Published: May 25, 2007 02:01 pm            

NEIGHBORS: Falls pet store offers special corner for grieving pet owners

Marlene Manzi understands the grief of losing a beloved pet.

When her golden retriever, Shelby, died three years ago, she was amazed at the intensity of her sadness.

“It was very traumatic for my husband and I,” she said. “We never felt such a loss as when we lost him.”

That’s why, when she had the opportunity to help open a pet center in Niagara Falls, called Furry Friends Too, she knew it was important to create a small cozy corner in the store where pet owners can find memorial stones and other items to help them remember their lost pets.

There’s even a special table where they can sit and look through a catalog of urns and monuments and where they can find a furry teddy bear that can hold a pet’s cremated remains.

“There are a lot of people who mourn their animals,” Manzi said.

Beyond the compassionate corner, Furry Friends Too is devoted to keeping pets healthy and lively.

The store is owned by a veterinarian, Dr. Michael Borowiec, and is adjacent to his small animal hospital at 2115 Sawyer Drive, across from The Summit in Wheatfield.

There are a wide variety of toy and supplies and pet foods recommended by Dr. Borowiec.

Manzi, the manager, is a certified veterinary nutritional advocate, but first and foremost, she is someone who understands deep connection to one’s pets. And she also knows the pain of loss eventually abides.

“A year and a half later, we got another gold retriever. He’s wonderful and he’s healthy,” she said.

Contact editor Michele DeLuca at 693-1000, ext. 157.

        

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