Animal Soulmates
In today’s society, animals are so much more than simply “pets”. Many consider their animal to be their very best friend, their constant companion, helping them navigate the world when life gets tough. Animals are now members of the family, who have birthday parties, argyle sweaters, and a stocking with their name embroidered, which is hung by the fireplace during the holidays. In some cases, animals may even be considered soulmates. And while the deep connection between people and animals is undeniable, the immense grief associated with losing a furry best friend, a feathered family member, or an animal soulmate is rarely discussed.
Dr. Abbie Viscardi, an animal welfare scientist, had an animal soulmate. She came in the form of a black lab named Amira. When Dr. Abbie lost her beloved dog after 13.5 years together, she was broken, and found minimal institutional and social support for pet parents suffering such a profound loss. Why is losing an animal soulmate viewed so differently from losing a human soulmate? Why are people not able to grieve the loss of a pet the way they are able to grieve the loss of a family member? How do other pet parents feel about their animals and can these stories bring awareness to the impact animals have on people, in life and in death?
In this podcast, Dr. Abbie chats with scientists, veterinarians, and fellow pet parents, to honour the stories of their animal soulmates and to uncover the true power of the human-animal bond!
Animal Soulmates
Ep 11: A Lab mix named Freya
In this episode, I chat with Krystal Hise about the love of her life, Freya. Freya is a beautiful, water-obsessed lab mix, who loves a good sniff-walk. Recently, she went through a cancer diagnosis, which required major surgery and six rounds of chemo to treat. We hear about how Krystal and her husband, Trevor, handled this news and how they’ve intentionally kept Freya front and center in every decision they’ve had to make along the way. Outside of being a devoted dog mom, Krystal is a pet portrait artist who also runs a blog, featuring entries that chronicle Freya’s cancer journey and describe what it means to have a Heart Dog. We chat about how Krystal honours this beautiful bond with her Heart Dog, and how Freya continues to inspire every part of Krystal’s life.
Links:
ASPCA National Pet Loss Hotline (24 hour support): 1-877-474-3310
Shelter Dog Breed Identification paper
- Gunter LM, Barber RT, and Wynne CDL. 2018. A canine identity crisis: Genetic breed heritage testing of shelter dogs. PLoS ONE 13(8): e0202633. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0202633.
Link to purchase Krystal’s book on Amazon: Heart Dog Guided Journal
These Foolish Things (Remind Me of You)
- Michael Bublé: Apple Music & YouTube
- Seth MacFarlane: Apple Music & YouTube
Guest Info:
Instagram: @krystalhiseportraits
Website: https://krystalhise.com/
Contact us:
Podcast Instagram and TikTok: @animalsoulmatespod
Podcast email: animalsoulmatespod@outlook.com
Credits:
Host & Executive Producer: Dr. Abbie Viscardi
Production Team: Citizens of Sound, https://www.citizensofsound.com/