If you’ve had to say goodbye to a much-loved pet, you might want to think about how to best remember them. Once the initial shock of grief has passed it can be a comfort to create a lasting keepsake that pays tribute to your animal.
Ashes Urns
If your animal has been cremated you may choose to bury or scatter their ashes, or keep them in the home with you. There are a number of options if you’d like a lasting container for your animal’s ashes or favourite items, from traditional wooden boxes to breed specific urns. Wooden ashes urns can be sourced from sustainable materials including bamboo, and some options include a photo frame as part of the lid, where a favourite picture of your dog, cat or animal can be placed. You may even choose to use one of these boxes to store some of your pet’s favourite toys, or their collar and name tag, if you’ve chosen to scatter their ashes in a preferred place. These boxes can also be engraved with personal images or messages to make them even more individual and special.
If you’d like an artistic reminder of your animal, there are urns which have been carefully designed and crafted to capture the characteristics of certain dog breeds. Alternative choices are ceramic cats, or other figurine statues including rabbits, horses and guinea pigs. Each has a cleverly concealed section in which to place some or all of your animal’s ashes.
Photo Urns
Some urns take the form of a simple photo frame. The latest options contain a concealed ashes casket at the back of the image, allowing you to choose a favourite picture of your animal, or some of your pet’s most lovable moments which you caught on camera, safe in the knowledge that their final remains can be tucked away close behind.
Keepsakes
Many pet owners find comfort in having a small amount of ashes close by. Keepsake items are a good option for a subtle memorial, and also allow your pet’s ashes to be carefully shared between family members.
A heart shaped keepsake is a good choice if you and your family would prefer a small item which reflects your love of your pet. Wooden hearts are palm sized, so perfect to hold in your hand, or display on a stand, and can hold a tiny quantity of ashes, along with photos or fur clippings. They can also be engraved with your pet’s own paw print, making them truly unique. An alternative is a brushed metal heart, which can be ordered as either palm sized, or in a larger dimension to contain a greater quantity of ashes.
For many owners, an eternity candle is a wonderful way of remembering a favourite pet, especially as it can be engraved with a name, pawprint or message. It can be comforting to light the candle on your pet’s birthday or the anniversary of their death, providing a lovely focal point for your memories.
An Agate Stone is a modest, elegant option, and can be personalised with your pet’s own pawprint. With a tactile, smooth surface these stones have been designed to be held, and they are small enough to fit into a pocket or bag to make them truly transportable.
As a final thought, it can be helpful to use smaller keepsakes at particular times. Heart-shaped wooden tags can be perfect for hand-written messages, or to be decorated and perhaps hung on a Christmas tree or other objects in the home. They are ideal for children, who can write on or decorate them in memory of a much-loved pet and can be helpful for young people who are coming to terms with the loss.
Remembering your pet is an important step in the grieving process and can encourage affectionate reflection and appreciation of their life.