Overview

Have you ever had a pet who changed your life? Are you a better person because of a special animal? If you answered yes to these questions, you're not alone. An estimated seven out of ten American families keep pets, and many say their animals teach them important life lessons and change their lives for the better. This book explores the powerful role animals play in our lives. In ten intimate stories of pet keeping and loss, you'll meet some aspiring veterinary professionals and the heart animals who sparked their interest in their work. They're all ""sacred stories""-narratives that reveal who we are and what we value. If you're a pet keeper, these stories provide insight into the motivations of the professionals you trust to care for your animals. And if you're a veterinary professional or a person who works or volunteers in animal rescue, they'll deepen your understanding of your calling to your work. Heart Animals will also invite you to develop your own sacred story about the animals who've changed your life. As the first volume in the four-book Pet Chaplain(R) Learning Series, this book sets the stage for a spiritual journey in which you'll explore your relationship with animals and the natural world through reading, reflection, and storytelling. At the conclusion of your journey, you'll have a clear understanding of your values and beliefs about animals and be inspired to envision ways to lead a life in relationship with animals that's in perfect harmony with your spiritual values. The Pet Chaplain(R) Learning Series is a four-book set that explores pet keeping and loss in the modern West. Packed with robust research, heart-touching pet stories, and interactive learning resources, the learning series is well suited to self-study and book discussion groups. The series is the brainchild of Rob Gierka, EdD, who founded Pet Chaplain, a community service and educational organization, in 2004. For more than two decades, Rob and his co-author Karen Duke have practiced veterinary chaplaincy in community and clinical settings, and they've also taught veterinary chaplaincy to people around the world. Visit petchaplain.com to learn more.

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9781969169007

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Rob Gierka is an experienced veterinary chaplain and chaplaincy educator. He holds a bachelor's degree in rhetoric and communications from Albany State University, a master's degree in technical writing from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and a doctoral degree in professional and continuing adult education from North Carolina State University with a research focus on the human-animal bond and pet loss. Rob got his start in chaplaincy in the early 1990s when he took an extended unit of Clinical Pastoral Education at Rex Hospital in Raleigh, North Carolina, where he subsequently served as a volunteer chaplain for two years. While in training, Rob also served for a year as a Stephen Minister and for three years as chair of the congregational care committee at Pullen Baptist Church in Raleigh. In 2004, he launched Pet Chaplain(R), a community service and educational organization, and began providing interfaith spiritual support to pet keepers in his community. Between 2004 and 2006, he served as the on-call chaplain at the Veterinary Teaching Hospital at North Carolina State University, and he has facilitated a monthly pet loss support group through the SPCA of Wake County, NC, since 2006. He and his co-author Karen Duke co-developed and taught an online course in veterinary chaplaincy for five years beginning in 2018. Karen Duke is a writer, graphic designer, and fine artist. She holds a bachelor's degree in English from the University of Florida. She enjoyed a successful 40-year career in the corporate world as a writer and graphic designer before retiring in October 2021 and devoting her talents to the development of the learning series.

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