February 22, 2007

Book tries comforting pet owners

By TONY A. SOLANO Staff Writer

Many people who own pets must eventually deal with the death of their beloved animals, whether it be a goldfish, dog, cat or iguana.

Author Teri Bennett will be at Cody & Carl's Blvd., 756 W. Northwest Highway, from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday to visit with customers and sign copies of her book, "Angel Dog Austin."

"The book is written for anyone who's loved and lost a pet," Bennett said.

Bennett initially got the idea for the book in 1996 when her 13-year-old sheepdog, Austin, died and she struggled with how to explain it to her children.

"We have a lot of customers ask us how to break that kind of news to their children, so this (book signing) is a great fit. (The book) presents a positive way of telling a child what happens after a pet passes away," said Cody & Carl's Blvd. owner Jennifer Schoonmaker.

Cody & Carl's Blvd. is a dog boutique specializing in unique toys, beds and clothing for dogs. Schoonmaker said the boutique also has a photo studio to take photos of dogs and create portrait paintings.

Bennett said it's the first time she's done a signing at a pet store. Her book tells the story of Austin's life from the dog's perspective as an angel in "doggy heaven" where she now watches over her family.

"It's really a good way to communicate loss," Bennett said. "I definitely focused on keeping everything positive in a negative situation."

Bennett wrote and illustrated the book. She illustrated it by drawing pictures of Austin based on photos she had of her. There is also a section in the back of the book where people can paste photos of their pets that have passed.

"It's important to find somewhere where you can memorialize your pet just like you would your child's sixth birthday," she said.

Bennett said it's a good idea to create a scrapbook of the pet. She also had two other pieces of advice for parents who must explain the death of a pet to a young child:

nBe honest, but don't go into too much detail about the pet's death.

nTell children it's okay to be sad, but reassure them the pet is okay and lead a fulfilling life.

The book will be available at Cody & Carl's Blvd. Saturday as well as at www.teribennett.com.

Schoonmaker said she hopes to start up a series of regular book signings at the shop.