When my beloved dogs Tasha and Niki died in 2002, nothing anyone said or did could console me. Some friends and family members and even a veterinarian or two were thoughtful enough to send condolence cards or flowers. Mostly, as I have learned through speaking with hundreds of other pet guardians over the years, a common thread among those of us who have lost a pet is that our grief is not understood, not comfortable for others, and, worse yet, not acknowledged. True loving support is difficult, if not impossible, to find.

Unfortunately, in today's society, so many believe that our pets are "just" dogs or "just" cats or just (fill in the blank) and that they are easily replaceable. Yet for those of us who were blessed with the gift of unconditional love of God's wonderful creatures, our lives are forever changed. No one can truly grasp the gut-wrenching pain, loneliness, and guilt that accompany the passing of our beloved companions. As guardians, we can learn to get "around" such a loss, but we can never get "over" such a loss.

On a conscious level, I knew Tasha and Niki were gone because I couldn't see my dogs, play with them, and physically show them how much I loved them on a daily basis. Death was not a stranger to me. I lost my parents in my mid-20s and several other family members over the course of my adult life. Yet dealing with the loss of my precious companions proved to be one of the most heartbreaking and difficult chapters of my life. But somehow, losing Tasha and Niki, especially in the manner I lost them, has brought forth so many blessings I never in my wildest dreams could have ever imagined.

While I grieved through the loss of my faithful companions, the only things that made me feel better were my consistent and dedicated advocacy work, which eventually led to my dogs' poisonous drug, the first veterinary drug in history, being removed from the U.S. market in September 2004; counseling others who found themselves where I had been; searching for answers; and having faith in a higher power that would show me how my loss was part of a "bigger picture." Reading countless books on animals and the afterlife and consulting with animal communicators comforted me in my quest for assurance that our beloved companion animals don't really die. We may not be able to see them, but they are there with us in spirit, and we will one day be reunited.

Through my advocacy work as The Pet Guardian, I am regularly informed of disturbing issues pertaining to the health and welfare of our companion animals. This is why I choose to educate other pet guardians through not only my website, but through free educational material that accompanies many of my gift baskets. I feel it is my mission to ". . . get people to see animals in (a) different light, as spiritual beings." I want to "raise the status of animals in (our) society, to show that they have consciousness, too, that they're more than dumb creatures." (The Angel by My Side, Mike Lingenfelter and David Frei.)

I feel it is time we give our companion animals the utmost respect, deepest love, and best care possible for their short time on this earth. Through your purchase of The Pet Guardian/Kindred Spirits Gift Shop merchandise and gift baskets, you become an integral part of this special mission with me. A portion of all sales will be contributed to nonprofit animal-based charities. Please see the "Our Charities" section of the gift shop.

Thank you for your contribution to making this world a better place for our furry friends.