Giving A Beloved Pet The Farewell They Deserve
To many of us, pets are not just a living possession, something to pass away the time, or to give us a little company and something to do. They are a real member of the family, one whose entire life (or at least a great deal of it) has been spent living alongside us, sharing a bond that is only available ot a very exclusive few. So, when a pet passes away, it is not at all uncommon to want to give them the kind of farewell we reserve for families. And here are a few ways to do it.
Have a moment for them
You and members of your family are likely to have some strong emotions and some lingering thoughts about a pet. It can feel good and feel like you’re paying the proper respects to have a little service or moment for them to act as a memorial. It doesn’t have to be overly formal, but it can be important especially for your children to have the chance to talk about their love of a lost pet. But don’t force anyone to speak if they can’t find any words, we all cope with grief in different ways.
Give them a place to rest
Giving pets a true send-off, with all of the importance and preparation that family members deserve, is far from uncommon. A lot of pet owners might set a plot of land and a makeshift memorial. However, if you think your friend deserves even better, then there are grave stones for pets that you should consider. That way, you can honor them with something that will stand for years to come.
Keep their memory with you
Aside from marking their resting place, or at least a place that has been set aside to remember them, there are also plenty of memorials that you can keep in the home or with you. You can, for instance, create a photo collage of some of your favorite snaps of the pet to put up on the wall. It’s a good idea to choose a memorial that celebrates them and helps you remember them fondly, rather than just something that will only make you feel sad every time you look at it.
Acknowledge and deal with grief
It can be surprising, sometimes, just how hard we can be hit by the loss of a pet. However, the grief that we feel for them can be just as strong as what we might feel for a human member of the family as well, even if some others don’t understand it. For that reason, you might want to consider animal bereavement counseling if you have been having a hard time coping with the loss of a pet. There’s nothing wrong with turning to help when you need it.
There may come a time that you decide to get a new pet, as many of us do. However, you can enjoy their company without guilt knowing that you’ve said goodbye to your old friend the right way.
15 Comments
Kate Sarsfield
When I was in a wheelchair I couldn’t dig a grave for Tommy the Cat so had to put him in the freezer till I was better!
Kelly O
This is one of the most difficult times. In the midst of it is difficult to make decisions like these. Such a better thing is to have the discussion prior to those dark days so that it is easier. We buried our dog a few years ago and I wish I had done something different. A different location. Once that I could have done a garden around.
Rosie
I know someone who does this for a business. He started it a long time ago – 15 years or more? before I had ever heard of anyone having a business like that.
Calvin
I’ve had to say goodbye a couple of times to cats the family had when I was younger. It’s takes a lot of time to heal, of course the memories will be with me moving forward.
Lisa DT
I really don’t want to think about it. I know I have to think about it. I don’t want to think about it.
Michele Soyer
We lost another 2 dogs this year and as usual had a ceremony for both of them.. It is very important to have this in their memory.. We have a designated area and placques with their names and dates…I also bury them with their favourite toy…
Kristie D.
Great post. Thank you. I had both my cat’s ashes spread at a memorial garden.
Nancy
These are some great suggestions for honoring the family pets who have shared our lives.
Dana Rodriguez
This is a great post. We have a 19 year old cat and I know it will be soon.
Tamra Phelps
It’s so important to acknowledge the death of a pet. We had a dog that died during a time when we were moving and the vet took care of his burial, so it has never felt settled. I still occasionally dream of that dog, dreams where he’s still alive and thinks I’ve abandoned him. So, I think it’s important to have some closure with a burial of somesort.
Dawn Keenan
We adopt senior dogs. We don’t necessarily have them that long, but we make their last few months/years special. It’s so important to give them at home at the end of life.
Kelly Kimmell
Our pets do become our family members. It is incredibly hard to deal with this type of loss.
Melissa Storms
It has been a couple of ears since we lost our sweet Bear. He was a beautiful Aussie and the dog my son grew with. We had him cremated and have his ashes in a beautiful wooden box wrapped in his collar. We have a chihuahua now and love her dearly and chose the breed because they are the longest lived breed.
Kate Sarsfield
We always bury the animals that have shared our lives with a little ceremony. When my niece was little, we buried MeToo, my 20 year old Siamese. It was her first experience of death so we made it extra special. We carried candles and sang, she placed a bunch of flowers on the little grave & then we saw a V of geese flying overhead. into the sunset. “Look, they’re carrying MeToo’s soul to heaven”, she said. I’ll never forget it!
Sandra Dufoe
We treat our pets like family members it is always hard to lose them my daughter still misses our husky we lost last year.