THE PASSING of a pet can be a heart-aching loss, especially for owners habituated to their adaptable, affectionate and interactive companions. Memorializing a furry friend with a plaque or memento gives distressed owners solace, like anyone mourning a lost friend or family member. In addition to specialized urns and memorial plaques, some companies offer innovative ideas to send a loved one over the Rainbow Bridge.
A Personal Touch
Customization plays well in this category because every pet, especially a recently deceased one, lives uniquely in its owner’s heart. Pet parents looking to remember their dear friends want a distinct and personal item, something that reminds the world that Mr. Rumples left an important imprint on the world. Consider these individualized items to help pet parents through the hard times.
Memory Buckets
Froodle
Selling Point: Customized with a portrait, these miniature hope chests give grieving owners a collection of memories, like collars, leashes or toys.
Best For: Thoughtful collectors seeking a memorial that blends into home decor.
froodle.us, (732) 996-1286
Solid Metal Paw Print
Pet-Paw
Selling Point: A one-of-a-kind paw print cast in molten bronze, brass, copper or aluminum.
Best For: Grieving owners looking for a durable and permanent memorial.
pet-paws.com, (509) 715-7238
Digital Pet Video Compilations
I Love My Pet Video
Selling Point: Preserve pet memories with a montage or video with personalized details.
Best For: Pet owners who want a living memory, even if it is digital.
ilovemypetvideo.com, (847) 212-5742
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Dust to Dust
Some owners will sprinkle Sprinkle’s remains along the Hudson River while others prefer to keep cremains close to home. Though it might lead to a few more trips to the tissue box, pet owners can keep a small amount of their pet with them at all times with fanciful urns and simple, decorative boxes.
Peaceful Cat
Rainbow Bridge Urns
Selling Point: Trimmed in silver and handcrafted in Poland, this wooden box offers a simple home for cremains topped with a tranquil image for grieving owners.
Best For: Cat owners with minimalist but refined tastes.
rainbowbridgeurns.com, (877) 268-2912
White Contemporary Cat Brass Cremation Urn
Perfect Memorials
Selling Point: A sculpted design meant for pets 15 pounds or less before cremation.
Best For: Cultured owners with serene taste.
perfectmemorials.com, (800) 979-8767
The Living Urn for Pets
The Living Urn
Selling Point: Includes a biodegradable urn, ash neutralizers, growth mix, wood chips and planting instructions.
Best For: Nature lovers who like the idea of growing a living memory from their pets’ cremated remains.
thelivingurn.com, (800) 495-7022
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Precious Memories
Grieving can be expressed both physically and psychologically, and some pet owners want to memorialize their lost loved ones with shiny baubles and semiprecious stones. A special gem or amulet lets pet owners keep cremains very close to the heart, and they also make lovely bereavement and sympathy gifts as well. Memorial jewelry is great for those looking to create keepsakes for everyone who knew the dearly departed.
Sterling Silver Cat with Bird Pendant
Dazzling Paws Jewelry
Selling Point: This ornament evokes the friendliness of a cat, outstretching its arm to interact with a feathered friend.
Best For: Grieving cat owners looking for an engravable option.
dazzlingpawsjewelry.com, (715) 345-1314
Wood Heart with Paws Urn Pendant
Everlasting Memories
Selling Point: Imprinted with a paw print and capped with a silver-plated bail to protect the cremains within.
Best For: Bereaved pet owners who want to save the cremains in a natural keepsake.
evrmemories.com, (877) 723-4242
Night Swirl Glass Pendant
Beyond The Urn, a division of Spirit Pieces
Selling Point: The bubble glass pendant necklace incorporates a small amount of ash into the borosilicate glass matrix.
Best For: Pet owners willing to temporarily part with some of their cat’s cremains.
beyondtheurn.com, (914) 924-5120
This article originally appeared in the March-April 2017 edition of PETS+.