Losing a beloved pet is a painful experience for any pet lover. It’s a feeling that you wish you’d never encounter at any point of being a loving parent to your little buddy. However, it’s part of having them in your life—with hello comes goodbye, and no matter how painful it may be, life needs to go on.
Although your pet is gone and can no longer be with you in this lifetime, there are still several things you can do to keep their memories with you. Amid the grief and loss, hopefully, you can muster up the courage left in you so you can move forward. You can think of loving ways to remember your deceased pet. If you still haven’t thought of such ways, below, you’ll find some ideas that you may consider.
Prepare A Special Vessel For Your Pet’s Ashes
If you’ve decided to have your beloved pet cremated, you should also think of where you’ll be putting the ashes afterward. Most pet owners prefer to keep the ashes with them at home, where they can place them somewhere safe and memorable. If you want to do it this way, don’t forget to prepare a unique vessel where you can put the remains of your little one.
You can check out customized pet urns online, and you’ll find that there are more than enough options to choose from. They come in different shapes, sizes, types, and colors. There are cat-shaped urns for deceased cats if you want something unique for your beloved kitty. For dogs and other pets, you can consider wooden vessels that have photo box options where you can put a photo of your special companion to make the urn more memorable.
Make An Album Filled With Their Photos
You’re sure just like any other pet lover in the world—always taking snaps and videos of your little pet. Now that they’re gone, you may be wondering if you’ll just let all those photos sit in your gallery for as long as you can keep them. If you want to have their pictures in one place, why not make an album specially dedicated to your beloved pet? You can fill the album with all their photos, be it solo, with your other pets, and with you, too.
You can make the album more creative by creating something like a scrapbook. Add stickers, paper flowers, and other decorative stuff you can think of. Whenever you’re feeling down, and you miss having the pet around, you can always reach for that special album and revisit all your good memories together.
Be An Advocate For Animal Rights
Pet lovers will always have a soft spot for animals even after they’ve lost their dear pets. If you’re not ready to adopt or have a new pet again, it doesn’t mean you can no longer share the love you have for animals. You can join non-government organizations and animal protection groups as a volunteer. In doing so, you’re advocating for the rights of all the brothers and sisters of your deceased pet.
Volunteering at your local animal shelter is a good idea to make your advocacy come to life. You can also make donations to various animal charities so you can help make the lives of rescued animals happier and more comfortable.
Plant Flowers Or Trees In Their Memory
Another loving way to remember your deceased pet is by planting flowers or trees in their memory. You can choose to do so in your own garden or backyard so you can always visit the spot and spend time there when you feel like it. Or, you can also look for an organization or drive that holds tree-planting activities.
That way, your beloved pet will be remembered forever, and you can have a piece of them with you each time you’re looking at trees or flowers around you. You can almost imagine your sweet little sidekick happily running around, sniffing flowers, and embracing the cool breeze whenever you see the plants swaying to the rhythm of the wind.
Adopt A New Pet When You’re Ready
Losing a pet is traumatizing, and you may feel like you won’t ever be ready again to have a new one. However, thinking that way is almost like wasting the love and time you can give to a new pet needing a new place to call their home. You can take your time to grieve the loss of your little bud, but it doesn’t mean you’re no longer allowed to adopt again.
Just think of having a new pet as a way of remembering your deceased pet. This is, perhaps, one of the best and most loving things you can do for your best friend—being brave and taking up a new responsibility. It’ll mean that you’re ready to move on, and you’ve accepted the fact that your pet is gone for good.
Forever In Your Heart
Your favorite buddy may be gone, but their memories remain forever. Losing them is such a devastating and painful experience, but try to keep in mind that it’s only a fragment of a beautiful journey you’ve had with them. What matters most is you’ve met and made a difference in each other’s lives.
You can always remember them lovingly in different ways. Wherever they may be now, they’re looking at you with a happy and peaceful heart. And, so, you must learn to move on and be happy, too, because that’s what your pet would’ve wanted for you.
