Introduction from Kathleen: I am pleased to present the following
excerpt from Gail Pope's new animal hospice guide, Into the Light.
Into the Light shows how, with creativity, love and hospice care your
pet can maintain comfort, dignity and peace coming to the final end of life. It explains the actual processes of dying and death, how to
plan, the kinds of care and treatment needed, and how you can continue to support and love them to the very end. I have learned so much from Gail and the BrightHaven animals about transitions, I highly recommend this guide not only to help our own animals on their way, but also for Reiki practitioners who may find themselves offering Reiki surrounding animal transitions. Cost for this booklet is $10.

Not included in the below excerpt, but also recommended, is Gail's
other new booklet: As Time Goes By. This booklet explains hands on information and suggestions for natural care options based on her
experience with more than 500 animals who have lived at BrightHaven.

Learn how to help aging animals grow old gracefully. With this booklet in hand, you'll have confidence making good decisions for the daily care of your animal in their autumn years. Cost for this booklet is $10.

To order, go online to www.brighthaven.org and go to “Donations”,
complete the form and note in the comments box what you would like to purchase. You can also purchase the booklets by credit card over the phone: 707 578 4800 or by check through the mail to: BrightHaven, PO
Box 1743
Sebastopol, CA 95473

Your purchase will also support the wonderful animals of BrightHaven!

Short excerpt from Into the Light
By Gail Pope

“Hope” is the thing with feathers
that perches in the soul and sings the tune without words
and never stops—at all.”

Emily Dickinson

Chapter 2: Choosing The Path

(Approximately 2-3 weeks away)
More physical, mental and behavioral changes ~ The withdrawal process ~ Continuing hospice care ~ Decisions

Hospice care is already in place and you will still need to make
adjustments to diet, bathroom, sleeping place etc. as each day passes.

These changes become obvious as you are watching closely and monitoring to see what more you can do for comfort and well-being. Although this booklet is not designed to go into detailed care, we hope your support team will give you specific ways to help your animal. So many times you will be able to take on small tasks, guided by your vet and practitioners, to make home care possible. This may include giving subcutaneous fluid therapy, an enema, expressing a bladder or helping with constipation.

Hospice home care means you may have a sick or emaciated pet who still retains some quality of life. We want to mention here, people may not understand what you are doing. The usual way is to simply do away with this stage by euthanasia. While this is always an option, at BrighHaven when at all possible, we let our animals go to a natural end of life.

This natural end is not well understood, and very little information is
available to the general public. We hope this booklet and a supportive
team of professionals, will give you options to let your pet stay at
home to the end.

This is a good time to remember that “it is never over until it is
over!”