September is Pet Memorial Month. Losing a beloved animal friend can be incredibly painful. In fact, some people experience the same level of grief and loss as they would after losing a person they were close to. A local Saginaw, MI vet offers some tips on how to memorialize a beloved pet in this article.

Living Memorials

Bushes, flowers, plants, and trees are all wonderful living memorials. If you don’t own your property, you can get a houseplant or an enclosed ecosystem. You can also add a customized garden stone or plant pot to the area.

Commissioned Art

Consider hiring a local artist to turn a beloved photo into a painting. There are also companies that offer this as a service, with the option of having your pet’s ashes mixed into the paint. Another option is to hire someone to digitally enhance a photo of your pet. For instance, one couple had the image of their dog incorporated into a photo of them throwing his ashes into the lake. The pup was added as a reflection in the water, creating a stunning and unique piece.  

Memorial Jewelry

There are now many different ways to turn a beloved pet’s cremains into something beautiful. Some of the options include necklaces, crystals, and suncatchers.

Scrapbooks

Scrapbooking is one of the most popular ways of collecting memories. One benefit of this is that you can have all your favorite photos in one place. You can also include things like medical records, small toys, and/or collars. If you have children, they could also add drawings, poems, or stories of their own. This is also a wonderful way to help kids cope with and process the loss themselves.

Photo Collages

You don’t have to go all-out with pet memorials: simply framing a favorite photo may serve. A collage is also a great option. If you don’t have much room, or want to keep things simple, you can upload your favorite photos into a digital frame. You can also hang your furry friend’s collar over the frame if you like.

Donations

While no other animal will ever be quite like your furry pal, there are far too many sweet, lovable pets in shelters, just hoping someone will adopt them. If you aren’t quite ready for another pet, consider donating to or volunteering at a shelter.  

If you’ve recently lost a pet, please accept condolences from all of us at Veterinary Health Center, your Saginaw, MI veterinary hospital, anytime.