Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #14526 in Books
• Published on: 2006-07-25
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 160 pages

From Independent Publisher
After Gary Kowalski, author and the minister of Burlington Vermont's Unitarian Universalist church, completed his new book, Goodbye, Friend, on dealing with losing your pet, his own elderly dog, Chinook, died. In his first book, The Souls of Animals, Kowalski wrote: "My own wise friend is my dog. He has deep knowledge to impart." Apparently, Chinook did his good work up until the end. Kowalski's new book is full of sound, compassionate advice to get you through the loss of your pet(s). Included are ideas for rituals and ceremonies, spiritual guidance and readings and poems to use for solace. The author's voice is a soothing one, not surprising for a minister whose job it is to be wise and reflective. The book also addresses animals' grieving; their life spans; their growth, illnesses and needs. These are similar to ours: need to eat, to exercise, to sleep, to have fun, to enjoy companionship and to expect routine. Kowalski includes advice on how to take care of yourself after the death of a pet and the importance of honesty when talking with children about this event. Kowalski's book is not only useful for healing when a good friend dies, but also reasserts his primary message: that animals are important, that "pets are not petty," that they deserve our respect and our kind care. As Kowalski writes, "Animals enrich our lives in countless ways, with their playfulness, their tranquility [sic], their constancy, and their love..." This book will help readers mourn and remember them well.

Customer Reviews

too religous!
I don't know, I guess I didn't care for the religion part, but it didn't really help. But then again, maybe nothing helps when you lose your dog. Maybe it's just me, but I didn't like it at all.

after a loved pet dies
I sent this and the other Kowalski book to my brother after his best friend, Smokey, died in his arms. He told me that it was helpful as he was grieving.

Wonderful, Very Helpful
After loosing my two girls aged 11 and 12 just 40 days apart, I could not deal with my grief of one much less two. Then after my wonderful Angie crossed over, I was devastated. Both had to be "put down". Our Jessie had a fusing back and went to pee, and collapsed, back breaking and nothing able to be done neither several years ago when x-rays were taken nor when she eventually collapsed.

My Angie, who made me Hers, could not live without her "sister", and I had to let her go was my twelve year old, and I was owned by since she was about four weeks old and rescued. She had her kidneys shutting down and no longer eating. That by far was the most difficult thing I had ever had to do in my life.

After all this grief, I had emergency surgery two days later. I saw them in a field playing together, and did not want to come back. I considered very seriously suicide for over a year just to be with them, as they were my ONLY fiends - for a very hurtful difficult subject. This book helped me deal with my feelings after a year and a half of pain and deep, deep depression.

After reading this book, it helped me deal with the euthanasia, and the fact that I already knew - of seeing them again. It is still very hard and always will be and I know that too. I am no longer suicidal - thank G-D. I will be OK, and I will be reunited with them both, along with all the others I have lost- it just helped me reassure knowing that.

I recommend this book highly for anyone who has lost ANY kind of pet.