[.ca] Spirit Dogs: Heroes in Heaven (ISBN 0965049515)

The perfect book for me:
I lost my best pal of 11 years, Rattle, a month ago. A friend suggested this book, and I read it again and again. Susan writes in a way that soothes all the sadness and pain that only the loss of a pet can give you. Fabulous story, I recommend it whole-heartedly.

Not what I needed:
I needed something to tell me for sure where my best friend is now that he has passed. The author tries to build a case, but there is no assurance in what he says about the spiritual side of death. I do not mean the book is not good, it is. It just did not help me.

Not what I needed either:
Do not look for this book to comfort you in your sorrow if you want to be of the belief that you will be reunited with your dog some day and go on together.

Have seen it work:
I once witnessed a public reading of this book done by the author. Virtually everybody left with tears in their eyes; not tears of discomfort, but of joy and relief. All pet owners go through this process far too often; this book has helped hundreds and hundreds of people to cope with the loss of a pet and will hopefully continue to do so. No approach to coping with death works wonders for everyone; this one touches most. I know that when my beloved Brookie passes, I will be reading it again, looking for solace.

Have seen it work:
I once witnessed a public reading by the author of this book. After it was over, virtually everyone left with tears in their eyes; not from discomfort, but from joy and relief. It was an incredibly moving experience. Certainly no book's approach to the loss of a pet is going to work for everybody, but this one has worked for hundreds and hundreds of people, and will hopefully continue to do so. I know that when I lose my beloved dog Brookie, I will be reading this again, searching for comfort.