Name: Missing Pieces...Broken Heart
Author: B.J. Shonk

About the Book

Your pet is your special friend and cherished companion. Dealing with their loss or impending loss can prove painful beyond imagining. B.J. Shonk has been there, and she's ready to help guide you through the grieving process with wisdom, compassion, and insight. MISSING PIECES...Broken Heart is an exceptional book and notable resource that partners and collaborates the personal stories shared from pet owners, companioned with the insightful experiences of veterinary professionals from across the country and their staff for a better understanding of the diverse dynamics of pet loss. It enables all readers an opportunity to better relate and comprehend the painful and difficult journey ahead. Via unique duel perspectives of pet owners and veterinarians alike, knowledge is shared to assist pet owners in the healing process after the death, disappearance, or impending loss of a beloved pet. Losing a pet companion traumatically to the ravages of natural disaster is also addressed. Here is a powerful tool for everyone, devastated pet owners, veterinary professionals and animal caregivers alike. Veterinarians and their staff have an opportunity to present the book directly to their clients to offer immediate support during times of extreme grief, sorrow and need, to educate owners while sharing compassionate concern. Compassion in action can provide a reprieve from associated pain. This book offers advice on how to:

Understand universally loss is loss, whether a pet or a person - it all hurts
Acknowledge, experience, better understand, and not bury your grief
Comprehend and navigate the euthanasia process before and after
Support your children, and console remaining family pets through the tragedy
Better understand Quality of Life and End of Life decisions
Advocate for your pet, and partner with your vet
Address compassion fatigue and much more

Whether your pet had fur, fins, feathers, or scales--if they brightened your life for many years or left much too early--Missing Pieces...Broken Heart will help you say your final goodbyes and positively progress through grief to recovery, as you preserve and embrace their memories to mend your broken heart.

Praise

“As a veterinarian and pet owner myself, I can understand and empathize with the immense grief pet owners experience along with the "compassion fatigue" experienced by our veterinary staff and caregivers. When a beloved pet has a medical emergency or nears the end of their life, it can be heartbreaking for everyone involved. I always wish I could do more to support them, but sometimes it just seems I can only give so much. This book gives me a better way to help pet owners in those difficult moments, as well as enable my staff to be more compassionate and supportive throughout the entire process.”

— Dr. Jose Salazar, DVM

“B.J. is one of the most enthusiastic and creative people I've ever worked with. This enthusiasm and creativity is reflected in this exceptional book. B.J. is a very caring individual, and I believe this book will be a great comfort and help to many.”

— Tyler Patton, Publisher/Group Manager

“Missing Pieces - Broken Heart: A Recovery Guide for the Grief and Sorrow of Pet Loss is a much-needed resource for all pet owners, veterinarians, and veterinary staff who love their four-footed children and then experience their loss. This devastating loss is the same as it is with any family member, yet there is not as much support for those experiencing it. This book is it! B.J. Shonk experienced this pain, came out the other side, and created this resource for us. We are grateful that she understands how deeply pet loss affects the veterinary care team, too!”

— Sandy Block, DVM

About B.J. Shonk

B.J. Shonk

B. J. Shonk has spent her professional career helping and mentoring others. As manager of the children’s Newspaper In Education program and as a journalist for a Texas newspaper, she promoted literacy. Through her own business, she developed and implemented self-improvement and fitness-awareness programs for people of all ages. She is the mother of eight and grandmother of twelve—with four grand puppies and a grand kitty. Today, she lives in the Houston area with Randy, her husband of more than forty-five years. Together, they founded B J Randolph LLC for the purpose of sharing vision through knowledge and helping others.