feel good
I believed our time together was running out, so I started brushing him every day.” In the end, Moby lived another two years, but Dion admits those daily rituals deepened their bond immeasurably.
“ When the time came to say goodbye, it was still heartbreaking, but there was also a sense of peace in knowing we’ d fully shared our time together.”
End-of-life companion doula
Before 2022, Dion hadn’ t even heard the term“ death doula”.“ But after Covid – a time marked by immense loss and collective trauma – I found myself drawn to the work.” He went down a rabbit hole, reading as much as he could about end-of-life companionship and eventually trained as a certified end-of-life companion.
His mentor compared end-of-life companionship to the idea of being called to healing work in many African traditions.“ That resonated deeply because, when I looked back, I realised I’ d been doing this kind of work all along.” and later helped rehome her remaining cats after she passed away herself.“ In many ways, that’ s exactly what a doula does – they hold space during moments of transition and grief.”
Moving on
Having experienced repeated loss himself, Dion is acutely aware of how his relationship with pets has changed.“ I currently have one cat, Oscar, who is 16 years old. Having said goodbye to cats at 17 and 18 before, I’ m acutely aware of how precious and finite our time together is.”
It’ s also changed how he thinks about getting another kitten at his age.“ One of my biggest fears is dying before my pet does and leaving them behind. I think
Oscar and Billie Bob
many pet parents quietly carry that same concern.”
In the end, A Pawfect Life isn’ t about the“ furbaby” phenomenon, pet obsession or indulgence.“ There’ s real science behind these bonds: the oxytocin response, the emotional attachment, the unconditional love that pets offer, which sometimes even human relationships can’ t replicate.”
He hopes when readers close his book, it opens conversations around grief and saying goodbye. For him, if we truly consider pets family, then they deserve dignity, grace and compassion in death, too.“ Saying goodbye should honour the depth of that relationship.”
Looking back now, Dion thinks the signs that this was his true calling were always there.“ When I was about 10, I used to hold elaborate funerals for budgies, pigeons, lizards and goldfish. I’ d create rituals and ceremonies to give them what I felt was a proper send-off.”
Dion recalls supporting his dear friend Barbara through the heartbreaking process of saying goodbye to three of her cats over the years. When it came to the last one, she reached out to him and his partner, unable to face the experience alone. Dion went with her to the vet, helped bury the cat in her garden,
Billie Bob
16 www. petpals. co. za