Finding the right way to honor your pet’s life is a challenging but important thing to do. Your cherished pet gave you a lifetime of love, and dealing with the grief that comes from their passing can be unbearable. One of the ways to get through the healing process of grief is to find ways to remember your beloved companion.
Many creative ideas and options are available as a perfect tribute to your furry friend. Several memorial ideas can be loving, elegant, and comforting, from a simple and touching paw print cast to a decorative urn for your pet’s ashes to a wind chime.
Pay Tribute to Your Beloved Pet
Studies have shown that owning a pet can help with emotional issues, such as depression or anxiety, but they can also provide us with physical benefits. Especially dog owners, who have to walk the pooch outside throughout the day, will find that their activity level is greatly increased.
Homes with children and pets find that the kids may have fewer issues with allergies or even asthma, as the natural dust and dander that the pet carries exposes them to allergens and, in turn, helps them build natural immunities.
These are just a few examples of how owning a pet can significantly improve one’s life and outlook. It also shows how owning a pet affects our lives and, in turn, a few reasons they are so greatly missed when their time comes. Let’s look at a few of the many ways you can honor your beloved pet.
#1. Pet Memorial Wind Chime
One of the more unique memorial ideas in recent years is pet memorial wind chimes. A personalized way to remember your beloved pets, a wind chime reminds you of their presence every time the wind blows. Place the wind chime near a place your pet loved to play or sleep; add a bench, and you can sit listening to the soft and gentle sounds of the chime while you lovingly think about your lost friend.
#2. Memorial Blanket
Perhaps your pet’s life was a series of snuggles on the couch or bed. You can order a personalized pet memorial blanket to remember those lazy and happy days together. Decorated with paw prints, you can also create your own saying that describes your furry family member and what they meant to you. It is a comforting way to grieve and remember them.
#3. Pet Memorial Frame
One of the most popular pet memorials you can create yourself. A pet memorial frame provides space to write some of the special memories with your best friend, include a photo, and even hang a personal item like their collar. Place it in a special spot inside your home to honor your pet’s memory daily.
#4. Collar Memorial
A similar idea to a pet memorial frame, the collar memorial has room for a photo of your pet or a passage to honor your pet’s memory but also has a special slot where you can fasten your pet’s collar. It is a personal and touching way to remember your loved one.
#5. Photo Plaque
This is another one of the pet memorial ideas that uses a photo of your pet. It is placed with a loving passage and can be displayed on a wall to honor your pet’s life. Typically made from sturdy and durable materials, this photo plaque will be a lasting keepsake for your home.
#6. Paw Print Pet Memorial Stone
Many pet memorial ideas use the image of paw prints in their designs. The Pet memorial stone is a paw print-shaped stone with a place for a photo and space for a short passage or the pet’s name. You can place this stone under a tree or in a flower bed.
#7. Plant a Memorial Tree
One of the ways you can remember your furry family member is to plant a tree. It is a living memorial that will be around for generations. Depending on your local government regulations, tree planting might be allowed at a dog park or any of the local parks. Talk to your local city council about specific rules and regulations before you plant a tree.
#8. Create A Custom Story For Your Furry Friend
One of the more creative ways to honor your best friend is with a custom pet story about their life and some of your favorite moments and adventures you shared. It can come in book form with illustrations, or you can have it printed onto an urn to be displayed on your mantle. You can even read it aloud at a memorial service.
#9. Custom Urn For Your Pet’s Ashes
Another one of the more popular pet memorial ideas is a custom or personalized pet urn. It can be a simple design, just your pet’s name, or it can contain a special prayer or passage from a book or even come with an elaborate etching of your pet’s portrait. The options and price ranges are endless with a custom urn.
#10. Glass Blown Cremation Urns
A unique twist on a cremation urn is a glass-blown custom urn. A beautifully hand-crafted creation that artistically displays your pets ashes and is suitable inside any home decor.
#11. Granite Boulder Urn
Incorporating your pet’s ashes into pet memorial ideas has been around for a few years. The granite boulder urn takes your pet’s ashes and mixes them into a special granite stone with a metal memorial plaque that can be placed outside in places where your pet once played. You can have the plaque custom engraved with your pet’s name, some words that highlight your pet’s memory, or a beautiful design.
