The Spiritual Quest of a Stray Dog: Pet, Loss, Heaven, Death, Afterlife, Grief, Animal, Human, Rights, Puppy, Family, Homeless, Owner, Love

This books features the story of a real stray dog whose name is Tonton. He roams around the streets of Rio until he finds his first owner, Antonio, who is a homeless person. They both create a strong spiritual bond and have to face neglect and rejection from ordinary people. Tonton makes friendship with other homeless pets and their owners. They have to deal with exposure, aggresssion, abuse, contempt, famine and disease. Unfortunately, as the years go by, he comes face to face with the loss of stray pets and homeless people he befriended - Antonio included. Tonton then becomes a real abandomned stray pooch wandering aimlessly the streets of the city. His health declines and he becomes sick and emaciated. In the mean time, he witnesses how other animals of interest to humans, like Branquinha, a female horse, are considered mere beasts of burden and learns about the cruelty and brutality animals like her can be treated with. Believing his time has come, Tonton has a near death experience (NDE) and acquires a glimpse of the afterlife of animals and humans alike. This experience gives him renewed strength and he decides to leave the city of Rio and go to the countryside. There,Tonton finds the gruesome fate of farm animals and the neglect with which dogs of breed are also treated in lavish houses. It is there, among the mountains that he finds the love of his life - Kika. She teaches him how to invigorate his body and spirit through the contact with nature and what, in her opinion, is the real purpose of life of any sentient being and why pets lead a short life compared to humans. Tragically, fate has Tonton learn the hardest experience of life - lose someone you call your twin soul. It is beyond his comprehension why so many animals and humans suffer in the hands of other seemingly insensible people. The events that tragically take place in his life lead him to profound spiritual insights that powerfully change his vision of humanity, animals and the world around him. Thus, from the fragments of what is left of his life, he begins to develop a keen sense of faith and devotion, gratitude and hope, courage and solidarity. He discovers happiness and joyfulness again and that not a single sentient being is excluded out of the pale of creation. All creatures are unconditionally loved. Heaven for humans and animals after all, does exist...