Dear animal loving friends: I know how much you love your dogs, your cats, your bunnies, your sweet birds, your horses. You love them as much as your own children. Some animals even more than your own children, you have told me.

You refer to yourselves as their guardians, not their owners.

I know the depth of your love, in the intensity of your pain I have felt the times you called me, tortured by needing to know how much suffering they endured during the months, weeks, days before they finally shed their sweet bodies. Before they passed from your arms, forever.

I know because you asked me to help you find closure that can only come from your knowing if you did the right thing: Did you have them euthanized too soon, too late, did they forgive you for ending their lives before they were ready to let go? Were they ready to let go?

For some, your animals were mere babes when an awful disease, or some other trauma cut their lives short.

It’s just as tough for us, as it is for them, to face never having a chance again to bask on our planet that was theirs, too.

At least, there’s consolation in knowing that our animals were never abused, never neglected, never abandoned, never violently attacked. Not on our watch.

We held memorials to honor them, to ease our pain. Years later, tears slip out at random from the windows of our souls, as if our companions died only yesterday.

I want to show you a video. A very beautiful, deeply moving animal memorial from Our Planet. Theirs Too.  This non-profit organization honors and holds all animals dear to their hearts. Literally. That’s what’s so awesome about them.

Their video will move you deeply, I promise:

At the end of each of our days, may we all put our hearts and minds to rest in knowing we are doing the right thing.

We are honoring with love, all the exquisite beings who share our planet together with us…so they may never have the misfortune of ending up on our plates.

Thank you for being beautiful, compassionate you.