#12. Consider a Shadow Cast Urn
Shadow cast urns are beautifully designed cast resin pet statues that you can place your pet’s cremated ashes inside. Set them in an area where the sun will shine so the urn will cast a decorative shadow. It could be a beautiful tribute in any room or floor space of your home.
#13. Paw Print Garden Stone
If your dog or cat loved to play in your backyard or garden, consider getting a custom garden stone made to remember the walks and playtime you had there. Beautifully designed to accommodate a short passage and decorative beads, this pathway stone makes a beautiful memorial to any garden, front porch, or patio.
#14. Pet Memorial Jewelry
One of the more popular pet memorial ideas to have surfaced over the last few years is pet memorial jewelry. Beautifully designed wearable cremation jewelry uses your dog or cat’s ashes to create a piece of jewelry so that you can keep your pet’s memory close to your heart!
#15. A Photo Ornament
Suppose your pet’s favorite holiday was Christmas. In that case, a pet memorial photo ornament will be a touching way to create a lasting keepsake you can display every time you decorate your Christmas tree. Made with a photo of your pet and space to place the pet’s name, you can have your pet’s memory with you every Christmas.
#16. Pet Cemetery or Backyard Image Memorial Plaques
Whether you have a pet funeral service at a pet cemetery or in your backyard, this stylish and long-lasting memorial idea may be more costly than other ideas. Still, it is another option to remember your pet. These plaques incorporate a laser-etched portrait of a pet onto a beautiful memorial plaque.
#17. Reliquary with a Glass Window
Similar to a see-through locket, a reliquary is a pendant-style piece of jewelry that showcases a lock of your pet’s hair or whiskers that you can wear or display anywhere in your home.
#18. Launch Your Pet’s Ashes into Space
A more unconventional way to remember your pet is to send their ashes into space. This type of memorial idea may be slightly more expensive than other methods, but it will be a way to remember the joy they gave you.
#19. Create a Plush Dog or Cat Replica
For some, grieving a pet loss can be unbearable, and to ease the feelings from that pet loss, a comforting plush replica made in the likeness of the deceased furry family member can give people solace during a time of grief.
#20. Create a Memorial Outdoor Flag
It’s one of those great ideas that last a lifetime. To remember your pet creatively, you can have a custom pet memorial outdoor flag made. These flags will carry a heartwarming message about how your pet touched your life.
#21. Memorial Framed Photo Urns
A combination of photo frame and urn, a memorial framed photo urn is both practical and beautiful. You can store your pet’s ashes inside the stylish urn while displaying a photo of your beloved pet.
#22. Name a Star After Your Pet
A trend that caught on a few years ago, naming a star in someone’s honor is a heartfelt way to remember your dog, cat, or any other animals that you called family. By registering the star with a company like starseed, you’ll have a special spot in the night sky to look up to every time you miss your furry friend.
#23. Shadow Boxes
Another popular pet memorial idea is shadow boxes. These enclosed boxes can view the contents inside through a glass window. There is enough room inside for a photo, a collar, their favorite toy, and a short passage about your dog or cat. A shadow box is a creative way to display everything they meant to you in one beautifully designed box.
#24. Plant a Memorial Garden
If you are having a difficult time dealing with a pet loss, you can always plant flowers and create your very own memorial garden to honor your furry friend. This is a fairly easy memorial to make because you can find everything you need at your local garden store.
#25. Create a Pet Charm That Looks Like Your Dog or Cat
Have a beautifully designed charm made in the image of your beloved pet. You can wear this charm and always have your pet’s memory by your side.
#26. Terrarium
A terrarium is a unique way of creating a memorial that will give your heart a warm glow every time you look at it. With a miniature replica figure of your pet inside, lush greenery, and a bit of care, you’ll have this keepsake for a long time.
#27. Figurine Urns
Another urn option for storing the ashes is an urn that has the likeness of your dog or cat fashioned on top of the lid.
#28. Hair or Ash Beads
A memorial idea that uses the pet’s hair or ashes to create a beautiful bead. Custom beads made from your pet’s fur or ashes are turned into a wearable jewelry piece or display item.
#29. A Pet Memorial Bench
You can treasure your pet’s memory forever in a beautiful custom-designed pet memorial bench. You can have your pet’s name as part of the design, and you can place the bench in a special place in your backyard.
#30. Get a Tattoo of Your Pet
Some pet owners will get the likeness of their pet tattooed on them as a permanent reminder of how much their pet meant to them. Many tattoo studios all over the country are expert pet portrait tattoo artists.
