If you’ve recently lost a pet, one meaningful way to honor the life of your special friend, particularly during the holiday season, is to make a donation to a pet charity as pet remembrance. Animal rescue groups, research organizations and other non-profit groups are always in need of funds, and sometimes these groups see donations drop off during the holidays. Here are some ideas for how and where you can give.
Try to select an organization that has a connection to your pet. For example, if you adopted your pet from a local shelter, it is perfectly fitting to give a donation to that shelter in your pet’s name. If your pet died due to an illness, you might search for an organization dedicated to finding a cure for that illness, and make a donation there.- Look for ways to maximize your donation. You might find one or more pet charities in your area that are having a fundraising drive during the holidays, with someone who promises to match donations up to a certain amount. This is an effective way to double your gift.
- Give in a way that brings meaning to you. You might feel right about making a one-time, larger donation to a charity, or you might make a monthly pledge for awhile, perhaps setting aside the amount you once spent on your pet’s monthly care and expenses and making a donation from that.
- If you did not lose a pet, but you know someone who has, you might consider making a donation on your friend’s behalf.
Why should you consider giving to a charity in memory of a pet? First of all, it’s a great way to “pay it forward”, to essentially give thanks for the life of your pet, and to help other animals in need. Second, many people find that making such a donation is a way to bring closure, comfort and healing for the grief, because it’s a way to turn loss into something truly helpful to others. By honoring your special friend with a special donation to help other pets, you can extend the blessing of your pet’s life by touching the lives of others.
November 18th, 2010
admin
There are many different ways for remembering your pet when he/she passes away. Unfortunately, many of the traditional memorials serve more as a reminder of death than of life. We at the Loving Hearts Tribute Series have a different view of pet memorials, and that’s why we choose to offer original heart-themed artwork as an alternative to cremation urns or headstones.
Remembering your pet with art is a great way to memorialize your pet. Here are some reasons why we think so.
- Art is inspirational. When someone views a great work of art, it evokes emotions and provokes thought. Artwork can also encourage conversation as to its meaning, especially when the art is abstract. When your pet memorial is a piece of art, and someone views it on display in your home, it can give you an opportunity to tell the story of your pet.
- Art celebrates life rather than death. This is true even when death is depicted in the art (which our paintings do not depict), because creativity itself is an act of the living, not the dead. When we create art in memory of your pet, we are preserving your pet’s memory in something creative, and in a way, it helps your pet live on within the artwork as well. In particular, our heart-themed artwork is specifically intended to celebrate the life of pets, not mourn their deaths.
- Art-related memorials are unique expressions. Not only is art itself a unique way to memorialize your pet, but when original artwork is created in your pet’s honor, it makes a statement about how unique your pet was, also. Traditional memorials do not do this; a headstone is a headstone. We like the idea of memorial artwork because it truly says each pet is one-of-a-kind. (This is why we add some of your pet’s cremains into the final coat of the painting. When we do, your painting becomes unlike any other in the whole world.)
These are just some of the benefits of remembering your pet with art. By taking this approach to our pet memorials, we believe and hope that it serves as an agent of healing while doing honor to the life of your special friend.
Regardless of what some might say, it’s natural for us to grieve the loss of our pets. What we might not realize, however, is that the healing process is helped along when we celebrate the life of that pet, rather than just mourn its passing.
If you’ve ever lost a family member, like I have, you know the loss of a pet can feel a lot like that. And just like grieving a family member, dealing with grief over losing a dog, cat, bird or other pet you loved is a healthy thing. In fact, it’s UN-healthy not to grieve.
However, there was a lot more to that pet than just its final moments; it lived a full life, giving you lots of joy, laughter and love. That’s a truth worth celebrating, and focusing on those moments of joy can help with the grieving. Here are just a few ways you could creatively celebrate the life of your pet:
- Hold a pet wake. There might be something to this Irish-Catholic tradition. While wakes are associated with funerals, they have evolved over time into a party in remembrance of the deceased. This kind of party would be most effective with a family pet, where there are several family members and friends whose lives were impacted by the pet. Consider throwing a pet wake that focuses on recalling fond memories.
- Join a cause. Often, people who lose a loved one to a particular disease or a preventable tragedy (e.g., drunk driving) find healing by becoming activists to find a cure for that disease (or, as the case may be, a remedy for injustice). It obviously won’t apply in all cases, but if your pet died due to a disease or a preventable tragedy, there might be a foundation dedicated to stopping that fate from befalling other pets. You can celebrate your pet’s life by working with a cause relevant to your pet.
- Memorialize your pet with something joyful. Beyond just a grave marker or cremation urn, which only serve as reminders of death, some people opt to memorialize a pet through artistic pet memorials. This is exactly what the Loving Hearts Tribute Series was intended to do. Art serves to inspire and stir our souls, and by including your pet’s cremains in a work of art, you allow that pet to be part of something new and joyful, something that serves as a reminder of life.
It’s both acceptable and healthy to grieve over losing a pet. Embrace that moment, but don’t stay there indefinitely. Your pet’s life is a life worth celebrating, and when you do it, you honor your pet’s memory while helping to heal your own heart.
