About Us

One of the toughest things about owning a pet shop in a small town is dealing with regulars that I haven’t seen for a while coming into my shop without their dog. As soon as they walk in, I can just tell from the look on their face that their dog had died. I had a role in their dog’s life. Their dog loved being in the Quirky Pet. I knew the treats they liked. They’ve come in to tell me, but in reality they want to share their grief with someone they trust would understand. I understand the pain… but I also understand the healing.
 
Years and years ago, when my now twenty-something son was a small person I wrote a short fable about a boy who lost his dog and experiences seemingly inconsolable grief. The fable explains how he finds solace, grace and ultimately acceptance. I now realize that the little boy is in us all when facing the death of an animal that was in so many ways a co-equal in our family. The loss is particularly bad during the Pandemic with its social isolation; trapped in houses or apartments surrounded by unspoken grief apart from others
 
So many have found solace from reading the short fable, I’ve decided to Put Under The Dog Star online so that it can be easily shared online or as a free download. I strongly encourage you to take the time to visit underthedogstar.com. The link below opens a separate window. We all know someone silently grieving a dog or cat; in need of solace. I would hope that you would consider downloading the Spread The Word jpg found on the site and posting it to Facebook, Instagram and/or Twitter to get the word out… and encourage others they know to do so as well. There is so much more that we can and should be doing for each other during these hard times beyond wearing masks. Too often forgotten is the sense of pure joy derived from reaching out to provide comfort to those you feel are in need. Under The Dog Star facilitates this essential human connection.
 
Underthedogstar.com