Reveals how pets fit into the afterlife, offering comfort for bereaved pet owners while sharing uplifting tales about pets who continue their relationship with their human companions after death.

The loss of a beloved pet may be the first death experience children face. It is very traumatic for the child and should not be trivialized. Their feelins and emotions are very real and they are trying to process the situation as best they can. They need the support and understanding of caring adults to work through what has happened and what it means to them personally. Pet loss and the surrounding activity can be a catalyst for growth and understanding for the entire family. Talking and sharing thoughts and emotions is one of the best ways to cope. That is why people gather after a funeral to share stories and acknowledge the part the deceased has had in their lives. It is a teaching moment to share openly about what is going on in our hearts, minds and bodies. Recognize that not all adults or children grive in the same way. Do not expect the child to be openly sad or to be appearing uncaring in their attitude about the death of the pet. It may take some time to process what this loss means to them. No matter how the child may appear to be taking the news, do have a priod of time just for them to talk and you to listen. After sharing their fears and concerns, you will wantto reassure them that they are safe and loved. This may be the opportunity to teach the values and beliefs that you may not have shared with your family. A great many of the people who deal with depression or feelings of suicide as adults suffer from some sort of sorrow they never had the opportunity to work out as a child. Judy Helm Wright has a new book coming out to assist you in this process. Watch for "How To Explain Death, Loss & Grieve to Children" You will find it on Amazon very soon or by checking out our website at www.ArtichokePress.com

A Universal Question, thoughtfully answered! What do you think: Will we see our dogs and cats in the hereafter? Does God's plan for eternity include the created nonhuman world? Franciscan friar and popular writer Father Jack Wintz brings a love for all creation and infectious enthusiasm to the serious task of exploring answers to these long-asked questions, In Will I See My Dog in Heaven? Father Jack admits that no one really knows what God has in mind for us in the next life. But in ten thoughtful chapters, he lines up evidence from the Scriptures, Christian tradition and liturgy, and the life and teachings of St. Francis of Assisi, that God desires all creatures (yes, including our beloved pets!) in the afterlife.

A journey through 20,000 years of history and myth in search of the answer to a single question: Do animals have souls? Anyone who has ever mourned the loss of a cherished pet has wondered about the animal soul. Do animals survive the death of the body, or are they doomed to disappear completely when they leave this world behind? Both scientists and religious authorities have long scoffed at the idea of animals in heaven. Yet the question endures. In this wise, immensely readable book, Ptolemy Tompkins embarks on a quest for the answer—taking us on a top-speed tour of the history of the animal soul. Equally at home with mainstream and alternative spiritual philosophies, Tompkins takes us from the savannas of Africa to the earth’s first cities to the early days of the great faith traditions of both East and West. Along the way, he shows that, despite what many of us have been taught, the world’s various spiritual traditions all have profoundly meaningful things to say about the animal soul, if we simply know where to look. Rescuing these ancient insights and blending them with vivid stories about animals today—from a dwarf rabbit named Angus to a manatee named Moose to a black bear named Little Bit—The Divine Life of Animals paints a gloriously inclusive picture of the cosmos as a place made up of both matter and spirit, in which animals are every bit as important, spiritually speaking, as the humans with whom they share the world. Though it is startlingly original, The Divine Life of Animals also feels strangely and instantly familiar, for it reveals truths that many of us have held in our hearts already, waiting only for someone to give fresh voice to one of the oldest and most trustworthy intuitions we possess. The Divine Life of Animals offers a compelling and timeless vision of the relationship between humans and animals that will have you looking at the animals in your life with new eyes.

Have you ever lost a beloved pet and wondered. "Did they go to heaven, or did they just die and that's it?" This book finally answers the age old question once and for all. Do animals have spirits? Find out God's true relationship with animals, and how He really feels about them. The author shares his divine visions along with scriptural proof, which Jesus reveals and explains to him, concerning God's entire creation. Whether you are a pt lover or not, you will gain a greater understanding of the immense love of Jesus, for all of His creation. After reading this testimony, you will look at love and forgiveness in a whole new light. Book jacket.

A comforting and playful exploration of a beloved dog's journey after a happy life on Earth. In Newbery Medalist Cynthia Rylant's classic bestseller, the author comforts readers young and old who have lost a dog. Recommended highly by pet lovers around the world, Dog Heaven not only comforts but also brings a tear to anyone who is devoted to a pet. From expansive fields where dogs can run and run to delicious biscuits no dog can resist, Rylant paints a warm and affectionate picture of the ideal place God would, of course, create for man's best friend. The first picture book illustrated by the author, Dog Heaven is enhanced by Rylant's bright, bold paintings that perfectly capture an afterlife sure to bring solace to anyone who is grieving.