A gift for someone whose dog has died
Gift
When a friend's dog dies, it is hard to know what to give. One gift keeps what they will miss most, which is what the dog did. You give it, and they make it themselves when they are ready.
A book they make in memory
You cannot write the book for them: the chair he slept in and the sound at the door are theirs to tell. With the gift, they answer eight questions about the dog in the past tense, add their own photos, and get a 28-page book about its life, with drawings of the dog.
The gift is valid for 3 years and asks nothing of them before they open it. They never see the price.
How you give it
- Fill in their name, the dog's name and a short message, and tick that their pet has died.
- Print the card to go with flowers or through the letterbox, or have the gift emailed on a day you choose.
- They open it when they want to and make the book. With the hardcover gift, the printed book comes to their door.
- You get an email when the book is ready.
When to give it
There is no right moment. A card goes in the first days. A gift that asks something of them, like answering questions, can also come a few weeks later, once the first messages have stopped. The emailed gift can be set for any day up to a year ahead.
What such a book looks like
Luna was a cat, 2009 to 2025. Her book is about ten to six on Tom's chest and leaves on the doormat. Bommel's book, about a rabbit, is in the past tense too. Both are examples, not customers.
The kitchen floor at dinner time, staring until someone gave in. Luna3Ten to Six
At ten to six Luna sat on Tom's chest and stared. No sound. If that didn't work, one paw on the nose, claws out. Then she led the way to the kitchen and sat by the bowl as if she had been waiting there for hours, the same performance, every morning, until someone gave in.
Luna4
When it was a cat that died
The gift works the same way for a cat. The owner chooses cat, and the questions ask what she brought in, which box was hers and who she allowed near, all in the past tense. For a rabbit or another animal, they type the kind of animal.
What pet charities advise
- Send a handwritten card, say you are sorry and use the dog's name (RSPCA).
- Offer practical help: a meal, a lift, a walk (RSPCA).
- Photos, a scrapbook or a memory box are a common way to remember a pet (Blue Cross).
- Do not suggest a new pet. “You can always get another one” is on the RSPCA's list of things not to say.
RSPCA: supporting someone after a pet diesBlue Cross: coping with loss (PDF)
Other gifts that fit
- A card with a short poem.
- A photo you took of the dog, printed and framed.
- A donation to a rescue in the dog's name.
- A plant or a small tree for the garden.
What to write with it
For an owner whose pet is still here
Questions
Is a gift appropriate when a pet dies?
Yes. A card with the pet's name always fits. For a close friend, something that keeps their memories can go with it.
What if they are not ready to make a book?
The gift is valid for 3 years. They open it when they want to.
Can I make the book for them instead?
Yes, if you knew the dog well. Make it yourself and send the private link; they can change every page.
Does it work when a cat or a rabbit has died?
Yes. They choose dog or cat, or type the kind of animal.
Will they see what I paid?
No. The recipient sees no price.
Give the book in memory of their dog
They make it themselves, about the dog they lost, when they are ready. The gift is valid for 3 years and asks nothing of them before then.
Give the giftGift €34.99. The eBook and the hardcover, shipping included. Or the eBook alone for €6.99. The recipient makes the book themselves. Valid 3 years.
Make a book about a pet you miss.
Make one for your peteBook €6.99, hardcover €29.99 on top, shipping included. You pay after the questions.