Pet memorial ideas: what to keep, what to make, what to write
Most lists of pet memorial ideas are things to buy: a stone, a pendant, an urn. Those can be right. But what you will miss most are the habits, and many ways to keep those cost nothing.
Before the body goes
- A clipping of fur. PDSA names it as a keepsake you can ask your vet for.
- A paw print in clay or ink.
- The collar and the tag.
- One more photo of the two of you, if you want it.
In the first weeks
- Walk their favourite route once more, alone or with the people who walked it with you. Purdue's veterinary hospital suggests it as a small ceremony.
- Fill a memory box: the collar, a toy, the lead, a few photos printed out.
- Write them a letter with what you did not get to say.
- Ask friends and family for the photos they have. Someone will have one you have never seen.
Keep the words of the house
Every home with a pet has words that only make sense there. Bruno's book, an example, has a page of them: “the keys” for the sound of Eva on the garden path, “the fork” for where he waited for Hein to choose the way, “Arie's loaf” for the bread the baker kept for him.
Write your own list before the words fade: the name for the walk, the name for the spot, what you called them when nobody else was listening. Bruno is an example, not a customer.
Words of the house
- The keys
- the sound of Eva on the garden path
- The fork
- where Bruno waited for Hein to choose
- The short route
- the walk they kept to in his last year
- Arie's loaf
- the day-old bread saved for him on Saturdays
Bruno17The keysThe forkThe short routeArie's loafBruno18
Outside
- Plant a tree, a shrub or the flowers they used to lie in.
- Put a stone in the garden, painted or engraved. Children can paint one (Dogs Trust).
- Scatter the ashes on a walk they loved, where that is allowed.
- A bench or a plaque, where a park or a rescue offers one.
In their name
- A donation to a rescue or an animal charity.
- A few hours as a volunteer at a shelter.
- The unopened food, the spare lead and the toys, given to a rescue.
Words for a stone, a plaque or a frame
Written for this page. Put the name in, and the years if you want them.
- [Name]. Always first at the door.
- [Name], [years]. The best spot was yours.
- Here lies [name], who never once came when called, and always came home.
- [Name]. Loved every day, even the muddy ones.
- For [name]. The house is too quiet.
- [Name]. Still waiting by the gate, we hope.
A book about the life they had
A photo book shows how they looked. A memorial book from bookofmypet.com is about what they did: you answer eight short questions about your pet in the past tense, add photos, and get a 28-page book with drawings, ready about ten minutes later. Every page can be changed before anything is printed.
More for after a loss
Poems for a card or a stoneWhat to do when your dog diesTelling a child
Questions
What can I do with my dog's collar?
Keep it in a memory box, hang it in a frame with a photo, or put it on the grave. Some people wear the tag.
What do you write on a pet memorial stone?
The name, the years if you like, and one short line about what they did. There are examples above.
What are free pet memorial ideas?
A walk on their favourite route, a letter to them, a list of the words of your house, and photos collected from friends.
Can I make a memorial without the ashes?
Yes. A stone, a tree or a book needs no ashes. After a communal cremation there are none, and that changes nothing here.
When is the right time to make a memorial?
There is no right time. A clipping of fur or a paw print is easiest before the body goes. Everything else can wait.
For a friend who lost a pet
Give a book about their pet in memory. They make it from their own memories, when they are ready.
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 one year.
Make a memorial book about your pet.
Make one for your peteBook €6.99, hardcover €27.99 on top, shipping included. You pay after the questions.