Loss of a Pet

For some who've lost an animal companion, the thought of burning it, burying it, or even surrendering it physically in any way is too much to bear. These people choose to freeze-dry their pets' bodies and keep them in their homes to remember the good years when the animal was still alive. It's an idea that's growing in popularity, and Amy Finkel is the documentarian who, with her film "Furever," is exploring the pet-preservation process itself as well as those pet owners who wish to continue owning their beloved pets after death.

For many, maybe even most, the idea of preserving a dead pet is off-putting. When Paw Nation wrote about pet freeze-drying last year, several of you called it "creepy." But for those who do it, any other choice is unthinkable. As Finkel says of her film, "Rather than pathetic or morbid, people who choose pet preservation embody America's muddled attitudes toward death and dying, touching on our collective fear of aging, and how that fear is shaped by the shifting influences of religion, family, and money."

Finkel is currently crowdfunding "Furever" through Kickstarter.com, and hopes to have her film completed by 2013. Enjoy Finkel's funding short below, and then head to Kickstarter to donate and help contribute to the film's completion.

Amy D. Shojai is a certified animal behavior consultant and the award-winning author of 23 pet care books, including "Complete Kitten Care" and "Complete Care for Your Aging Dog."

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We love to talk about our cats and dogs, show off cute pictures and brag how smart and clever our pets are. Even when we complain about stepping barefoot on nasty hairballs or cleaning up puppy potty accidents, we do so with affection. But unless friends share our furry passion, dog and cat conversations often raise eyebrows or spark disbelief about our pet devotion. Here are eight things friends often don't "get" about our relationship with our cats and dogs.

1. No matter what, dogs have to be walked. And though it may seem annoying to friends who want to party, a pet's toilet needs trump a never-ending night on the town. Petless friends don't understand that walking the dog can't wait.

2. Grooming is a health issue and a household necessity. Friends roll their eyes at talk of the poodle salon, kitty lion cuts and doggie sweaters because they don't understand that grooming isn't a luxury, it's a requirement. Keeping fur in good shape prevents painful matting, skin irritation and parasites. Brushing keeps fur off furniture. Sweaters protect dogs' nether regions from freezing. Hair bows and nail polish? Well, they are simply value added.

3. My pets may not like you -- and that's fine. Sometimes the people and the animals we love have bad chemistry and don't get along. I hope you like each other, but it's enough that my dog and cat love me and that you love me. And I understand if you don't love my pets.

People visiting an animal shelter intending to adopt a new dog often find themselves having to decide between a puppy and an older dog. While both adult dogs and puppies have their pros and cons, what about the senior animals? Or the animals that have disabilities or are sick? What happens to them?

Unfortunately, older or sick animals usually are passed over at shelters for younger, more energetic dogs that have a long life ahead of them. However, one group in Westchester, Ill., is trying to change that through education. The nonprofit organization has placed numerous senior animals with individuals and families of all backgrounds, and teaches the community that dogs of all ages need and deserve love, not to mention that older dogs give back just as much as their owners give them.

Benefits of Adopting A Senior Pet
"Many people are afraid to adopt a senior dog because of the fear that they won't live very long," says Mary Ann Minick, executive director of All Pets Wellness Foundation. "How do you convince people that adopting a senior dog is better than adopting a puppy or a younger animal?"

Petfinder.com has created a list of ten of these benefits in honor of Adopt-A-Senior-Pet Month. Some of their observations include:

-- Senior dogs are often housetrained or more easily trained than puppies with small bladders.

-- Older animals are fully grown and fully developed emotionally so you will be able know if the dog's size and personality will fit in with your family.

-- These more mature pets are often content to just relax in your company, unlike younger pets, who may get into mischief because they're bored.

Each week, Ben Westhoff shares the ups and downs of owning Pippi, the dalmatian mix he and his wife Anna adopted as a puppy in late 2009.

Anna wrote this week's column.

A couple of weeks ago my sister's dog, a vigorous weimaraner named Ransom, died at age 13. For years Ransom lived with an adrenal condition known as Addison's disease, but she was so well cared for that the Addison's rarely interfered with her daily routine of chasing balls and squirrels, and waiting for food to fall off the table.

Ransom began experiencing occasional seizures a few months ago, and at the time the vet wagered that she had developed a tumor. (According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, cancer accounts for over half the deaths of dogs over 10 years old.) Because of Ransom's already advanced age, my sister and her husband opted not to put her through the physical trauma of surgery or chemotherapy.

Ransom was able to enjoy six more months of regular family life, even though she grew rickety and hard of hearing. Ben and I got the chance to see her two weeks before she died, and she was still able to chase sticks in the yard and move like lightning after juicy table scraps.

At the very end, a major seizure paralyzed Ransom, and after a few days trying medication, my sister and brother-in-law decided it was time. They said goodbye to their "first child," pet and friend.

We all miss Ransom, who I believe at age 13 had a better quality of life without the treatment for her tumor.

Readers, have you ever had to make difficult medical decisions on behalf of your loyal, loving pets? Has what to do about an older pet's illness ever stumped you?

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If you think stories of people choosing to bequeath some (or all!) of their hard-earned loot to their four-legged kids is a solely American trend, think again.

According to a new survey conducted in the U.K., close to 1.5 million Brits plan to leave money to their pets. I found this stat intriguing because my husband and I have been talking about setting up a trust for our own boys.

It all started a few months after my father's sudden death--when we realized that we had absolutely no game plan for them. At the time, I was mired in estate issues because my dad hadn't anticipated dying at 54, which got me thinking about how wildly unpredictable life can be at any age: What if something equally catastrophic happened to both of us? Who'd take in the boys?

By "our boys," I mean our beloved pets, Felix and Balthazar. Ask anyone who knows me well and they'll say that my dogs are like children to me. As I began thinking about what could happen, the more I had to acknowledge that there were few people in our lives who could truly meet our expectations as their keepers.

According to Rachel Hirschfeld, an attorney who specializes in animal law and founder of the New York County Lawyers Association's Animal Law Committee, over 500,000 companion animals were euthanized this year because their pet owners died, moved into nursing homes or assisted-living situations, or otherwise were no longer able to care for them, and left them behind without enforceable plans. I knew we had to act.