Losing a pet friend — may it be a cat, dog, hamster, or bird — can be quite devastating for any animal lover. For many, it’s like losing one’s own flesh and blood, as pets provide companionship much like (or even better than) what a human can offer.
If you have recently lost your beloved pet and you want to keep his or her memories alive and vivid in your heart and mind, there are a few simple options you may choose from. These techniques work for a lot of pet owners who have lost their pet friends, and so they might work for you, too.
Here are six ways to keep your pet’s memories alive beyond death:
Preserve them
One of the best ways of keeping a vivid memory of your pet is to have an expert preserve his or her body. You can simply tap the services of a reputable taxidermist to perform the necessary steps towards life-like preservation.
This process starts right after your pet’s death, as it’s critical to prevent direct sunlight, humidity, and insects from reaching your pet’s remains and damaging their condition. If you want the best results from your planned preservation, you have to consult with your taxidermist right now to get proper advice on what to do should your pet die.
Put up a memory book
With today’s digital technology embedded in almost everything, capturing photos and videos of your pets is quick and easy. Following the death of your pet, you can start putting together a memory book that contains your fondest moments with your departed friend.
You can create an online album or print the photos instead and organize them like a scrapbook. By having a tangible repository of your pet’s memories, you can always browse it whenever you’re sad and even show it to your friends, so they can share your memories of your pet.
Have a memorial built in your yard
If you happen to have available space in your yard, you should also consider having a memorial built in honor of your beloved friend. It can be as simple as a plant that symbolizes your departed pet, a stone with your pet’s name engraved on it, or any tangible item that best reminds you of your friend.
With such a very visible symbol of your prized pet, you’ll always honor his or her memories and make the process of moving much easier with lesser pain. You can do it as a weekend project or you can simply get professionals to set up the outdoor memorial on your behalf.
Donate to or volunteer in a cause-oriented pet group
If you want your way of honoring your pet to have a deeper meaning, a great way to achieve it is to donate to a cause-oriented pet organization locally or internationally. Such a group does non-profit activities that benefit different pets, such as building a shelter or rescuing stray animals.
Additionally, you should consider lending a hand and spending your spare time doing volunteer work for similar entities. Given the current pandemic, volunteering for a local organization is the wisest choice if you’ll decide to go this path. By doing hands-on work, you’ll be honoring your pet in a more meaningful way.
Consider a tattoo
Do you wish to literally make your pet’s memories a part of you? If so, a tattoo about your pet would be the perfect answer.
You can have your pet’s name, image, or a quote that best reminds you of your dearly departed friend. You can have the tattoo placed on your chest, arm, or anywhere in your body where you can easily see it. But, since a tattoo is technically permanent, be sure to think about it several times over so you won’t end up having any regrets.
A piece of jewelry with your pet’s cremains in it
Just like in humans, pet cremation is also a real thing. If this is something that you’re okay with, then you can have your pet’s remains cremated and then tap a jewelry maker to create a custom ring, pendant, brooch, or necklace that contains a small amount of your pet’s cremains.
With such items, you’ll always have a part of your pet’s mortal remains close to you as you live.
By considering these six tips, moving on will be easier for you, and honoring your departed pet’s memories will be much, much meaningful. With your efforts, your pet will surely be happy looking at you from beyond the rainbow bridge.
