In this invaluable guide and touchstone, New York Times bestselling author Jon Katz addresses the difficult but necessary topic of saying goodbye to a beloved pet.

If you've found yourself almost inconsolable after your pet died, please know that you're normal. If you've found that your family and friends don't seem to understand the level of your grief, please know that, too, is normal. Without comparing our relationships with our pets to those with people, we know that, because of the unique emotional relationships we have with our pets, their deaths produce a level of pain that is difficult to describe. If you relate to any or all of these sentences, this book is for you. We have been there and most probably will be there again. We will be with you on this journey to help your heart deal with the absence of your cherished companion. --Russell, Cole, and John

This edition also includes a significant new way of considering the meaning of afterlife for us and our pets. It discusses the topic from a twenty-first century scientific perspective that is very different from existing religious or metaphysical ones, offering a new comfort to skeptics and agnostics as well.

In this thoughtful book, Allen and Linda Anderson walk you through the numbing pain and dreadful sense of loss that arise when a beloved animal dies. They offer solace to help you deal with grief, remember and honor key moments in the animal’s life, find comfort through groups and with professionals, and get past the depression. They also include exercises, affirmations, and meditations to use through the various stages of grief.

David Congalton and his wife survived every pet lover's worst nightmare - sudden, multiple pet loss. Frankly and tenderly, Congalton chronicles their recovery from the deaths of five beloved animal companions in a house fire. He mixes personal anecdotes with previously published columns and includes extensive pet loss resources.

Pets are often felt to be "one of the family" and a companion for children when they are growing up - an individual who is loved in life and greatly missed in death. When a pet dies, it can have a huge impact on children, and it is important that parents are equipped to understand and support their children. JoAnn Tuzeo-Jarolmen explains that children grieve for a dead or missing pet as they would for a family member, and gives guidelines on how to identify signs of grief in children.

For children, the sudden loss of a precious pet can inspire difficult questions about life and death. How can we reassure mourning youngsters that our dearly departed pets have found everlasting peace? Gary Kurz, acclaimed author of Cold Noses at the Pearly Gates and Wagging Tails in Heaven, provides thoughtful guidance on soothing a child's heartbreak after the passing of a beloved four-legged friend-affirming that through their unconditional love, every one of them has a unique place in heaven.