My beloved cat, Luna, was killed by a car in January of 2019. The shock and grief were enormous, but I’ve eventually found some healing. Here’s the story of her death and our ritual responses to it. [Read more…]
Helping Kids Witness Death
I recently did a euthanizing ceremony for Artie, a family’s beloved cat. The vet came to the house, so the whole family (including Panther, the other cat) could be part of it. It was both very sad, and very beautiful. [Read more…]
Saying Goodbye to a Dying Cat
Lisa and Marie are nine-year-old twins. Their mom, Molly, called me one day because Zoe, the family’s almost-20-year-old cat, was in her dying time. Zoe had lost weight, and her body was clearly shutting down. [Read more…]
A Euthanasia Ritual for a Beloved Dog
King was an active dog, and when he stopped running along the trails his owners knew something wasn’t right. A couple of vet appointments and a blood test confirmed acute lymphoblastic leukemia, an incurable disease. [Read more…]