ODE TO TATE, OUR WILD, RESCUE ABYSSINIAN KITTY

You have a nose that’s bright pinky

You’re the same color as a Twinkie,

And you’re always a little blinky…

You’re never ever stinky.

Our “Minian”-Minion- (to your fat ol’ brother) Abyssinian,

You’re the teeny tiny Tater Tot,

you certainly weigh just a little

But certainly love a whole lot

You’re aka the” Sweet Tatey-Potatey,”

Mommy’s beloved orange little baby

Sometimes you’re P-Tootey Scootey,

the teeny auburn kitty with a teeny kitty booty…

You’re itty-bitty teeny-tiny

Never whiney and always super shiny

Waiting your turn at dinner

Avoiding your Mad Maxwell brother – who’s the opposite of thinner…

You heart doing lovey-doveys

on blankies with your mini-clawless paws

You love rubby-dubbies with your teeny ears,

you heart your “muth-er,” and show it by kissing her nose, cheeks and jaws

You patiently wait for crunchies

or fabulous dinner tableside-munchies

Like a good-natured little boy

You’re respectful and kind and it’s your rescued life you now enjoy

In his favorite spot, the window sill...

You’re the head and founder of the” itty-bitty-kitty-committee®”

Always polite, never sassy, but seriously witty

So Momma Jaime made up this little ditty

To dedicate to you…,

Our seemingly 3-ounce, wild rescue wonder-kitty!

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

This is borrowed from a few friends on Facebook, but was originally posted by American Humane Association awhile back….

VOICE OF THE VOICELESS

I am the voice of the voiceless,
Through me, the dumb shall speak;
Till the deaf world’s ear be made to hear
The cry of the wordless weak.

From street, from cage, and from kennel,
From jungle and stall, the wail
Of my tortured kin proclaims the sin
Of the mighty against the frail.

For love is the true religion,
And love is the law sublime;
And all that is wrought, where love is not,
Will die at the touch of time.

And Science, the great revealer,
Must flame his torch at the source;
And keep it bright, with that holy light
Or his feet shall fail on the course.

For he who would trample kindness
And mercy into the dust –
He has missed the trail, and his quest will fail,
He is not the guide to trust.

Oh shame on the mothers of mortals
Who have not stopped to teach
Of the sorrow that lies in dear, dumb eyes,
The sorrow that has no speech.

Oh, never a brute in the forest,
And never a snake in the fen,
Or ravening bird, starvation stirred,
Has hunted his prey like men.

For hunger, and fear, and passion
Alone drive beasts to slay,
But wonderful man, the crown of the plan,
Tortures, and kills, FOR PLAY.

He goes well fed from his table,
He kisses his child and wife,
Then he haunts a wood, till he orphans a brood,
Or robs a deer of its life.

He aims at a speck in the azure,
Winged love, that has flown at a call,
It reels down to die, and he lets it lie;
His pleasure was seeing it fall.

The same force formed the sparrow
That fashioned Man, the King;
The God of the Whole gave a spark of soul
To each furred and feathered thing.

And I am my brother’s keeper,
And I will fight his fight,
And speak the word for beast and bird,
Till the world shall set things right.

For the first year, American Pet Products Association will accept poems from students in 3^rd-8^th grades;

kids can win scholarship dollars and other pet prizes!

Calling all creative kids!

The American Pet Products Association (APPA) President, Bob Vetere, announced recently that the organization will be accepting poems for its 4^th Annual Pets Add Life Children’s Poetry Contest.

“The last three years have not only been successful, but fun,” Vetere said. “We are overwhelmed, year after year, by the number and creativity of poems we receive from kids across the country. This is a great opportunity to get and keep kids excited about pets in a fun and educational way. It was only natural for us to expand the contest in its fourth year to allow for more students to have the opportunity to participate.”

For the first year ever, students in grades 3^rd-8^th are invited to write a unique poem about their pets, what they love about them, the joys they bring, and then post it online at www.PetsAddLife.org or mail their final poem and submission form to:

Pets Add Life

661 Sierra Rose Dr.

Reno, NV 89511

Deadline for submissions is January 31, 2012 at 5:00pm EST.

In addition, teachers within our contest grade levels are welcome to incorporate this national contest into their lesson plans, and submit poems in one entry, on behalf of his/her classroom.

One student from each grade level (6 total) nationwide will win a $250 gift certificate for pet products, and a “by-line” in a nationally circulated publication! (As a published poet myself, I can tell you that this is a big deal!)

