Pets are not petty -- Four-footed comforters -- Kindness begins at home -- To everything there is a season -- When bad things happen to good creatures -- A good death -- Bless the beasts and the children -- Speak to the Earth -- Rest in peace -- Healing words -- Guides for the spirit -- The eternal question -- The continuum of life -- Today and tomorrow -- A final gift -- Special section. Creating your own ceremony -- A selection of readings and poems -- One family's ritual of leave-taking

"The final parting from a pet is a sorrow that many feel they face alone. Is it appropriate to feel so sad over the loss of an animal? To answer this question, Reverend Gary Kowalski offers a quotation from Garrison Keillor: "If this is foolish, so it be." Since many people view their companion animals as cherished family members, losing them is, of course, painful and even wrenching. In this beloved manual, Kowalski offers not just insight but also practical guidance -- on honoring one's own grief and helping children with theirs; ideas for rituals, ceremonies, and solace; and considering death and the continuum of life. His compassionate and comforting guidance provides grieving pet parents with a much-needed resource"--