Hello. My name is Dar Shawver.

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The photo to the right is me giving my Beloved Animal Companion, Fargo, one of a THOUSAND (maybe one of a million) kisses. He was less than a year old at the time.

Sixteen years later we said our final goodbye, and though he lived a wonderful, love-filled life, 16 years of loving him and spoiling him was not nearly long enough.  

 

I became an animal chaplain after losing him. His passing opened something in me that I couldn't turn away from - a depth of grief that was also a depth of love. In the quiet of his absence, I realized how few spaces truly honor the sacredness of the human-animal bond and how important it is to be witnessed in our sorrow. Fargo was more than an animal companion - he was a teacher, a loving presence, a steady part of my being. Walking through that loss with intention and tenderness is what called me to this path. Now, I offer that same care to others, knowing how much it matters to have someone hold space when the world feels changed forever.