How To Plan A Memorial Service For Your Pet

Pets are important members of the family. That friendly face, always there to pick you up when you’re feeling blue or just cuddle up with on a cold night. Unfortunately though, our furry friends won’t be with us for the longevity of our lives and sooner or later we must prepare for a decline in our pet’s health and passing.

While hard to accept, experiencing loss is an inevitable part of owning a pet. But knowing this doesn’t make the grieving process any easier. No matter how prepared you are, saying goodbye to your beloved companion an incredibly difficult task.

While holding a pet memorial service may appear as a new concept, some experts believe that holding a service for your pet can help the whole family deal with the loss of your treasured friend. As such, to help ease this process, we have compiled a list of 5 things you can do to prepare the perfect send-off.

Preparing a Graveside Service

If you decide that you want to cremate or bury your pet in a special plot in the backyard, you might want to hold a graveside burial service.  This service creates the perfect opportunity to celebrate the life of your furry BFF. You can either choose to organize a simple ceremony with your family or hold a proper service inviting your close friends and their animal companions.

Sharing Stories

Telling stories about your departed friend will give you an opportunity to share your feelings and add some lightness to your service.  You can choose to recall a couple of brief memories with your pet or share the story of how you first met.

Remembering your pet through these stories will enable you to make peace with your loss and know that your memories are ever-lasting.

Create a Memorial Video

If you wanted to capture the spirit of your pet or have something to look back on, you can compile some photos and short videos into a memorial display. This display will offer a wonderful way to reminisce about your pal and will help diminish the service’s somber tone.

Final Goodbye

It’s hard to say the last goodbye. That’s why the ending of your ceremony should be special. Instead of just verbalizing the words ‘farewell’, consider a more symbolic send-off. This act could be as simple as lighting a candle and releasing a lantern, or more sentimental by spreading their ashes over their favorite spot.

Keep Their Memory Alive

Even though our pets can’t be with us forever, that doesn’t mean we can’t keep their memory alive. If you have buried or even cremated your animal friend, you can install a special memorial space or marker to keep their memory alive. You can use your pet’s favorite toy or collar to create a grave marker that feels more personal to you.

Otherwise, you can choose to commemorate the life of our pet with a gravestone or precious cremation urn. Both a gravestone and keepsakes can be customized to reflect your pet’s personality or just simply feature their name and photograph. No matter what you select, memorializing your departed companion is a beautiful way to create a lasting legacy for your pal.