#31. A Professional Portrait
If tattoos aren’t your thing, but you love art, you can always enlist the help of an artist to draw or paint a pet portrait of your furry friend.
#32. Teddy Bear Keepsakes
Another unique twist on the urn idea, Teddy Bear Keepsakes are teddy bears that have a small sealed plastic urn placed inside. This is one of those great pet memorial ideas if there are many family members who each want a teddy bear. The ashes are easily divided into individual bears, so everyone in the family can have a loving keepsake.
#33. Make a Donation To Your Local Animal Shelter
Donating to a local shelter is a selfless act to honor your pet. Many pet owners find their furry friends at these shelters. By donating to an animal shelter, you are supporting a caring industry that finds loving homes for dogs and cats in need.
#34. Have the Ashes Made into Fireworks!
Another unconventional idea to remember your pet is to have their ashes made into fireworks. You can set them off during the pet funeral as a way to celebrate their life with something exciting.
#35. Paw Print Cast in Clay
Another great idea that seems to be gaining popularity is to have a paw print cast of your deceased pet’s paw in clay. Most veterinarians will help you with this service.
#36. Frame a Favorite Picture
Something most people can do is have a favorite picture professionally framed. Most frame shops or photo developing stores offer this service, and they can even blow up a photo to a larger size.
#37. A Grave Marker
Whether you place your beloved friend to rest at a pet cemetery or in your backyard, a memorial or grave marker is something you can visit and spend time remembering your pet’s life and the joy they gave you.
#38. Turn Their Ashes Into Diamonds
You can turn the ashes of your late pet into a beautiful diamond that you can wear. Whether you want a necklace, ring, earrings, or a display diamond, this is a creative way to keep them close to you.
#39. Memorial Dog Tag
Most dogs wear dog tags. A memorial dog tag is a decorative piece that can be displayed in a shadow box or on its own. The dog tag may contain the pet’s name, years of life, or a short favorite saying or prayer.
#40. A Personalized Pillow
Much like a personalized blanket, a personalized pillow can offer the same level of comfort as you grieve the death of your furry friend. Have the pillow designed with your pet’s portrait, name, or special saying, and cozy up as you remember their life.
#41. Have a Memorial Candle Made
These memorial candles come in a special glass jar containing all the information about your cat or dog. Light the candle and take comfort as you watch the glow and remember your lost friend.
#42. A Pet Memory Box
Pet memory boxes are designed to be a place to put things like a favorite toy, their collar, or a photo inside. Memory boxes can be displayed for others to see or put in a special spot just for you to sit and remember them.
#43. Make A Pet Memorial Key Ring
One of the most used items in any house is keys. With a pet memorial key ring, you’ll have a constant reminder of how your pet touched your life. Personalized and elegantly designed, these keys will go with you wherever you go – and along with it, the memory of your pet.
#44. Have Drinking Glasses Made of Your Pet
Another interesting and creative memorial idea is to have a laser etched or engraved pet portrait on a drinking glass.
#45. Custom Memorial Coffee Mug
Similar to the drinking glass idea, you can have your pet’s portrait printed onto your favorite coffee mug. It is a way to always have your pet with you as you sip your coffee and lovingly remember them.
#46. A Custom Flower Pot in Honor of Your Pet
If your dog or cat loved to play in the backyard or garden, a custom flower pot is a great way to have their memory with you as you sit in their favorite outdoor spot admiring the flower that grows in it.
#47. Glass Bone Dog Memorial
Another decorative item is a glass bone that you can have custom-made with your pet’s name printed on it. Set it near a window to let the light shine through as it warms your heart while remembering your pet.
#48. Pet Memorial Figurines
Have a miniature porcelain figurine made in the likeness of your deceased friend. You can display them in a cabinet, on a shelf, or your table to always remember them.
#49. A Pet Photo Album
The grieving process is complex. Putting together a photo album with your favorite photos of your late pet is a great way to get through the pain of the pet loss and remember the love they gave you.
#50. Have Jewels Made from Your Pet’s Remains
An unconventional way to keep your pet close to your heart is with custom jewelry made from your pet’s remains. Typically made out of their teeth, hair, or whiskers, these jewelry pieces are a creative way to keep your pet’s love near.
