When a beloved pet dies, it’s natural to want to find ways to memorialize them. People always want to remember the good times they shared with their pets, whether they were short-lived or lived long lives. Here are some ideas for different ways to remember your furry friends.
No matter what you choose, having something that reminds you of your pet is important. If the physical reminder helps keep your pets in your thoughts and memories, then it’s time well spent.
Fill a Frame with Their Things
One way to memorialize our beloved pets is to frame things that belonged to them like leftovers from their toys, favorite pillows or blankets, pictures of them (this can be creative; funny pictures work well), or even their food dishes. You can also put any medications they might have taken on occasion in there too, if needed. This is an especially great idea for those who aren’t taxidermists and do not want our pets taxidermied.
Use Their Tag as a Key Chain or Necklace
Their tag is the perfect size for those with smaller dogs to use as a key chain or necklace pendant. It’s even better if your pet’s name is on the back of the tag. That way, everyone knows whose beloved pet you’re carrying around with you wherever you go. For larger breeds, all you have to do is buy some large link chains, attach your pet’s ID tag to one end, and then you can use the pet’s metal ID tag as your keychain or necklace pendant.
Make a Keychain with Their Paw Print Imprinted in It
Most taxidermists have paw prints for their taxidermy pieces or people who have access to taxidermy shops. So if you want something completely different from your pet’s fur used in taxidermy pieces, you can ask them if they have any old prints that are just sitting around not being used. If they don’t mind giving it to you, they will let you have it.
Take the old taxidermy piece out of its box and take it off the back panel of the frame. Then take the old printout without tearing it, have someone color it in black (with a permanent marker), if need be, and then you can attach it to your key chain or necklace pendant using jump rings.
Personalize an Item that You Own with Them
If you don’t want to give up anything that your pet owned but still want to create a memorial of them, use one of their hairs and put it in between two pieces of glass on a picture frame or use something like wood-burning tools and make their name on something you already own. If you don’t want to give up any items your pet had, all you have to do is pull some of their furs out of the brush and use it on something you already own.
Use Your Pet’s Fur for Taxidermy
If you don’t mind spending a bit more money, this might be the way to go if you’re looking to have your pet taxidermied. It might seem challenging to part with your beloved pet’s fur at first, but many options are available that most people have never even considered before.
Maybe one option has your pet’s name or some initials put somewhere on them so that they look personalized instead of having their name tattooed on them. If you don’t want to do this for whatever reason, I’ve seen one idea is simply using different parts of your pet’s fur in other taxidermy pieces. This is incredibly cool if you have more than one dog or cat.
Create a Memorial Scrapbook
You can also try making your scrapbook with all the great memories you’ve shared with them. Include pictures of their favorite chew toys, things they used to sleep on, etc. If they liked to ride in the car with you wherever you went, be sure to include some ticket stubs from where you went as well as some photos taken while you were there. You can even put together DVDs full of home videos that show how much fun the two of you had together. Make it into whatever art form makes the most sense to you.
Do Whatever Is Comfortable for You
If you feel like doing something else entirely, don’t feel obligated to follow in anyone else’s footsteps. Just do whatever makes the most sense to you when it comes right down to it. If your pet hasn’t even passed yet but is just sick and not expected to live much longer, then take pictures of them every day until they’re gone. That way, when they are gone, you can still remember how much fun you had with them up until their last breath. Again, if there are multiple pets in the picture, make sure everyone gets a chance in the spotlight before they leave us too soon. Take lots of pictures while making memories because nothing lasts forever except our love for our furry friends.
There is no wrong or right way for us to memorialize our furry loved ones. Do what’s best for you and your family, not anyone else. Follow your heart and do what you feel is best for all the hard work we put into caring for our pets as well as the memories they’ve given us.
