy each day.
Jill writes:
"The first time I saw Jake, I fell in love. I knew he was meant to be with me. A three-month-old border-collie mix, this ball of fur and love needed a home. I had recently moved into my first house and was happy to adopt this dog to share it with me.
"Jake and I had a strong spiritual connection on every level. I could think about something and he'd respond. Many times I'd look at him and his love would engulf me. He'd wake up from a sound sleep and look at me with so much love in his eyes that it would overwhelm me.
"Everyone who met this dog saw his uniqueness and loved him. We visited a rest home for five years together and there, Jake impacted many lives. He brought smiles to faces of people who otherwise no longer responded to anyone. He knew who needed special attention and gave it with love and tenderness. Jake was a ray of sunshine for their darkened lives.
"One of the things I loved most about Jake was that he knew how to have fun. He was a comedian and prankster who loved to make people laugh. No matter how down I felt, he could make me grin.
"Once we were going to visit my parents and I put Jake in the car. I was running late and getting stressed. Then I had to go back in the house to get something I'd forgotten. By the time I came back to the car, Jake had gotten in the driver's seat and put his paw on the steering wheel. It looked as if he was saying, 'I think I'll drive today.'
"I couldn't resist taking a picture of Jake driving my car, so I ran in the house for the camera. While I was gone, Jake stayed in the same position, still posing and grinning. This was a dog who always let me know when I needed to slow down, not take it all so seriously, and have a good laugh.
"Another time, Jake got bit by a snake on his back paw and was very sick for several days. When I brought him home from the vet, I must have been overdoing the special attention and "poor Jake" talk. He would hold his head down and limp around like the most pitiful creature in the world.
"Several days later, he was still doing the "poor Jake" routine. I let him outside to potty and looked out the window. That's when I saw him tearing through the yard without the slightest limp.
"I went out and called him to come. He ducked his head and limped back to me. I said, "OK Jake, I'm onto your game. I know you're not hurt anymore.
"He seemed to sense that the gig was up. He never limped again. What a character!
"Throughout our time together, Jake taught me to have fun, enjoy life, savor the moment. He was a wise soul and a great teacher."
Have animals been trying to teach you to stop the frenzy, live in the present, and fine more joy in your life?
This is a cat who has mastered the art of having fun. She has discovered the joy of letting life pass by without needing to participate in or control it.
Most of us have had memorable experiences with animal companions who have shown us how to play by throwing a ball, chasing a string, grooming feathers or hair, or playing hide and seek. Their antics have added much to our sometimes overburdened days and nights.
As part of the spiritual and deeply loving connections people and animals make with each other, one agreement that seems to be universal is that when we most need it, animals will show us how to become more balanced. Through their friendship and creativeness, pets enrich our lives by bringing smiles to our faces.
Let Us Entertain You
In our home we've learned that animals serve as messengers when God or Life is trying to let us know that it's time to dump the workload, release our attachments to getting things accomplished, and relax.
Our dog Leaf, is an example of an animal who knows what is fun. He sits, ball in mouth, ready to run, catch, run, catch, run. If we're not paying enough attention, he drops the ball and bats it back for himself like he is playing soccer. If we still don't figure out that it's supposed to be playtime, Leaf will even roll his ball to the cat, Cuddles.
We've observed how Cuddles can make almost anything into a toy. She sits like a princess for long periods of time and then without warning attacks a paperclip, rubber band, or Q-tip that has fallen to the floor. The object becomes a monster that she has to stalk, hunt, and conquer. This cat can see the most innocent objects and with her creative imagination turn them into playthings. If only we could amuse ourselves that well, we wouldn't feel the need to rent videos or go to movies to entertain ourselves.
Jake and Jill
We've received many stories from people who rescued animals and, in turn, felt rescued by them. During times of hardship, animals help people move past their emotional turmoil into a brighter outlook.
Jill East from North Carolina sent the Angel Animals Network a story about how a special dog friend named Jake taught her to slow down and enjoy each day.
Jill writes:
"The first time I saw Jake, I fell in love. I knew he was meant to be with me. A three-month-old border-collie mix, this ball of fur and love needed a home. I had recently moved into my first house and was happy to adopt this dog to share it with me.
"Jake and I had a strong spiritual connection on every level. I could think about something and he'd respond. Many times I'd look at him and his love would engulf me. He'd wake up from a sound sleep and look at me with so much love in his eyes that it would overwhelm me.