*** In addition, the six winning students’ classrooms will each win a $1,000 scholarship to spend on pet related education.***

“In past years, winning poems have featured pets from hamsters and birds to dogs that are best friends, kittens and fish,” Vetere said. “And, it has been wonderful to receive updates from our winning teachers who have spent the scholarship dollars on classroom fieldtrips to the zoo, a classroom pet and supplies, and educational materials regarding pet and animal wellness.”

To learn more about the Pets Add Life Children’s Poetry Contest, read previous winning poems, upload your submission, or download a printed submission form, please visit www.petsaddlife.org or contact Kerry Sutherland at The Impetus Agency, 775.322.4022 or Kerry@theimpetusagency.com.

More info on PAL: Pets Add Life website, or PAL on Facebook

** See my other Pets Add Life posts here and here!

♥This Year’s Event to Shine a Light on Pet Adoption!

♥ On November 16, 2011, Petside.com, the premier site for pet owners and pet enthusiasts, will host its 4^th Annual Pet ‘Net Event to

raise awareness of pet adoption.

Check out my 2010 Pet Net post here, my 2009 0ne here, and the first one in 2008 here... to read ALL past blog posts for Petside.com Pet ‘Net Events, click here!

I’ve been a part of this esteemed group since the first year! I have great respect and admiration for not only the folks over at Petside.com, but also for my fellow Pet Net bloggers. I’ve been lucky enough to write beside and in partnership with such beloved and leading bloggers as Caroline G. of Romeo the Cat. We’ve written about pet safety, pet rescue and more. This year we’re going back to our roots and posting about pet adoption… we all know this is a topic that cannot be publicized, featured on TV, written about, talked about, or blogged about enough:)

But this year’s event is bigger than ever, and features:

- a comprehensive hub page of adoption-related articles from the web’s very best pet-bloggers

- a social media donation campaign to engage the pet community at large

- a blogger competition with the winner receiving a $500 donation from Petside to the shelter of their choice

♥ Petside.com’s Pet ‘Net Event maintains its commitment to educate people and honor the pets who love them. While revisiting its inaugural topic from 2008, The 2011 Pet ‘Net Adoption Event marks the first in a partnership with IAMS on a social media donation campaign.

♥♥♥ Calls to action on Twitter this year will yield food donations as part of Iams Home 4 the Holidays Bags 4 Bowls initiative. For all information related to the social media donation campaign, please visit www.Petside.com/PetNetDonations. IAMS has been holding Home for the Holidays for decades and has made such a huge imprint on the issues of homeless animal populations, shelter donations, food donations and more. The program is championed by Helen Woodward Animal Center President, Mike Arms, my personal hero.

♥ Petside.com is ranked among the top 5 Pet Websites & offers unique editorial features, expert Q&A’s, tools and how-to videos. And, they are a great resource for all types of information on all types of animals. Petside.com carefully and personally (or corporate-ly??? lol) chooses the bloggers who represent their quest to inform the animal-loving public about related issues, and thus, participate in each yearly event, so please be sure to stop by and check it out next Wednesday

Don’t forget:

Franklin Smith, from Ohio Basset Rescue, survived appalling conditions at a puppy mill before his rescue.

WHEN:       Wednesday, November 16, 2011                    

WHERE:      http://ThoughtsFurPaws.com and www.Petside.com/PetNet2011

Next Wednesday when I post, I will give you a list of the other bloggers involved! 

And…. just as a little teaser, on my blog, you will be hearing a very special adoption story — and an adoption angle not often taken. I will be telling, at length, the story of Franklin Smith, the rescue Basset Hound who is a former puppy mill stud. My sister and I (and her man at the time) drove three hours to go visit him & ended up taking him home after he got along with our other Basset, Henry the Horrible.(You gotta’ click on that link and read about Henry– he is a devil dog, counter-surfer, howler, squawker dog!)

Franklin went from surviving day to day in a hellish cage not even big enough for him to stand in — to living in my sister’s free, fun and fabulous, no-rules home environment where he is wholly loved and absolutely cherished…for the first year-and-a-half I was the dog-sitter, coming about twice a week spending about 5 hours a night.

