Remembering Fido: Ways to Honor Pets Who Crossed the Rainbow Bridge
Losing a pet that holds a special place in your life cuts deep into the heart. They are more than just pets – they are part of the family who keeps you sane and happy, and provides you company when you’re distressed and lonely. With a relationship this complex, feeling morose is normal.
According to
Positive Impressions, LLC, a company that creates sympathy cards for veterinarians, there is nothing wrong with remembering a faithful friend. Here are some ways you can honor the memory of your pet who has just crossed the rainbow bridge:
Memorial Seeds and Pet Jewelry
Some stores offer memorial seed packs and clay paw kits. These packs contain paw-shaped sheets made from plantable seed paper. You may plant the sheet under thin soil near your pet’s grave, water it daily, and wait for beautiful wildflowers to grow. Paw kits, meanwhile, allow you to stamp your pet’s paws on a soft modeling compound, then engrave their birth date and the end of their life.
Cremation jewelry has long been around to pay homage to a deceased relative or significant other. Today, grieving owners may also carry some of their beloved pet’s ashes in a locket.
Have a Trip Down Memory Lane
One way to engrave memories of your pet in your heart and mind is to sit, take a deep breath, and have a trip down memory lane. Choose a “starting point” in your relationship – the day you took them home from the shelter, for instance. Wherever you choose to begin, allow your thoughts to freely flow and for memories to come rushing to you.
You may write your pet a letter, and look through their photos to prompt your memory. You may even invite friends to share happy recollections of your pet.
Some people feel apprehensive about
grieving their beloved pet. They feel that the grief associated with the loss of a pet should be something borne in silence. A disenfranchised grief, however, may not be healthy if you’re looking towards starting your road to recovery.
For you to start accepting your baby’s loss, you need to acknowledge it broadly. It doesn’t always have to be a lonely process – you may choose to remember the full, happy parts of your pet’s short life.
