The loss of a beloved pet is devastating, and the grief that follows can be slow to ease. Some pet owners have found comfort in creating or purchasing memorials for their pets—mementos that can serve as reminders of the loving relationship they shared.
Pet memorials have increased in popularity over recent years, and there are many styles available—from the traditional to the creative—so it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. To help make your choice easier, we’ve collected some of the more popular pet memorial options.
Pet Urns
An urn allows you to preserve your pet’s ashes in a decorative vessel suitable for display. Urns can be made of metal, ceramic, glass, or wood and can be custom engraved with your pet’s name, image, or an inspirational quote. Style and price vary widely among urns, so choose one that fits your aesthetic and your budget.
Garden Stones
Another popular memorial idea is the garden stone. Like flagstones, garden stones offer a decorative landscaping option when memorializing your beloved pet. Garden stones can be customized to include your pet’s name, image, life dates, and an inspirational message. Some pet owners use garden stones to mark a pet’s burial spot, while others enjoy them as gentle backyard reminders of their loving pet.
Customized Pillows & Plushies
Digital printing has opened a new world of ways to memorialize your pet. Using the images from your phone or computer, you can have your pets likeness emblazoned on a huggable pillow or plushy. You select the size and style, so your pet will always be just a cuddle away.
Pet Jewelry
Looking for a way to carry your pet with you always? Jewelry offers a few creative ways to memorialize your special companion. For example, you may want to create a personalized pendant or locket with your pet’s picture on it. It’s easy to do online. Or perhaps something more personal—jewelry makers now offer ways to carry a small amount of your pet’s ashes within a tastefully designed locket that lets you keep your pet close to your heart.
Art
Fine art offers you a unique way to preserve your pet’s likeness forever. Create your own masterpiece, commission a painting from a friend, or let today’s AI technology create a portrait of your pet from your best loved photos!
Plantables
If you’re seeking a newer, more eco-friendly memorial option plantable bones, living urns, or seed cards may have the answer. Made from your pet’s cremains and other biodegradable materials, plantables are a living memorial to your pet. Infused with seeds, plantables allow your pet’s ashes to give rise to beautiful blooms each spring!
Pawprints
Save a pawprint from your pet and you’ll always have a way to remember them. Pawprints make touching memorials you can have custom printed on t-shirts, pillows, and other decorative items. Many veterinary offices or emergency pet clinics offer final respects packages that include paw prints of your beloved cat or dog.
Make a Memory Box
Another popular pet memorial is the memory box. You can make your own from a small jewelry box, or purchase one online, customized with your pet’s name and image. A memory box is a wonderful place to store your pet’s tags, collar, and any favorite photos of you together.
Make a Donation in Your Pet’s Name
Want to make a lasting difference in the lives of pets everywhere? Consider making a donation to a humane organization, animal shelter, or even to Cornell University’s College of Veterinarian Medicine. It’s easy to do, and many recipients will present you with a certificate of your donation, made out in your pet’s name—a keepsake that keeps giving.
Conclusion
We understand how much you care about your pets, and hope you’ve found the above information helpful in choosing a memorial. Want to do more? Consider volunteering your time at a local shelter or spay/neuter clinic. You’d be helping to relieve overburdened shelters while improving the lives of pets in your community.
Editor’s Note: When we helped our beloved cat (Jasper) over the rainbow bridge, my parents sent me this beautiful, light-up keepsake that hangs on the wall next to his favorite perch on the window sill. You’ll find similar keepsakes to memorialize your pet here on Etsy.
