News

At Forever in My Heart, our goal is to help you while you grieve over the loss of the life of your pet. That's because we understand the ache and emptiness of losing a pet. We want to help you in remembering your pet in a manner that will bring comfort to you and support to other animals in need.

As important as that goal is, we also want to remind you how precious every life is – especially your own. Every life is a gift, and every life matters.

Since lives are made up of days, each day matters. Treat every day as a gift. Each new day is a glorious gift that is too often taken for granted. As the old saying goes, “This day is the first day of the rest of your life; use it wisely.”

When you're gone through the loss of a beloved pet, just the thought of giving your heart to another animal seems wrong. Even though the love of a pet can bring immense joy, sometimes it's just too soon to invite another pet into the space so recently occupied by your four-legged friend.

While this feeling is the norm for most grieving pet owners, it's important to remember that joy often comes by giving. One of the best ways to overcome your pain and bring joy to yourself and others is volunteering at an animal shelter. After all, no one understands the value of an animal's life like those who are mourning the loss of another animal's life.

The old proverb – “a dog is a man’s best friend” has been an enduring proof of a dog’s loyalty and commitment to their masters. This certainly has been proven time and again especially with recent news on dog owners being rescued or saved by their beloved canines.

One of these touching stories as reported by The New Daily involved Manfred Classen, an 85-year-old dog owner of an English Staffordshire Terrier named “Kiaria.” Kiaria led the ground search and rescue operations to find his owner. Mr. Classen has been reported missing Friday afternoon but had been lost for at least three days when he went for a walk on Wednesday. Kiaria found his owner’s son and then subsequently led the rescuers in the bush land to locate his master, who was found conscious and had suffered from minor facial injuries on Sunday afternoon. With the help of Kiaria, Mr. Classen was successfully rescued and treated at the Westmead Hospital.

There are more inspiring rescue stories like this reported on a global scale – dogs rescuing their elderly owners or being equally protective of human babies.

If you've been struggling with your feelings of grief after the loss of your pet, take heart: To hurt is a sign that you have truly loved. You can be sure your pet knew that you cared. 

Still, the knowledge that your pet was loved and loved you in return does little to soothe the pain of loneliness. While you can't bring your furry companion back, there's no reason you can't keep your animal's memory alive in your thoughts. In case you need a little help, here are some fun ideas to make sure your pet's place in your life is remembered with love.

If you are having a hard time deciding whether to buy a pet from a store or a shelter home, here is some information to help you decide. We’ve also included a few tips to guide you in becoming a responsible buyer and pet owner.

How Losing My Beloved Canine Amber Turned Into The Wonderful Beginning of My Personal Journey With Forever In My Heart Amber entered into our lives after we had lost our beloved poodle, Buster. Buster had been with the family for 15 years and the entire family was devastated when we...

“You cannot stop the birds of sorrow from flying over your head, but you can stop them nesting in your hair.” ~Eva Ibbotson (THOUGHTCATALOG.COM)

“Tears have a wisdom all their own. They come when a person has relaxed enough to let go and to work through his sorrow. They are the natural bleeding of an emotional wound, carrying the poison out of the system. Here lies the road to recovery.”  ~F. Alexander Magoun  (THOUGHTCATALOG.COM)

A Hand for a Paw, Inc. (AHFAP) is a non-profit that is passionate about preventing animals from entering the doors of municipal animal control facilities. AHFAP provides mobile humane resources to the undeserved communities in Bridgeport through its program, Mobile Pet Solutions, which assists pet families with affordable vaccines, micro-chipping, basic grooming, a pet food pantry, humane education, and access to affordable professional assistance. They also perform lectures on the subject of humane education, and to date having spoken to thousands of people in the Bridgeport area. 

The upcoming year, 2016, marks Freedom Guide Dogs for the Blind’s 24th year of providing highly trained guide dogs to our clients at no cost. Most of our potential guide dogs are bred by our Puppy Manager, Sharon Loori. After many years she has built a program to breed the best physically and temperamentally suited dogs for the job. But good breeding is only the beginning. From the moment the pups are whelped, they are handled and socialized.