The grief recovery handbook for pet loss

People often receive incorrect grieving cues or advice while growing up. Or they might feel uncomfortable talking about the loss of a pet around those who have lost a human. This book discusses unique aspects of the human-animal relationship and aims to help grieving owners complete what was left emotionally undone by the physical loss of an animal. Authors Friedman (Grief Recovery Inst.; Grief Recovery Handbook; When Children Grieve), John W. James, and Cole James (Grief Recovery Inst.) apply their Grief Recovery Method to pet loss. Focusing on the physical, emotional, and spiritual aspects of animal deaths, the book takes readers through various steps, including graphing the relationship, dividing the entries into categories (apologies, forgiveness, and significant emotional statements), and writing a completion letter to the animal. Real-life cases are used throughout; while the book states that its methods apply to all animals, the only examples given involve dogs. The final chapter, which lists various ways of memorializing a pet, might have been better as an appendix. VERDICT For pet owners who would benefit from new strategies to deal with their grief over the loss of a pet.-Leigh Mihlrad, FDIC Lib., Washington, DC (c) Copyright 2015. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.