Editor's Note

Say cheese! It’s time to roll out the winners of our annual photo contest. This is a favorite here at Tails headquarters. It’s not that we don’t love writing stories, it’s just that we love admiring your furry friends a whole lot more and this issue allows us the opportunity to show them off to the world.
My own animals won’t appear in these pages. Oh, they’re plenty photogenic, don’t get me wrong, but it’s no easy feat getting them to pose for the camera. When pet discussions come up in social circles, the trendy thing to do is pop open the photo album stored in your cell phone and show off your companion to anyone willing to take a look. After cooing over everyone’s animals I’ll invariably show off mine.
“See that blur on the left side of the frame,” I’ll say, referring to my high-energy cat who has never sat still a day in her life. “That’s Parker!” Then I’ll flip to an image of my bed with a lump underneath it. “No, my bed does not have a tumor,” I’ll insist. “That’s my cat Valentine hiding under the covers.” Usually people are nonplussed. Suffice it say, my animals make a better impression live than they do digitally.
Yours, on the other hand, represent a different story. The fact that thousands of you sent us adorable pictures of your companion animals leads me to believe your pets are far more patient than mine (or maybe you are just a better shutterbug). Nevertheless, we also love the photo contest because we think it’s a great way to usher in spring.
Regardless of where you live, I think we’re all ready to put snowfalls in California, ice storms across the Plains, and arctic blasts throughout the Midwest and Northeast behind us.
You’ll also notice that we’ve set aside a portion of the magazine to examine the issue of pet loss. This is something we’ve long wanted to address in detail, especially since we know that the loss of an animal companion can have a huge impact.
It seems this loss is bittersweet. On the one hand, the intense grieving process that many of us undergo upon the death of an animal is both a reminder of how much joy they brought to our lives as well as a constant indicator of the important place that pets occupy in American households. On the other hand, losing a pet is like losing a best friend or a loved one and we know the journey through grief can be a difficult one.
I’m reminded of an old episode from the television series Cheers in which Diane announces suddenly that Elizabeth is dead. Initially, everyone is solemn and respectful for her loss. But when she reveals that Elizabeth was her childhood cat, everyone laughs at her. However, near the end of the episode she tells to Sam how difficult her childhood was and that in times of crisis, Elizabeth was her constant companion. “That cat saved my life,” she says, to which Sam too starts to cry.
It’s funny to remember that episode. I was maybe 9 years old when it aired, but the fact that it stuck out in my head reminds me that even at that young age, I fully understood the importance of the human-animal bond. I hope this issue is full of good information and resources that will serve you in a time of need.
On a brighter note, we can’t think of a better way to show our love for pets than to memorialize them while they’re living. The photo contest makes that tribute possible. Thanks to all of you who sent in images of adorable, goofy, and photogenic animals for our consideration. Each one of them brightened our day.