"Everyone who met this dog saw his uniqueness and loved him. We visited a rest home for five years together and there, Jake impacted many lives. He brought smiles to faces of people who otherwise no longer responded to anyone. He knew who needed special attention and gave it with love and tenderness. Jake was a ray of sunshine for their darkened lives.
"One of the things I loved most about Jake was that he knew how to have fun. He was a comedian and prankster who loved to make people laugh. No matter how down I felt, he could make me grin.
"Once we were going to visit my parents and I put Jake in the car. I was running late and getting stressed. Then I had to go back in the house to get something I'd forgotten. By the time I came back to the car, Jake had gotten in the driver's seat and put his paw on the steering wheel. It looked as if he was saying, 'I think I'll drive today.'
"I couldn't resist taking a picture of Jake driving my car, so I ran in the house for the camera. While I was gone, Jake stayed in the same position, still posing and grinning. This was a dog who always let me know when I needed to slow down, not take it all so seriously, and have a good laugh.
"Another time, Jake got bit by a snake on his back paw and was very sick for several days. When I brought him home from the vet, I must have been overdoing the special attention and "poor Jake" talk. He would hold his head down and limp around like the most pitiful creature in the world.
"Several days later, he was still doing the "poor Jake" routine. I let him outside to potty and looked out the window. That's when I saw him tearing through the yard without the slightest limp.
"I went out and called him to come. He ducked his head and limped back to me. I said, "OK Jake, I'm onto your game. I know you're not hurt anymore.
"He seemed to sense that the gig was up. He never limped again. What a character!
"Throughout our time together, Jake taught me to have fun, enjoy life, savor the moment. He was a wise soul and a great teacher."
Have animals been trying to teach you to stop the frenzy, live in the present, and fine more joy in your life?
Friday, July 18, 2008
The Act of Surrender
The subject of how to know when an animal is ready to leave came up last week. As we talked with a distraught person who had to face that most painful decision, we told her something that we want to share with you.
We've noticed over these many years (since 1996) of hearing people's stories that there is an essential element to making the tough choices. It can be summed up in one word - surrender.
Surrender with its twin sister, trust, are undoubtedly the hardest things you'll ever do. This means accepting that you will know when it's time to let go of your beloved pet and that you'll do the right thing.
We mentioned to our friend that we'd seen the act of surrender have various outcomes.
For some people, when they truly released the situation to divine guidance, they had a peaceful knowingness that the animal needed to be released from a debilitated physical body. This usually was accompanied by some type of outer confirmation from the pet, the veterinarian, or from life.
Making the true and selfless act of surrender allows the animal to choose whether to stay or go. At times, the pet who seems about to die, instead, rallies and recovers. Perhaps because the animal has been holding on to life out of love for a human, this effort has taken energy away from his or her own recovery. Now the pet can focus on
getting well.
In the case our friend's beloved pet decided to live. This has been a journey with a happy ending. But it did take her act of surrender. She had to say to her animal friend, "It's your choice. Don't stay only for me."
What have your experiences been with surrendering and accepting whatever outcome is truly best for the animal?
We've noticed over these many years (since 1996) of hearing people's stories that there is an essential element to making the tough choices. It can be summed up in one word - surrender.
Surrender with its twin sister, trust, are undoubtedly the hardest things you'll ever do. This means accepting that you will know when it's time to let go of your beloved pet and that you'll do the right thing.
We mentioned to our friend that we'd seen the act of surrender have various outcomes.
For some people, when they truly released the situation to divine guidance, they had a peaceful knowingness that the animal needed to be released from a debilitated physical body. This usually was accompanied by some type of outer confirmation from the pet, the veterinarian, or from life.
Making the true and selfless act of surrender allows the animal to choose whether to stay or go. At times, the pet who seems about to die, instead, rallies and recovers. Perhaps because the animal has been holding on to life out of love for a human, this effort has taken energy away from his or her own recovery. Now the pet can focus on
getting well.
In the case our friend's beloved pet decided to live. This has been a journey with a happy ending. But it did take her act of surrender. She had to say to her animal friend, "It's your choice. Don't stay only for me."
What have your experiences been with surrendering and accepting whatever outcome is truly best for the animal?
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
The Giving and Receiving of Animal Names
What names have you given your animal companions?
When we do our workshops or book events, we always ask the participants to introduce themselves and tell us the names of their animal companions. This exercise gets a lot of laughs as people share the creative names they have given their furry friends.
