Pet Memorials from the Heart Blog

When a loved one passes, it is customary for someone to give a eulogy during the memorial ceremony. There’s something about verbally remembering the life of our loved one that helps us bring a sense of closure. For those of us who love our pets, losing a pet can be just as painful as losing a family member; for that reason, it is not so far-fetched that a pet eulogy can bring a sense of comfort.

A pet eulogy can be a simple written reflection, or it can be spoken as part of a memorial ceremony. If you are preparing a eulogy for your pet, or perhaps doing the honors on behalf of a friend who has lost a pet, here are some tips to help you through the process.

FOCUS ON POSITIVE MEMORIES

The focus of a memorial is not so much to remember death, but to remember life; try to bring in memories of the happy times, funny events that happened with the pet, fond and favorite memories. Anything amusing is fair game if it is tastefully shared. There’s truth in the statement that laughter is good medicine, and stories that make you and others smile or laugh can bring much-needed comfort.

REFLECT ON THE PET’S LIFE

Beyond fun stories and fond memories, talk about the pet’s character and qualities in your pet eulogy.  What kind of dog/cat was he/she? Talk about things like loyalty, friendliness, protectiveness, and any other honorable traits.

BE HONEST WITH EMOTIONS

It’s okay to admit that it’s difficult to deal with the loss, and that you are saddened by the passing of a friend.  It may bring a few tears, but those tears are cleansing.

EXPRESS THANKS

A pet is a gift, and the time we have with a pet is a gift.  It is honorable to include some form of thanks, whether to the pet itself, or to God for the life of the pet—whatever your belief system allows, just give an acknowledgment of thanks for the gift.

There’s no specific right or wrong way to prepare a pet eulogy; whatever lends meaning and brings comfort is “right.” Use these tips as guidelines, but most of all, follow your heart.

Pet loss experts tell us that a pet memorial can help us with processing the grief of losing a pet—and gauging from the many memorial options avialable on the Internet, a lot of people feel the same way about it. It’s important to do something that is meaningful to you, but we believe that the purpose of a pet memorial is to memorialize life, rather than death.  The Loving Hearts Tribute Series is designed to do just that, and if you allow it to do so, your Loving Hearts Pet Memorial can help turn your sorrow back to joy.  Here are some reasons why:

1. The Loving Hearts Tribute paintings are abstract heart-themed pieces that speak at a more emotional level, rather than serving as a direct reminder of loss. Grave markers, cremation urns, or simple pet portraits done as memorials can inadvertently remind you of loss.  You cannot replace your pet, but the good feelings and memories you have of your friend can never be taken from you.  Our pieces are designed to evoke those feelings of love and joy in remembrance, not remind you of loss.
2. Including your pet’s cremains in the final layer of your special Loving Hearts painting is a subtle way of allowing your pet to live on in an inspirational piece of art—without being gaunt or indiscreet.  Your pet’s presence in the artwork is not readily noticeable—in fact, you don’t even have to tell the secret unless you want to.  What’s important is that you will know your pet is a part of that artwork, something that continues to bring joy and inspiration long after your pet’s life is over.  That alone can be a very healing thought.
3. The presence of your pet’s remains in the artwork makes your Loving Hearts Tribute painting a truly unique piece of art.  Not only are you receiving a limited-edition, numbered giclee print, but your pet’s remains make it a one-of-a-kind piece, as unique as your dog, cat or bird was in life. The very fact that the artwork hanging in your home is different than any other art piece in the world brings honor to your pet and can bring inspiration in the midst of grief.

And really, this is what makes the Loving Hearts Tribute Series unique among the various ways you can memorialize your pet. Because our pieces celebrate the uniqueness of your pet in life and love, they are reminders of the happy times, and are designed to help turn your sorrow to joy.