posted March 14, 2004 06:53 PM         

In 2002 I lost both my cats and in 2003 we lost 3 dogs. It has been quite a challenge, to have 1 after another. It has been heart-wrenching and heartbreaking to hear the sad news of another cancer or serious illness. A lot of praying and wishing on an emotional roller-coaster.
Knowing that Pets have Souls and go to the Spirit World is comforting.
The Pet Psychic says that our pets are still with us always. She also says that we never get over them, we just get used to living without them.
Betty Bethards, author, says that animals re-incarnate soon again, and to them, they just get another "puppy suit".
All of my losses have been so hard, but I will **never** get over the loss of the Love of my life, "Hope". It was May of 2003. I still break down and cry over her sometimes. I mentally talk to her all the time. I picture her, think of her, the things she used to do. She was so wonderful. I have her pictures all over the place.
But knowing she is not here in the physical, is terribly difficult, and knowing I have to live a long life until I see her again is difficult.
Another hard thing for me is that I feel like every animal's "mother". Well losing my own, I worry about them in the Spirit World, because I am their mother, and I don't want them to feel neglected or anything.
Luckily both of my cats were brother and sister so they are together in the Spirit World, and luckily Abby, Hope and Kona are all together there too.

posted March 15, 2004 09:19 AM         

We take in sick or abused four leggeds so our loss is high, but each loss is filled with sadness and grief.

When you open your heart and home to them, you k-now and accept they will pass over the Rainbow Bridge to find their friends and be joyful and pain free.

I`m going to post a topic for Rainbow Bridge for your forum.

juniperb

posted March 15, 2004 09:40 PM         

I always said if I ever won the lottery I would start an animal sanctuary. It is one of my dreams.

posted March 16, 2004 05:21 PM         

just do remember they are feeling better wherever they are and with you in spirit. i think my dog now is a dog we had in childhood that my father was very strict on. now i think t is his spirit in my Moose and i get to love him/her again. so you never know. the next animal that finds you might be a reincarnation of one of your losses.

posted March 16, 2004 08:53 PM         

I DO believe in Reincarnation.

I believe that the pets we have in this life, we have had in all past lives and possibly some may reincarnate soon enough in the same life.
That's how when we get a new dog or cat, we "know" instinctively that that is the pet for us. Because we know the pet's soul. (even if we don't consciously realize it at the time).

posted March 17, 2004 12:46 PM         

I had a hard time picking out Jasmine, my new puppy, between her and her sister. I could not decide for half and hour +, and I knew I had to decide soon, for I could not stay there all day, and whomever I didn't pick, another person was coming to get after me.
I kept going back and forth between the two.
Jasmine's sister had better face markings, but she kept barking at only 7 weeks, and she kept pushing Jasmine down. I got a weird feeling inside my Soul about her sister, and just picked up Jasmine and said, "Okay, you're mine".
I often wonder about her sister. Where she lives, what she has learned, who is her family, etc. When Jasmine was little she would see herself in the reflection of the TV cabinet and I would say, "is that your sister?"