#51. Snow Globe with Your Pets Ashes
Another item geared toward the Christmas holidays but can be displayed year-round. A snow globe is a unique way to remember your pet while creatively using your pet’s ashes.
#52. Wear a Memorial Crystal
A pet memorial crystal is a calming and peaceful piece of jewelry that incorporates the pet’s hair or ashes displayed within a beautiful crystal pendant.
#53. Launch Floating Lanterns
During the pet funeral or any time after you choose to celebrate the life of your pet, launching some floating lanterns into the sky is an elegant way to remember the love they gave you.
#54. Pet Memorial Video
A pet memorial video is a moving and touching way to remember your furry little friend. A videography company will take any of the footage you have of your pet and create a video compilation tribute for you and the entire family to watch whenever you miss them.
#55. Adopt a New Pet
This might seem like it’s not the best way to remember a deceased furry friend, especially if adopting a new pet happens soon after the pet owner laid their recently deceased pet to rest.
While they may not have totally come out of the grieving process, a new dog or cat can give them some help during this difficult time. It may not be the best path for everyone. Some need time to heal, some are too hurt never to adopt again, but some people just have a ton of love to give and will give that love to a new pet just as much as they did their last pet.
How to Honor Your Pet’s Memory
With so many ideas to choose from, it can be difficult to decide which one will suit the memory of your beloved pet. It is also a difficult time that you’re going through, and thinking about memorial ideas is one of the last things on your mind.
The best thing you can do is take your time, get through the grieving, and decide when you’re in a better state of mind. Dog and cat cremation can also be expensive. It may take some time before you have the funds to decide what to do with the ashes. There are so many options that are both meaningful and affordable.
The pet memorial you choose is a personal choice based on how much money you are willing to spend, how you felt about the pet, and most importantly, what the pet’s character was like. Here are a few things you can ask yourself before purchasing pet memorials.
- Was your pet an indoor, couch-loving ball of fluff? Or was the pet a sleek and sporty outdoor adventurer? Considering the pet’s lifestyle can narrow down if the memorial will be an indoor style like a picture frame or an outdoor style like a garden stone.
- Was your pet cremated? If so, you will definitely need an urn or turn them into an item like jewelry.
- Did your pet have a favorite thing they loved to do? Some pets prefer to sleep in the garden, while other pets will sleep under a big tree. Then a garden marker or wind chimes would be ideal for your pet’s memory.
A Few Other Things Worth Noting
With all these ideas, you don’t have to settle on just one way to remember your dog or cat. You can choose a few different options. Perhaps you want an urn to hold most of the ashes while the rest are turned into jewelry.
If the pet passed away in a home that will not be your final home, you should consider memorial ideas that you can take with you. Something portable will be more suitable than a permanent fixture. It is also important that you choose a memorial item that works with your surroundings. If you live in a small apartment, an item you can display on a shelf is better than an outdoor item like a grave marker.
If the family pet was taken care of by all family members, then they must have a say in how they want to remember the pet. This way, everyone’s wishes are seen, and the decision is a family one.
The Emotional Benefits of Having a Memorial
Pet memorials are essential for many who develop a strong bond with the animals in their lives. When this bond is broken, grief sets in, and many find various ways to cope with pet loss. For some, a pet is their only faithful companion in life. It is only natural that people find solace in creating a loving and lasting way to honor their fallen furry friend.
Since so many people feel the same way about their pets, several ways to honor them are made available to pet owners. So how does having a pet memorial help you?
- It can give many pet owners closure. Those who have lost a pet may feel the pain of grief longer than those that have a special way of honoring their faithful friend with a memorial.
- It can make you feel good about how you showed your appreciation for all of the love they gave you.
- It gives you a physical object you can hold, look at or wear. This gives you as a pet owner a sense of comfort, and you may even feel that the pet is still with you. It is a way of continuing your close bond with them.
- A pet memorial is meant to help you remember the pet as they once were, rather than thinking about the fact that the pet is no longer with you.
Thinking about the death of a pet is difficult, especially if the death occurs suddenly. A memorial is a perfect way to honor the pet and deal with the grief. It will constantly remind you how much you loved your furry friend.
Conclusion
Pets give us unconditional love. They protect us, play with us, and give us years of joy and happiness. A pet memorial is a touching way to keep those feelings alive long after the pet has died. Regardless of how you choose to remember your loving friend, it should be personal and give you a sense of peace as you try to go on in life without them.