Franklin, though so happy that you would think he actually forgot his atrocious beginnings (!!), still faces a long road, and big bumps (for sure) and debilitating detours may still remain…

STAY TUNED…

Her eyes met mine as she walked down the corridor

peering apprehensively into the kennels.
I felt her need instantly and knew I had to help her.
I wagged my tail, not too exuberantly, so she wouldn’t be afraid.

As she stopped at my kennel I blocked her view

from a little accident I had in the back of my cage.
I didn’t want her to know that I hadn’t been walked today.
Sometimes the shelter keepers get too busy and

I didn’t want her to think poorly of them.

As she read my kennel card I hoped that she

wouldn’t feel sad about my past.

I only have the future to look forward to

and want to make a difference in someone’s life.

She got down on her knees and made little kissy sounds at me.

I shoved my shoulder and side of my head up

against the bars to comfort her.
Gentle fingertips caressed my neck;

she was desperate for companionship.

A tear fell down her cheek and

I raised my paw to assure her that all would be well.

Soon my kennel door opened and

her smile was so bright that I instantly jumped into her arms.
I would promise to keep her safe.

I would promise to always be by her side.
I would promise to do everything I could

to see that radiant smile and sparkle in her eyes.
I was so fortunate that she came down my corridor.
So many more are out there who haven’t walked the corridors.
So many more to be saved. At least I could save one.

I rescued a human today.

Renowned Animal Communicator & Energy Therapist at The Healing Journey, Barb Borkowski wrote the following post. We met through Linked In and I was so excited to feature a guest post from her; I’ve never met an animal communicator before.

Barb Borkowski

Barb has a gift that allows her to speak for animals. Working with animals has been very beneficial. Barb has assisted with behavioral problems caused by anxiety, fear, grief, loneliness, separation anxiety and stress. Sessions include communicated information and energy balancing. Energy therapy helps to decrease stress & promote relaxation. Barb assists owners of horses and dogs to have a better understanding of their pets.

One of the first questions I asked Barb was, “how ever did you become an animal communicator?” And lucky for me, she has a post on that very subject. It’s contents are posted here below:

Many of my clients have asked me how I became an animal communicator. Did I take classes? How am I able to do it? The answer to that is simple. I was born with the ability to know what animals need and what they would like people to know.

As a toddler  my best friend was my great-grandfather’s Collie, Long John. There are pictures of me standing beside him, my hand touching the top of his head. As I got older, I spent a majority of my time outdoors with my dad’s Beagles. I felt such a connection to those dogs. They knew my thoughts and feelings and I knew theirs. Animals are so in tune with human emotions.

Growing up, my intuition was very keen. I did not like knowing things about people, animals or future events. That frightened me and I did not want to be considered strange. I decided to tune out all intuitive thoughts.

Years passed and my journey brought me back to my roots. After establishing my massage therapy business, The Healing Journey, I started to receive requests from clients to help their pets. Reluctant at first, I accepted. Word spread of how I was able to help animals who had behavioral problems. After several years of giving free advice, I included animal communication as a part of my business.

What once was considered a curse by me is now the greatest blessing. Relaying to pet owners what their 4 legged friends need and would like them to know is such an honor. Through my work, people have a better understanding of their pet. That leads to a closer relationship. You see – I was born to be an animal communicator.

And a final post that I will share with you is an excellent poem — I happen to love animal poetry; many of you know I often post dog poems and cat poems or pet loss poems. They help heal and comfort. Here is Barb’s poem, entitled “4-Legged Friend.” (You might need a Kleenex, FYI…)

The love held in your heart
Captivates me from the start

Barb's Dog

Holding you in my arms

You lick my face with all your charm

Watching you as days go by
You quickly grow, I wonder why
That you are given so little time
To live on earth and be all mine

Years pass by, you run and play
I know one day you cannot stay
For time takes a lasting toll
One day you’ll have a new role

To leave the world and be set free
I know you will be watching me
With a saddened heart I will go on
Because of you I can sing a song

The day has come to say goodbye
Holding you, I start to cry
Memories come rushing in
Of  how you’ve been my best friend

Losing you, I will go on
You worry that I’m not that strong
Because of you my life was blessed
And filled with so much happiness

Thank you, my 4 legged friend
In due time my heart will mend
A part of me, you’ll always be
My friend for all eternity

You can follow Barb’s daily journeys at her blog, The Healing Journey.

