None of us want to think about it but try as we might to avoid it, death comes to everyone. Friends, family, even cherished pets all leave our side eventually. If you’ve recently lost a beloved canine friend, and don’t know what to do with their remains or ashes, there’s no need for despair.
Below, we have some touching ideas for what you can do with your pet’s ashes that will bring you joy and honor your memory of them.
Scattered on the Wind
After you get your pet cremated at the humane society or through a company like Edenhills, take a moment to think of all the places your pet enjoyed the most. The dog park, the beach, those woods behind your house, the mountains. Wherever they loved to go, scattering their ashes will ensure a small piece of them remains there.
Or, if there’s somewhere you always wanted to take them, but never could, scattering their ashes there could be a way to bring you closure and let them experience that place. If only in spirit.
Bury the Ashes
This will, of course, depend on the state’s zoning laws, but you can bury your pet’s ashes in the backyard. This can be especially meaningful if they always loved to relax out there, or if you have other furry friends buried there to keep them company. You can even hold a memorial service for them before you bury your pet’s ashes and mark them with a gravestone.
Buy Pet Ashes Jewelry
There are many, many companies and artisans out there more than willing to work your pet’s ashes into a beautiful piece of jewelry. Whether you have the ashes compressed into diamonds or worked into a pet ashes necklace, you can carry around a piece of your beloved canine companion with you whenever you want.
Buy or Create a Piece of Art With Their Ashes
Whether you commission someone else to do it or mix the paints yourself, you can create a painting using your pet’s ashes. Artists who provide this service mix the ashes into a paint, which they then use to create a beautiful portrait of your loyal furry friend. This way, you can see a picture of their friendly face and know that a piece of them is watching over you the same way they did when they were alive.
Plant a Seed for New Growth
If you’d rather contribute to the ongoing circle of life, you can always ensure that you have a biodegradable pet ashes urn. There are many such options on the market that will let you bury your fur child’s remains for use as fertilizer for a new tree. When caring for that tree, you can reflect on all the great times you had, and think how much they’re enjoying the sprinkling water.
Keep Them At Home
This is the option that most people opt for when considering what to do with pet ashes. Your home is, after all, their home as well, and a place they’d want to be if they could still be here with you. So, by keeping them at home in a decorative urn, you can think of them and remember them each day.
Get a Memorial Tattoo
Memorial tattoos are a common practice when you lose a loved one. However, in recent years, new technologies have emerged that allow tattoo artists to use a few of your pet’s ashes in the ink. This means that your pet will be a part of you forever in more than spirit alone.
If you can withstand the pain of getting the tattoo, this can be a beautiful way to honor your close bond.
Precious Statues
If you know a local sculptor or potter, you can reach out to them to use your pet’s ashes in a statue for your yard or garden. If your pet loved spending time sunbathing in the yard, placing a statue there in remembrance of them can be a touching way to honor them.
Stained Glass Sunbathing
Did your pet always love basking in the warmth of the sun? You can honor that experience eternally by having their ashes worked into a piece of stained glass artwork that you hang in your window. Not only will this give you a gorgeous visual spectacle, but you can think of your furry friend stretching out in the sunlight for good.
Listening to a Pet’s Favorite Tunes
Turning a loved one’s ashes into a vinyl record is a recent trend, but one which allows you to memorialize their favorite song. Did your pet have a specific tune that they always jammed out to when you played it? By turning their ashes into a vinyl of that song, they can become a part of the music they always loved.
Plus, whenever you play the record, you can remember them jumping and wagging as they tippy-tapped to their favorite tune.
How Finding Ways to Use the Ashes Helps You
Finding ways to use your pet’s ashes can prove an integral part of your grieving process. This can lead you to acceptance of your pet’s passing and let you start moving on. You also won’t feel like you’ve left them alone and confused after they’ve crossed on, as, if you’re more spiritual, keeping pieces of them around lets them stay near you, always.
By finding a purpose for their ashes, you can take solace in knowing that a piece of them will remain at your side or in your heart, no matter what.
Losing a Dog Is Hard
It’s never easy when you lose a pet, especially if you’ve had them for many years. However, by finding a fitting memorial tribute for their ashes, you can honor their memory and keep them close at hand for as long as you want. It won’t make processing the loss any easier, but it will let them continue to bring you light and beauty.
If you’re looking for more articles about the fur children in your life, check out our blog daily for all the latest pet news.