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

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

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