** In partering with the new line, GNC Pets, I am sharing my story of my best friend, Maxwell, and what he has meant to my life. GNC Pets  is a new, premium line of vitamins and supplements for dogs and cats. In partnership with PetSmart, the line was created by GNC, the leading specialty retailer in nutritional products and PetSmart is the exclusive pet retail partner. There is a wide variety of products, each addressing unique needs that pets have such as their life stage, activity level and environmental conditions. For other stories similar to mine, go to www.facebook.com/petsmart.

I was torn to pieces the day I had to put my trusty old Tabby Theodore to sleep in 2010. I remember it like it was yesterday; Monday February 8^th. He had cancer in his bile duct and the vet could only remove a certain length of the duct without harming him. He took as much as he could but the cancer spread. Theodore was doomed; he died less than two weeks from the first day I found out. But I’ve always been a believer in re-incarnation… and that’s important in this story.

I didn’t move from the chair I shared with Theodore for three days. I couldn’t go and pick up his ashes. I didn’t eat. I didn’t sleep. I was beside myself with grief – it was like I was watching this happen to someone else. Theodore had been with me since college, for 11 years. He was with me through the most trying times, through sickness, through break-ups, through deaths, through faltered friendships.

When I lost Theodore I knew I wouldn’t get over it. I stared at his pictures lying awake at night praying for some sense of reason to overcome my grief. Praying for some sense to be made where none could be found. To make matters worse, we lost our 10-yr-old Golden Retriever four days after Theodore – to cancer.

Little did I know that the same week that Theodore died, a helpless, teeny, large-eared, big-eyed, orange, devil-cat was brought into the world – albeit a different part of the city. But nonetheless, this cat had panache. He had personality. And he was born right around February 10^th, 2010.

He found my Mom in the slummiest part of downtown Cleveland – a grimy, dirty, dank, disgusting downtown Cleveland parking garage. But he had spunk. He played with cigarette butts and bottle caps. He palled around with a small black cat. He ate the food my Mom had brought for him. And one day, she asked my Dad if she could bring him home for me to cheer me up.

The day she showed up in the garage with the cat carrier, “Max,” as he was then called, hopped right in and laid down, purring away and wondering where he was off to.

She came home that day and called me outside. It was raining out and I wondered what she was doing. When I walked outside my heart jumped. Out popped this little orange wonder cat whose ears were so big I was afraid the gusty wind was going to take him away and we’d never see him again.

Max LOVES Boxes!

Max walked right up to me and started purring and rubbing and scratching his face on my feet.

This was all too familiar. I started to cry.

Theodore used to do that.

It was his trademark.

We brought Maxwell inside (new name “Maxwell Maximus) and he walked around like he owned the place. And he started to show behavior that was downright uncanny – uncanny because Theodore used to do the same things. He immediately went to the food cabinet and opened it with his front paw. He immediately came on to my lap and started eating Goldfish crackers – another Theodore favorite. He immediately cuddled up with me and lay down. Now this was about a six-month old kitten – a kitten that should be spending his time chasing dust bunnies, spying on chipmunks outside, taking naps in the windowsill, and tearing to pieces his catnip toys. But he preferred to loll away the hours by my side.

Maxy Sleeps Sitting Up Sometimes...

Maxwell one night took to sleeping with me, which was tricky territory because my other cat Sasha has always owned my bed. Max did not care one bit. And would you believe this…? Max curled up in the same exact spot where Theodore laid every single night, right in the crook of my knees. And he didn’t move the entire night.

Soon after Max started showing other Theodore-like behavior. I’m a smoker and when I go out to smoke through the garage, Theodore would wait for me on the counter in the laundry room so he could see me while I was outside. Soon Max starting doing this.  He would meow at me when I came in as if to say, “are you done now?”

Max started begging from me at the dinner table like Theodore used too, too. Never from my Mom or Dad, only from me.

And the icing on the cake… the way I hold Max. Theodore used to let me hold him so his belly was to my ear because I loved his motor-purr. Max, a wiley-6-month-old cat soon enough let me hold him the same way as Theodore so I could hear and be soothed by his motor.

Max also started following me around the house into weird places. When I type at the computer during the day, I have to pull up a chair for him to sit next to me so he can be touching me and resting his paws on me while I work.

And Max, like Theodore, seems to have a sixth sense. He knows when something is wrong with me. I suffer from a mental health disorder and Max just knows when it’s a bad day. And when that happens, he entertains me with his antics and he allows me to snuggle him until I’ve had my fill.

