This book describes all the ways in which animal companions (the authors call them “pets”) are like members of family to the humans who love and care for them. They “make us better people,” the authors say, and they “help humans live better” (Chapters 2 and 4).
Chapter 3 is about unconditional love, a familiar way of understanding how a dog relates to its human companion — and this chapter is an example of how discussion questions at the end of the chapters are well-crafted. One of the four at the end of Chapter 3 says, “Have you ever felt deeper love and acceptance from a beloved pet than from a person? How did that love change you?” Many people, not simply pet lovers, would do well to discuss this book in a group setting.
All of that is in Part One — how animals can be like family. Part Two is then about how animals help humans build and strengthen a sense of community — through play, for instance (see the excerpt accompanying this review). Every chapter contains meaningful, lighthearted, and inspiring anecdotes of animals reminding us what’s most valuable in life.
Part Three won’t be for every reader, because not everyone is involved in a church, let alone one where it’s feasible to begin what the authors call “pet ministries.” These include ceremonies for life events of pets, puppy socialization classes, pet fairs, therapy with dogs and other animals, community service projects that human animals and non-human animals may do together, and educational programs. The authors explain, from personal experience, how to go about starting these ministries as part of congregational life.
