| With a tremendous love for animals, Colleen | | | | to honor their cherished friends with |
| Mihelich has an understanding of the deep | | | | elegance, dignity and honor, and that their |
| grief associated with their death, something | | | | pets deserve the very best. That's why her |
| she remembered when she lost her quarter | | | | company searches for the finest craftsmanship |
| horse named Pepper when she was 16 years old. | | | | and quality. |
| Many of us have been touched by the loss of a | | | | |
| beloved pet, and since Colleen understands | | | | Her company also provides grieving support, |
| the heartache of that loss, she has devoted | | | | and people can find links to pet loss |
| her career to a company and website called | | | | information and pet loss counseling websites |
| It is dedicated to helping others honor the | | | | to help them say goodbye to their beloved |
| loss of their pets through a pet memorial. | | | | pet. It's particularly helpful for parents |
| | | | assisting children with a pet loss. Guests on |
| Although Pepper was gone, Mihelich knew that | | | | the website can create virtual pet memorials |
| the love she felt for her horse would never | | | | via a living pet memorial to share loving |
| go away. That's why she decided that people | | | | memories and favorite stories about their |
| needed a way to help keep their memories | | | | pets with family and friends, including a |
| alive and created an online community, a pet | | | | written tribute, and dialog and photographs |
| memorial website. Here, grieving pet owners | | | | that honor their pet's memory. |
| can choose handcrafted pet memorial products | | | | |
| including custom pet grave markers, memorial | | | | Bereavement counselor Marty Tousley says, |
| pet urns, garden statue pet memorial stones, | | | | "One of the biggest myths about the grief |
| keepsake boxes, pet portrait and art and | | | | that accompanies pet loss is that it's |
| tribute paintings, glass art, burial boxes | | | | somehow different than grieving the loss of a |
| and more. | | | | human. When love is lost it does not matter |
| | | | if it's a human or an animal, because we |
| We've all found little nuggets of wisdom or | | | | still feel grief." |
| inspirational stories that have helped us | | | | |
| move on," said Mihelich, founder of | | | | The American Pet Products Manufacturers |
| Peternity. Many of us found little nuggets of | | | | Association (APPMA) 2007-2008 National Pet |
| wisdom or inspirational stories along the way | | | | Owners survey states that 63 percent of U.S. |
| that have helped us move on," said Mihelich, | | | | households own a pet, which equates to 71.1 |
| founder of Peternity. "The loss of a pet is a | | | | million homes, up from 56 percent in 1988. |
| very difficult thing. That's why grieving the | | | | APPMA estimated the spending of $40.8 billion |
| loss is an important step towards healing; | | | | on pets in 2007 in the United States. |
| just about as important to many people as the | | | | |
| loss of a human being." | | | | "It would be impossible to say how much we |
| | | | appreciate all that Peternity did in helping |
| Continually on the lookout for unique, | | | | us with our stone for Buddy. It is just |
| handcrafted pieces of art to help her | | | | beautiful and we couldn't possibly be happier |
| customers express their love, joy and | | | | with how it turned out," said Alan and |
| memories, Mihelich believes that people wish | | | | Stephanie Thomas. |