I know people think I sound crazy, but I KNOW THAT the week that Theodore passed away, he passed himself into the little body of another kitty to be brought to me. He was reincarnated; born into Max’s little soul. Theodore was trying to tell me that it will be okay. I don’t have to miss him anymore. He was trying to quell my dying spirit; he was letting me know that he would NEVER leave me.

And by the way, every now and then when I can’t sleep, I feel Theodore walking up and down the comforter cover around my body. And Max just looks up at him like he sees him, and tells him that it’s okay. He’s here now.

My family brought me home, cradled in their arms,

They cuddled me and smiled at me and said I was full of charm.

They played with me and laughed with me,

They showered me with toys,

I sure do love my family,

Especially the girls and boys,

The children loved to feed me,

They gave me special treats.

They even let me sleep with them, all snuggled in the sheets.

I used to go for walks, often several times a day,

They even fought to hold the leash, I’m

very proud to say.

They used to laugh and praise me when

I played with that old shoe,

But I didn’t know the difference between

the old ones and the new.

The kids and I would grab a rag,

For hours we would tug,

So I thought I did the right thing when I chewed the bathroom rug.

They said that I was out of control and

would have to live outside,

This I didn’t understand although I’ve

tried and tried.

The walks stopped one by one, they said

they hadn’t time.

I wish that I could change things.

I wish I knew my crime.

My life became so lonely in the backyard

on a chain,

I barked and barked all day long to keep

from going insane.

So they brought me to the shelter  but

were embarrassed to say wny,

They said I caused an allergy and then

kissed me goodbye.

If I’d only had some classes as a little pup,

I wouldn’t have been so hard to handle

when I was all grown up.

“You only have one day left,” I heard the

worker say,

Does this mean a second chance for me,

Do I go home today?

Some of you may have heard these famous, funny or serious pet dog and cat quotes before – at least one or two of them - but a good friend of mine sent them to me as a “cheer-up-Charlie” note on Facebook last week.

So here they are: the most popular of ALL the funny cat quotes, dog quotes, pet loss quotes, and all animal quotes throughout history. Some famous animal quotes, mostly dog quotes and cat quotes, were not sent to me but taken from the ten million books I own on pets, cats, dogs, pet care, funny pets and animals, etc (and some that I know by heart as a rescue volunteer):

“Animals are such agreeable friends – they ask no questions, they pass no criticisms.” – George Elliot

“Dogs come when they’re called. Cats take a message and get back to you later!” – Mary Bly

“The average dog is a nicer person than the average person.” – Andrew A. Rooney

“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.” — Gandhi

“All of the animals except for man know that the principle business of life is to enjoy it.” — Samuel Butler

“To err is human. To forgive, canine.” – Unknown

“Did you ever walk into a room and forget why you walked in? I think that is how dogs spend their lives!” – Sue Murphy

“No heaven will not ever Heaven be, unless my pets are there to welcome me.” – Unknown

“The trouble with a kitten is that eventually it becomes a cat!” – Ogden Nash

“If I have any beliefs about immortality it is that certain dogs I know will go to Heaven, and very very few people.” – James Thurber

“I’ve met many thinkers and many cats, but the wisdom of cats is infinitely superior.” – Hippolyte Taine

“A dog has lots of friends because he wags his tail and not his tongue.” – Author Unknown

“The dog represents all that is best in man.” – Etienne Charlet

Get your rhce certification and 646-205 within days using latest 70-647 and other resources of 000-977 certifications; you can get a wonderful 000-979 booklet.

I feel so lonely today even though I’m surrounded by my parents and family…

"Dora-Dear" the Cuddler

but what/who I don’t have is my precious baby Theodore, my very first rescue pet cat. His fun-filled feline life ended 6 months ago today, after finding out he had cancer about 8 days before. He suffered through two surgeries but the cancer spread throughout his bile duct and you cannot remove the entire bile duct from a cat’s body.

I was an absolute wreck that day – I remember it like it was yesterday. I cried and sobbed over his limp and lifeless body on the exam table, screaming & pleading for God to tell me why he took my best friend of 11.5 years. I actually stopped praying for a good 4 months and – as much as I hate admitting this – I blamed God or whatever Higher Being there is out there watching over us for taking away the thing that was most precious to me (besides my Mother)thus far in life (as a 30-yr-old single gal who is shy, selfless and giving, will only date a man who loves cats and dogs and is “an overall animal-person”)…

Loved to play coy & pretend he couldn't hear me....!

