For a fond and dignified farewell
Jilly Cooper, David Blunkett, Ann Widdecombe and a Pet Crematorium Owner
1st January 2007
In a newly released book, bereaved pet owners including Jilly Cooper, David Blunkett, Ann Widdecombe and Ray Hale, managing director of leading pet crematorium, CPC tell their story of what it’s like to love and lose an animal.
Farewell, my Lovely – short tails and tributes to Brains the MagnifiCat and other much-loved departed pets, is written by Susie Cornfield and published by Garret Books. The book contains a collection of touching and amusing tales from bereaved pet owners and through poetry, prose and drawings a fascinating insight is provided into our relationship with animals.
Ray Hale from CPC explains: “When Susie invited me to contribute to Farewell, my Lovely I considered it a fantastic opportunity to educate readers about pet bereavement and the help that we can provide at CPC. It was also my chance to pay an everlasting tribute to my wonderful dog, Zak. I was going to be in great company in the book with other contributors including Jilly Cooper, Ann Widdecombe and David Blunkett!”
CPC believe that everyone deals with death and bereavement differently and understand that for many people losing a pet can be as distressing as losing a close friend or family member. Pet bereavement is so often misunderstood and ridiculed. CPC’s expert pet bereavement advisors often find themselves explaining to bereaved pet owners that it’s okay and their feelings are not unusual.
In an excerpt from the book Ray addresses this ridicule and asks: “Is this all a bit wimpy? No, I don’t think so. Pets play an important part in our lives, perhaps more so in today’s society where people can lead a fragmented or quite isolated life.”
Working close to death and bereavement you might assume that Ray has become immune to grief but In another extract from the book he provides a touching tribute to his dearly loved ‘dog in a million’, Zak. From the day he rescued the black German Shepherd from Battersea Dogs and Cats Home Zak seldom left his side, accompanying Ray to work and often nuzzling up to a grieving pet owner as if to say he was there to help. In Farewell, my Lovely Ray remembers when Zak passed away and how he was helped by CPC to grieve and mourn for the dog he’d loved so much.
In the book Ray explains: “I went through the system at CPC and, like everyone else, felt this yawning gap inside me. I felt absolutely terrible and cried my eyes out. It’s part of the process we all have to go through. And now, when I think of him, when I look at pictures of him, I smile. I have such good memories of him. I was so lucky. He was such a character, such a fantastic dog.”
Farewell, my Lovely is a beautiful book that shows the devastation often faced when a beloved animal companion passes away. “It’s fair to say that owning a pet will undoubtedly end in tears and, of course, there is sadness in this book, but Farewell, my Lovely also celebrates the boundless fun, pure joy, and unquestioning love which an animal brings into your life to enrich it more than you can imagine,” says Susie.
Farewell, my Lovely - already reprinted since its publication less than three months ago - is available on-line and at all good bookshops, priced £6.99. For more information about the book please visit www.garretbooks.com. If you are interested in finding out more about CPC please call 01763 207700 or visit www.cpccares.com.
