Westerly Sun Column | Pets, Healing and the Books That Celebrate Their Love

If you have a pet, I think you’ll be able to relate to what I recently experienced with my lovely feline companion, Lou, a crazy orange kitty. I was sick with Covid, and I was wallowing in self-pity (as I do) on my couch, and Lou jumped up to head butt me.

Immediately, I felt a twinge of joy in my state of misery. After recovery I began to think about how animals throughout my life have helped me heal both emotionally and physically.

If you’ve adopted a rescue animal, you probably know the joy of giving them a safe home and how, in return, they bring joy, love, and purpose into your life.

There are loads of books about animals who have helped people who experienced far more than minor aches from Covid. “The Possibility Dogs: What a Handful of “Unadoptables” Taught Me About Service, Hope, and Healing” by Sussanah Charleson is a wonderful book.

Charleson recognized that her dog had helped her heal from trauma, so she began saving dogs from shelters. When home, she started training them to help people who were suffering from various issues including obsessive-compulsive behaviors and agoraphobia. It’s a lovely story of how humans and pets help save each other.

While it seems to me that books about dogs dominate the shelves, there are also beautiful stories written about horses, donkeys, and countless other animals.

Some of these include “Birds of a Feather: A True Story of Hope and the Healing Power of Animals” and

“The Horse Boy: A Father’s Quest to Heal His Son”. Author and naturalist Sy Montgomery has some fantastic books exploring the lives of various animals, including “The Good Pig: The Extraordinary Life of Christopher Hogwood”. Christopher Hogwood was a pig who

grew from a sickly runt into a 750-pound ambassador of joy. Through his curiosity, charm, and his love of life, Christopher drew Sy out of her lonely world and into a community of neighbors, children, and admirers.

For those who appreciate stories about thebonds between humans and animals, this (and many of Montgomery’s other books) will make for a great read.

I hold a deep love and gratitude for my loyal companions, past and present, who have helped me through every chapter of my life. If you can relate, or if you’re interested in hearing more about the many ways animals provided aid to their humans, come visit the library and explore the many books we have on the subject!our child’s backpack) this year.

by Caroline Badowski, Head of Adult Services