by Barbara Besteni

Created on: May 04, 2008

"I would have taken a bullet to protect my dog," says Dawn Hanna, describing the love she had for Liesel, her 14-year-old German shepherd.

In June 2006, Hanna, the owner of Oh Behave! Dog Training in South Florida, could no longer deny that her beloved pet pal's deteriorating joints and spinal issues had become too painful.

She made the difficult decision to end Liesel's suffering.

"When a dog's body gives up, it's time to say goodbye," Hannah says.

The Rainbow Bridge

Losing a pet, whether from illness, accident or simply because it has served its earthly purpose and is ready to move to the Rainbow Bridge, is one of the most devastating experiences in the life of a pet parent. The mystical bonds we form with our pets make it especially difficult to resolve the wave of emotions that overcome us when it's time to say goodbye.

"I was sad - deeply and painfully sad. I also felt confused and frustrated," says Peggy Cassidy who, nine years after rescuing a dog from a shelter, recently said goodbye to River.

There's nothing wrong with those emotions, experts say.

"Intense grief over the loss of a pet is normal and natural. Don't let anyone tell you that it's silly, crazy or overly sentimental to grieve," says Moira Anderson Allen, author of "Coping with Sorrow on the Loss of Your Pet."

"Our pets are perpetual children to us," says Gary Kurz, author of "Cold Noses at the Pearly Gates." "They remain utterly dependent upon us throughout their lives."

Kurz's book gently and compassionately explores a concept that people rarely consider: animal afterlife. Whether you accept these beliefs or scoff at the idea that animals live on, the book offers the comfort for which pet owners yearn.

Final Act Of Love

"I feared it from the moment I realized River had lost the use of his leg," says Cassidy. "After consulting with two different vets, neither offered any easy answers. The final realization came when the light left his eyes."

"Nothing can make the decision to euthanize a pet easy, but it is truly the final act of love that you can make for your pet," Anderson advises.

Once you decide the loving thing to do is to euthanize your pet, your next decision is finding a vet who offers the service in a manner with which you're most comfortable and that will be the least stressful for your pet.

"Never euthanize your pet if you are not ready. If you cannot bear to be in the room during the process, have a friend who knows the animal be there. Give your pet permission to go. Remind her that she has

• 1
• 2
• 3
• Next Page >>