6 WAYS TO MEMORIALIZE YOUR PET
The death of a beloved pet is devastating. I remember experiencing the transition of my two cats and it was a very difficult and traumatic time. After the dust settled and a little time passed, I wanted to honor their memory. I did find a few ways to keep their memory alive and honor their lives. Reflecting back on that time, here are six different ways in which you can memorialize the life of your pet.
Photos/Paintings
One simple way to remember and honor the memory of your pet is to compile a bunch of photos you’ve taken over the years and make a book of their life. You can create a photo book online through a site like Shutterfly.com or another site that allows you to upload, drag and organize photos in a flip book format to save for a lifetime. Also, as an alternative, if you have the extra money to spend, you can have a professional painting made of your pet from an existing photo. I’ve listed a few companies below however research and choose one that looks good to you and fits your own budget.
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Pet Jewelry
A second way to remember your pet is having a keepsake like a special piece of jewelry. There are so many options for both men and women for honoring your pet in a stylish way. I personally was gifted a gold locket with a picture of my cat inside. This way she’s always close to my heart. For women and men, a bracelet, necklace or a keychain is a great option. I personally love my personalized keychain by MeowLoverclub. You can also read about my personal experience with the company in my post called MeowLoverClub: Custom pet portrait jewelry made just for you. Don’t forget you can use my discount code to save 10% off too.
This company, as well as others, can customize jewelry pieces with your pet’s name and/or birth dates too. The jewelry options you have can range from expensive as gold or as affordable as handmade. Here are some additional options that may work for you.
Urn/Headstone
A third option for those that wish to cremate their pets’ ashes is an urn. After cremation, your vet or urgent care may provide you with a tin or wooden box with an etched plate. If that’s fine for you, great! However, depending on your preference you can keep things simplistic or order an urn with name engraving. If you did not cremate your pet and had them buried, a nice headstone is a good option to memorialize them. Headstones can be customized in many ways to include name, image and short passages for your loved one. Here are a couple links for potential options to consider.
Keepsake box
A different and unique idea to try is create a keepsake box in memory of your pet. You can go to a craft store like Michael’s and buy a nice decorative small box or decorate an old shoe box in the house and wrap in nice fabric or paper. Inside the keepsake box you can have a collection of your pets’ favorite toys, a couple of pictures of you both together and their collar with name tag. Whatever items or trinkets you care to remember them by, you can save in this box. Some pet parents even keep a tuft of fur as well. If parents to human kids can keep baby teeth or lockets of hair, I see nothing weird about saving a little fur.
Plush Toys
Another extraordinary idea comes from a company called Petsies. This company specializes in custom made plush stuffed animals made from your pet’s image/photo. The plush animal is made to be a close replica of your pet. This happens to be a cute and cuddly way you can always keep them close and snuggle with them whenever you want. Yes, it’s not the same, but definitely a unique and different way to memorize your pet in a positive way. You can see several photos of happy Petsies customers plush toys here.
Make a donation
Last but not least, consider making a donation. One of the most memorable gifts I received when my cat passed away was a donation made by my veterinarian in my pet’s honor to a local animal shelter. I never expected such a grand gesture, but I was humbled and grateful. Experiencing Dusty’s passing was extremely hard for me and receiving a lovely card with a note of a donation made in Dusty’s honor was the first time in a while where my heart filled with joy. Her death generated an opportunity to help other animals in need.
So although your pet is not here anymore, consider doing something selfless for the benefit of other animals in need and make a donation in your pet’s honor to your local ASPCA, Humane Society or local animal shelter of your choice.
I hope these few tips help provide you options to consider to memorialize your pet. If you enjoyed this post, check out my other blog posts dealing with life after pet loss below:
Dealing with guilt after pet loss
8 Things I wish I knew before experiencing pet loss
5 Products for Pet Lovers who have Lost Their Pet
When dealing with the loss of your pet, how did you keep their memory alive? Comment and share your thoughts.
Originally published July 2016, Updated May 2018
