6 ways to immortalize your pet

It’s a harsh but unavoidable reality that someday we’ll have to say goodbye to our pets. Pets tend to have much shorter lives than ourselves, so it’s only natural that you’ll outlive them. It might be an illness, or it could simply be old age. Saying goodbye is never easy, but there are lots of ways the memory of your pet can live on.

If you’ve recently experienced the loss of a pet or are planning for the eventuality, we’ve written this guide to give you some ideas. There are so many different ways you can preserve their memory and immortalize your pet so that you’ll never forget. Here are some of the best ways to keep the memory of your beloved pet close to you forever.

1. Have a pet portrait made

There are loads of online sites that can create a professional pet portrait for you. All you need is a good photograph of your pet, and the talented artists will be able to create an incredible keepsake you can display in your home. Online pet portrait specialists such as I Love Paws let you customize your portrait. Most services give you lots of options to choose from, including printing the image on pillows or tote bags. Make sure you get a background color that helps to make your beloved pet stand out and shows off their character.

2. Make donations to a local animal shelter

Pet and animal charities and organizations are always grateful to receive donations. This is an excellent way to remember your pet, particularly if you adopted them from an animal shelter. You’ll be helping the lives of the staff and the pets and will be able to donate in their name. This may not be a permanent reminder, but it will help you feel good after your loss. You may even want to consider volunteering if you have any free time. Animal shelters are often in need of hardworking volunteers to help take care of the animals, even if it’s only for a short amount of time.

3. Get a tattoo

Tattoos can be a permanent way of remembering something, and pet memorial tattoos are extremely popular. You can get a permanent picture of your pet tattooed on you always to remember them even when they’re gone. Lots of people also get pawprints or the names of their pets tattooed on them. If you’ve chosen to have your pet cremated, you could even add their ashes to the ink. Some people choose to have their pet’s remains permanently added to their skin by mixing the ashes into the ink used in the tattoo.

4. Plant a tree

Trees are an excellent way to remember your pet. Planting a tree in the area where your pet was buried will be a lasting reminder of how much you loved them. Over the years, you’ll see the tree grow and develop, and trees can last for hundreds of years. You can also use any plant or flowering shrub, depending on what you prefer. Make sure that you have permission to plant a tree on the land first. Otherwise, the landowner may remove it later on.

5. Get a custom tombstone

If you’ve buried your pet, you might want to buy a custom-made tombstone. You can choose from a variety of styles, colors, and sizes to help commemorate your pet. Choose which words you carve into the stone, and these words can last for decades with the proper care and upkeep. Tombstones have long been a popular way of commemorating people after they’re gone, and now they’re used by pet owners too.

6. Keep your pet’s favorite toy or item

If your pet had a favorite toy, you could choose to keep it and display it in your home. Depending on the toy or the item, you might have to preserve it or maintain it to make sure it lasts forever. Make sure to place it in a prominent place in your home where you’ll always see it and remember your pet.

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