Inevitable Journey

The sadness of losing a pet affects people from all walks of life, ages and situations. Pet ownership enriches people’s lives, and so the loss of a pet – a member of the family – can be devastating. While there is an abundance of advice discussing pet care, training, the idiosyncrasies of particular animal breeds and celebrations of the lives of pets, the loss of a pet is often seen as ‘inevitable’ and left unaddressed. This can be a shattering experience and not always recognised by those with less understanding of the bond between humans and their animal companions. An Inevitable Journey seeks to reassure owners that it is perfectly natural to grieve the loss of a much-loved pet through a collection of prose, quotations and poetry through each stage of the process, for example: Grief, Missing, Strength, Guilt, Depression, Longing, Acceptance, Memories, and finally, Moving On. Each page is flagged for easy reference, depicting each particular stage of this journey. The greater the love we have for our pets, the greater our grief upon losing them. The aim of this anthology is to guide bereaved owners from despair through to hope.