The experience of losing and having to bury a pet is nothing short of traumatic. After all, pets are a part of your family and many people feel the loss every bit as much as they do if they lose a person in their life. For this reason, many people opt to plan memorial services and funerals for their pets, to honor and share their pet’s life and loss with the people around them. This is a critical step in the healing process.
When planning a pet memorial ceremony, there are many small details to consider, including aspects of the burial. Many people choose to use pet headstones to formally mark the grave of their beloved pet. Pet headstones and pet grave markers are readily available and can be personalized to reflect specific characteristics of your pet’s life and personality.
However, beyond what you carefully choose to have engraved on the headstone, there are many other things you can do to make the pet headstone more meaningful during the pet memorial ceremony. Similar to human grave markers, there are a number of creative things you can do to further personalize your pet’s grave marker.
During the service, place some of your favorite framed pictures around the headstone as well as a smattering of your pet’s favorite toys and trinkets. Drape your pet’s favorite blanket over the headstone for the service or bring your pet’s favorite kennel or bedding to place alongside the grave site. Many people choose to light an eternity candle for the service as a symbol of their pet’s eternal life. Some pets even enjoy music, so you can play their favorites during the pet memorial ceremony. You can do as much – or as little – as you feel comfortable doing for your pet memorial service. The point is to convey as much of your pet’s personality as possible through the service and decoration of the pet headstone.
Post-service, you can place fresh flowers on your pet’s grave on a regular basis. However, it is not advisable to leave anything graveside that will spoil or deteriorate when left outdoors over a long period of time. Anything that you leave graveside should be as natural as possible, which is why flowers are the best and most common options for headstone decor. Each pet cemetery will have their rules for what you’re able to leave graveside so be sure to check with them. They do all vary. Keep this in mind when deciding where you will permanently lay your pet to rest and weigh all of the pros and cons carefully. Some pet cemeteries will provide you with their own lanterns or electric candles that they will also maintain for you.
Again, decorating your pet’s grave marker is specific to your own personal tastes and style. You should do whatever makes you feel comfortable and honors your pet with dignity. The point of the service is to remember how much love and joy your pet brought into your life, therefore everything you do to prepare for it should reflect that same range of emotion.