Arf Angels and Other Heavenly Creatures: True Stories of Animal Visitations

This book is filled with compelling and uplifting stories. After their pet's passing, owners report they still saw, smelled, felt, and/or heard them doing what they typically did in life, illustrating the strong bond and communication between owner and pet

Many years of creative writing classes led me to writing for newspapers. Along the way, I accumulated pets in unexpected places. Writing, and writing about pets, just seemed to be a natural progression.

Pets were not in my life until after I was married. My ex-husband left me a legacy of two wonderful daughters and an introduction to the wonders of animals. For this, I am grateful.

Our daughters, Karen and Susan, also shared a love of animals. When my daughter, Susan, was in high school, she heard of a litter of puppies who were to be destroyed at birth. She asked if we would take them, if she could get permission from the dog’s caretaker. (The owners were away on vacation.) Of course, we said yes. When the puppies were four days old, Susan brought them home. We all took four-hour shifts around the clock in order to bottle feed them. Even after being taken from their mother at such a young age, we didn’t lose any of them. They all thrived.

Animals just seemed to gravitate to Susan. Little critters fascinated her when she was a toddler. She rescued ladybugs, and as she grew bigger, the critters grew bigger. For her, from bug to horse was a natural progression.

My children learned respect for animals by watching what occurred around them. If we saw an injured animal in the road it was natural to take it to the local S.P.C.A. for treatment. They were responsible for feeding our pets, and in return, they learned to enjoy just being around them.

Our family didn't set out to find most of the animals that passed through our life, they seemed to find us. As it turned out, Barney, who led me to research after-death visits, was the pup of a rescued dog, adopted (already pregnant) by one of my daughters.

My own experience, with Barney’s return after his death, was difficult to talk about, as I feared someone might think I was a bit unstable and unable to cope with the loss of my dear pet. After several months of feeling him bump against the side of the bed, as he did to get my attention, I told my daughter, Susan, what was happening. She was very supportive and open to any and all possibilities about what was going on.

When I asked a veterinarian if he had heard of this type of phenomenon, he said he certainly had, but that it isn’t much talked about. It was at that time, I decided to do research on the subject.

Barney inspired me to do what I could, and return a little of the love he showed me, by writing this book and donating part of the profits to animal causes.