Loving a pet deeply and making it a part of your family sometimes comes with the potential for devastating loss when that pet passes away.
Your furry family member provides unconditional love, emotional support and unwavering friendship, often for years.
For pet owners facing the loss of their dog or cat, the grief can be tremendous. Focusing on ways to commemorate the life of your pet can help to ease that grief and make the sting of loss feel a little less painful, if only for a moment.
If you aren’t sure what type of commemoration would be appropriate for your pet, consider the following ideas:
Table of Contents
1. Outdoor Markers
Depending on where you live, you might prefer to bury your pet in your backyard or you may choose to purchase a plot in a pet cemetery where you bury your pet’s remains.
Either way, outdoor markers or memorial stones are a great way to commemorate your pet and give you a place to visit and reflect on the good memories.
You can create a personalized marker that honors the life of your pet through words or images.
2. Urns
Deciding what to do with your pet’s remains is part of the process, and many pet owners are choosing to go with cremation.
This popular option allows owners to keep their pets’ remains in an urn or box that can be displayed in the home.
Choosing an urn offers purpose to pet owners who are grieving the loss of their pets, as they can think back on the life of their cat or dog and commemorate it through the urn itself.
There are endless styles of urns to choose from, with different colors and materials that can be matched to your pet’s unique personality.
3. Jewelry
Like urns, memorial jewelry is a unique way to commemorate the life of your pet. Choosing a piece that has visual significance will remind you daily of the pet that you loved.
There are also pieces that can hold a small amount of the cremated remains of your dog or cat so that you can keep them close to you always.
There are limitless options when it comes to pet jewelry, from metal pendants with stamped paw prints to simple name plates that blend in seamlessly with your other daily pieces.
4. Written Memorials
Taking the time to sit and write the cherished memories of your pet can be therapeutic. You can write a memorial and publish it online for friends and family to read.
They’ll likely want to leave condolences that you can read and reflect on to find some comfort.
5. Charitable Donations
Serving others is a great way to commemorate your lost pet. Whether you choose to donate funds to an animal-focused nonprofit or want to donate your own time to an organization that works with neglected pets, you’ll feel better knowing that you helped others on behalf of your late dog or cat.
The loss of a beloved pet is hard and brings tender emotions. Celebrating the life of your animal and deciding on how you would like to commemorate your relationship can give you an outlet for your grief.
Contact Paws, Whiskers & Wags for more information about the services we offer to pet owners who have recently lost their animals. We’re here to help.