There’s really nothing anyone can say to make the pain of pet loss go away. It just takes time to heal and go through the stages of grief. Reading the pet loss poems on my blog and other inspiring stories help a bit, and journaling does too.

My Mom tried to cheer me up & actually had me hysterical laughing with memories of him running mad circles around the downstairs of the house….or how he would drag his 2.5-foot-long dangler toy upstairs to my bedroom in the middle of the night… and how he used to run so fast he looked like he was a furiously hovering ball of tabby fur  when I would call for him outside. Eventually I was in tears and laughing at the same time – living an oxymoron — laughter/happiness with grief/sadness.

I made a little memorial today for Theodore the rescue cat (aka “Pork-a-Dore” b/c he was a fat old tabby!) with candles, pictures and his paw print and tuft of fur the vet sent me with his ashes.

Theodore – I LOVE you and I MISS YOU TERRIBLY. Sometimes I wish I

My Main Man LOVED His Scratching Post & Cat Nip Toys

could be in Heaven with you. But I can’t and I have to move on. You should know that in my 30 years I have NEVER GRIEVED LIKE I DID (and still am) FOR YOU. I’m still not used to you not hogging the end of the bed and me not moving because I don’t want to disturb you. I’m still not used to you not being at the treat cabinet and opening it with your paws to hint that you want crunchies. And I’m still not used to the gaping hole left in my heart, soul and self that only you could fill. You are the most precious thing I have ever had the privilege of having and I will always remember your human-like demeanor, how you comforted me through some of the roughest times a person could face, your undying loyalty and love for me, and how you would let me hold and hug and kiss you for hours… Purring all the while…

This is a pet loss poem I found here:

LIVING LOVE

If you ever love an animal, there are three days in your life you will always remember…

The first is a day, blessed with happiness, when you bring home your young new friend. You may have spent weeks deciding on a breed. You may have asked numerous opinions of many vets, or done long research in finding a breeder.

Or, perhaps in a fleeting moment, you may have just chosen that silly looking animal in a shelter – simply because something in its eyes reached your heart. But when you bring that chosen pet home, and watch it explore, and claim its special place in your hall or front room – and when you feel it brush against you for the first time – it instills a feeling of pure love you will carry with you through the many years to come.

Cat Blogosphere's Heartfelt Pet Photo Gift

The second day will occur eight or nine or ten years later. It will be a day like any other. Routine and unexceptional. But, for a surprising instant, you will look at your longtime friend and see age where you once saw youth. You will see slow deliberate steps where you once saw energy. And you will see sleep where you once saw activity. So you will begin to adjust your friend’s diet – and you may add a pill or two to her food. And you may feel a growing fear deep within yourself, which bodes of a coming emptiness. And you will feel this uneasy feeling, on and off, until the third day finally arrives.

And on this day, if your friend and God have not decided for you, you will be faced with making a decision of your own – on behalf of your lifelong friend, and with the guidance of your own deepest Spirit. But whichever way your friend eventually leaves you, you will feel as alone as a single star in the dark night.

If you are wise, you will let the tears flow as freely and as often as they must. And if you are typical, you will find that not many in your circle of family or friends will be able to understand your grief, or comfort you.

But if you are true to the love of the pet you cherished through the many joy-filled years, you may find that a soul – a bit smaller in size than your own – seems to walk with you, at times, during the lonely days to come. And at moments when you least expect anything out of the ordinary to happen, you may feel something brush against your leg – very very lightly. And looking down at the place where your dear, perhaps dearest, friend used to lay – you will remember those three significant days.

The memory will most likely be painful, and leave an ache in your heart. As time passes the ache will come and go as it has a life of its own. You will both reject it and embrace it, and it may confuse you. If you reject it, it will depress you. If you embrace it, it will deepen you. Either way, it will still be an ache.

But there will be, I assure you, a fourth day when – along with the memory of your pet, and piercing through the heaviness in your heart – there will come a realization that belongs only to you. It will be as unique and strong as our relationship with each animal we have loved, and lost. This realization

My Green-Eyed "Little Man"

takes the form of a Living Love – like the heavenly scent of a rose that remains after the petals have wilted, this Love will remain and grow – and be there for us to remember.

It is a love we have earned. It is the legacy our pets leave us when they go. And it is a gift we may keep with us as long as we live. It is a Love which is ours alone. And until we ourselves leave, perhaps to join our Beloved Pets – it is a Love that we will always possess.