There are no words for the grief of losing a pet—but creating a memorial to keep them with you in spirit can help ease your pain. Whether it’s a physical keepsake, a goodbye ritual, or something else entirely, there are so many ways to memorialize a beloved pet after they’re gone. This list of pet memorials is just the beginning—pet parents tend to go all-out when it comes to honoring their furry friends.
Consider these memorial ideas to carry your pet’s memory with you into the next chapter of your life.

1Plan a Memorial Service
A sensitive, personalized pet funeral ceremony can bring loved ones together to recall happy memories of your pet, offering a sense of closure to the grieving process. It can be held whenever your family is ready, and what you do at your service is entirely up to you. Pet memorial services often include:
- Displays of photos of your pet
- Time allotted for loved ones to say a few words to the group about what the pet meant to them
- Burial of the pet’s remains or scattering of their ashes
A sensitive, personalized pet funeral ceremony can bring loved ones together to recall happy memories of your pet, offering a sense of closure to the grieving process. It can be held whenever your family is ready, and what you do at your service is entirely up to you. Pet memorial services often include:
- Displays of photos of your pet
- Time allotted for loved ones to say a few words to the group about what the pet meant to them
- Burial of the pet’s remains or scattering of their ashes
If you plan a burial, adding farewell messages or charms into the casket or box, or wrapping the pet in a cherished blanket, can add meaning to the ceremony. You can also find or make a grave marker or plant a tree on the grave.
But burials are just one of many ways to lay your pet to rest. Some pet parents opt for cremation, keeping their pet’s ashes in an urn or scattering them in a meaningful location. Other pet parents choose taxidermy, or even mummification. Remember: Just like there’s no wrong way to grieve, there’s no wrong way to commemorate your pet’s life.

2Create a Memory Box
Creating a keepsake box of your pet’s favorite things to display in your home is a popular way to memorialize the love you shared. Common mementos to display in a memory box include:
- their collar
- their ID tags
- their favorite toys
- a favorite photo of them

3Hang a Memorial Frame

4Create an Online Memorial
After the loss of a pet, you may feel compelled to tell the whole world about how wonderful they were. You can do just that by creating an online memorial. Online memorials provide a virtual gathering place for family and friends all over the world, which can be comforting if you’re living far from your loved ones. Check out these sites that offer online memorials:

5Plant a Tree or Flowers in Their Honor

6Make a Collage or Scrapbook

7Get a Tattoo

8Create a Gratitude List
You’ve probably heard of people making bucket lists for their pets, where they do special activities as part of their end-of-life plans before a pet dies. But many pet parents also find gratitude lists to be helpful after their pet has passed.
In this exercise, you make a list of the things you did together with your pet. It can help you realize just how full your pet’s life was—and whenever you’re missing them, you can read through the list to remember the good times.

9Remember Your Pet on Social Media
Many pet parents post an obituary to their Facebook, Instagram or other accounts, with photos of their pet and a few words about what they’ve meant to them. It’s a healthy way to express your grief, and it also has another, more practical benefit: It’s a lot easier to make one social media post than to call all your friends individually to tell them about the loss.
Plus, it can help you feel less alone. After all, you’re not likely to get a sympathy card from all your friends in the mail, but you’ll probably get a comment expressing their sympathy or sharing a memory about your pet from them online.

10Make Paw Print Art

11Place a Memorial Stone in Their Favorite Outdoor Spot

12Wear a Piece of Memorial Jewelry

13Make a Donation in Their Name to an Animal Shelter

14Hang Memorial Wind Chimes

15Commission a Custom Pet Portrait

16Keep a Lock of Their Fur

17Make a Keepsake From Their Fur

18Light a Memorial Candle

19Carry Them on Your Keychain

20Hang a Personalized Ornament on Your Christmas Tree
Losing a pet is hard—but you’re not alone.
The post 20 Loving Ways to Memorialize Your Pet After They’re Gone appeared first on BeChewy.