Diana, from Australia, says that the impulsive adoption of two pullet hens caused her to name these new members of their family, Spon and Taneous. They joined Diana's other two hens, Little Red and Riding Hood.
Literature often provides the inspiration for animals' names. Janice says that she and her husband named their five puppies after characters in THE PILGRIM'S PROGRESS, a book Janice had loved to read as a child. They called the pups Christian, Purity, Chastity, Tenacity, and Charity. Another woman re-created her childhood by naming her new kittens Papa Bear, Mamma Bear, and Baby Bear. They joined Bear, the adult cat, who already ruled their household.
Beverly says that Shana Punem, in Yiddish, means "beautiful face." The name had special significance to her because this is what her father used to call his niece when the girl was little. Beverly says, "He would cup her face in his hand and say, 'Shana Punem.' It was such a sweet gesture." When Beverly adopted a dog nine years ago, she named her Shana Punem.
Lisa wrote to tell us about her dog, Trouble. He got that moniker because when Lisa adopted another dog in addition to the two she already had, her sister-in-law predicted that Lisa's husband wouldn't be very happy about it. "You're going to get in trouble," was her admonition. As it turned out, according to Lisa, "Trouble was never any trouble at all. My husband and I both adored him." She says that Trouble was a dog who never did live up to his name.
An orphaned kitten named Gabriel was so sweet that his new human companions named him after the Archangel Gabriel. They write, "It backfired! We've found out that feline angels can be very mischievous!"
Although people get very creative about giving names to their animal companions, some say that the animals have let their humans know what they want to be called.
Melodie writes about the adoption of her tiny, juvenile green iguana. She says, "For a week, I tried many names that seemed perfect for her, but none of them were right for this little creature. During the second week of having her, a strange name was just in my mind. I truly believe that Eeghana-guana told me her name."
Our beautiful golden retriever, Prana, chose us from a litter of adorable puppies by coming forward and untying Allen's shoelace. On the way home, she seemed to whisper her name in Linda's ear. Later, we found out that "prana" means "breath of life." Prana surely was a breath of life for our family during the years we were blessed with her presence.
What names have you given your animal companions? Did you choose this name or did the animal choose it for you?
When we do our workshops or book events, we always ask the participants to introduce themselves and tell us the names of their animal companions. This exercise gets a lot of laughs as people share the creative names they have given their furry friends.
Diana, from Australia, says that the impulsive adoption of two pullet hens caused her to name these new members of their family, Spon and Taneous. They joined Diana's other two hens, Little Red and Riding Hood.
Literature often provides the inspiration for animals' names. Janice says that she and her husband named their five puppies after characters in THE PILGRIM'S PROGRESS, a book Janice had loved to read as a child. They called the pups Christian, Purity, Chastity, Tenacity, and Charity. Another woman re-created her childhood by naming her new kittens Papa Bear, Mamma Bear, and Baby Bear. They joined Bear, the adult cat, who already ruled their household.
Beverly says that Shana Punem, in Yiddish, means "beautiful face." The name had special significance to her because this is what her father used to call his niece when the girl was little. Beverly says, "He would cup her face in his hand and say, 'Shana Punem.' It was such a sweet gesture." When Beverly adopted a dog nine years ago, she named her Shana Punem.
Lisa wrote to tell us about her dog, Trouble. He got that moniker because when Lisa adopted another dog in addition to the two she already had, her sister-in-law predicted that Lisa's husband wouldn't be very happy about it. "You're going to get in trouble," was her admonition. As it turned out, according to Lisa, "Trouble was never any trouble at all. My husband and I both adored him." She says that Trouble was a dog who never did live up to his name.
An orphaned kitten named Gabriel was so sweet that his new human companions named him after the Archangel Gabriel. They write, "It backfired! We've found out that feline angels can be very mischievous!"
Although people get very creative about giving names to their animal companions, some say that the animals have let their humans know what they want to be called.
Melodie writes about the adoption of her tiny, juvenile green iguana. She says, "For a week, I tried many names that seemed perfect for her, but none of them were right for this little creature. During the second week of having her, a strange name was just in my mind. I truly believe that Eeghana-guana told me her name."
Our beautiful golden retriever, Prana, chose us from a litter of adorable puppies by coming forward and untying Allen's shoelace. On the way home, she seemed to whisper her name in Linda's ear. Later, we found out that "prana" means "breath of life." Prana surely was a breath of life for our family during the years we were blessed with her presence.
What names have you given your animal companions? Did you choose this name or did the animal choose it for you?
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