Today’s blog is going to be a sad one as in I will be talking about the worst thing any dog lover can experience which is having to say goodbye to their beloved friend. I chose to write about this today because last week we lost a canine member of our family. She was the 3rd dog we have lost in the past year. When a dog passes away for whatever reason, some people are so upset that they may not even realise that they can be treated the same way as any member of the family, rather than just leaving them in the care of the vets after they have passed. Having a pet memorial for your dog is the perfect way to say goodbye to your best friend, and you will have somewhere or something that you can go to that you can remember them, just as you would any family member.
The loss of your best friend
For many loving dog owners losing their dog is like losing any member of the family, and they will go through the same processes of grieving as they would for a human companion. Dogs are loyal friends and companions to us. They give us unconditional love and friendship that some people don’t always get from humans. So when your dog passes away grieving for their loss is expected and totally understandable, it is still though a subject that many feel is not taken seriously especially by anyone who has never owned a pet whatever the animal may be, the saying ‘it was only a dog’ may be familiar to some of you. This makes some people feel as though they cannot mourn when their pet passes on, for fear they may be ridiculed or mocked if they allow their upset to be visible, or need to take time off work, and in reality some people can be closer to their pet than any humans they know. But know you are not alone if you find this is the case there are lots of people just like you that love their pets and want to give them the send off they deserve.
Our own loss
The reason I decided to write this piece was because we heartbreakingly lost a furry member of the family just last week, it was so devastating because she was so young, we didn’t have her for very long around 7 months, my brother rescued her at 12 months old, and he was her 3rd owner already, she was a beautiful girl so full of life, and last Tuesday she went into the vets to be spayed, it was we thought a routine operation, and we were aware there is always a risk with any medical surgeries but we thought we were doing what was best for her, she would never be having any puppies, and we thought it would save her having to go through seasons and help prevent any future health issues or diseases. Plus we had had our other girls done in the past without issues. This unfortunately wasn’t the case with Kiki and she suffered internal bleeding and was rushed to emergency vets in the early hours of the morning she did not survive. We were shocked, devastated and heartbroken, and we wanted her to be treated just the same as any other member of our family, and the dogs we have lost in the past, so we took her to a pet crematorium.
Pet crematoriums
Most times when a pet passes the vet will ask if you want them cremated etc, and they will take care of it for you but there are actually Pet crematoriums around now that will give your dog the same care as you would expect for a human and they are becoming more common. The one we go to will pick your dog up from your vet if you need them to, and you can go to see them before they are cremated. They have a chapel of rest where they are laid out so peacefully and you can spend as long as you want to with them. They also offer a place for you to lay your pet to rest and somewhere to go to mourn and remember them, the one we go to has a garden of remembrance you can go and sit there on a bench whenever you want to take flowers etc, it’s so quiet and respectful.
Or you may prefer to choose to take your dog’s ashes away with you to scatter in their favourite place or maybe you just want to keep them with you, they offer a wide choice of caskets, ornaments they can even put the ashes into a framed photograph of your dog if you prefer that, they can give you a paw print or a lock of your dog’s hair as a keepsake, whatever you want or need they can do for you, and you also have a single cremation which means it is just your dog so the ashes you get back will be purely those of your beloved friend.
There are so many options these days and you can go and talk about your dog and cry if you want to and you will never be made to feel stupid, where we took kiki they also have a remembrance book that you can have whatever message you want to put into, and you can go back and look through it at anytime. I am including a link to the pet crematorium we used and I cannot recommend them enough, as we are based in the west midlands, UK but if you are reading this anywhere else, it may give you an idea of what you can have and do for your friend, and search for the same kind of place where ever you live. http://www.prestwoodpetcrematorium.co.uk/
Other options
There are lots of ways you can remember your dog, you can get plaques and ornaments for your garden and create your own memorial where you can go out and sit have a chat to them, remember events like their birthdays etc. People wear jewelry in memory of their pets, and when I used to be a tattoo artist I have done pet portraits for people that they have had some of the ashes added to, with the internet being so popular now there are also online pet memorial websites, where you can post a memorial of your loved one add pictures, poems even light a virtual candle for them on their birthdays etc.
The main thing is do whatever makes you feel right, not what people tell you, you should be doing, at the end of the day the best place to remember them is in your heart, you will remember all the happy times you have spent together no matter how long they were with you, for a while it will be hard to even talk about them without being upset, it does get easier to carry on day to day but you will never forget them.
Kiki
Kiki was an amazing girl so full of life and energy, she wasn’t in our lives for very long but we hope the time she was she felt loved and finally got the family she truly deserved, she will always have a place in our heart as will our other past furry family members our Dogs, Ben, Shando, Pudding and Todd.
In Loving Memory Of
Kiki
16-6-2018 – 12-2-2020
This was the hardest blog I have ever written, It’s not meant to upset anyone, but to let people know that the time we have with these beautiful animals no matter how long is brief, so make every minute count, and when they time comes for you to be apart from your canine best friend, till you meet again, you’re not alone there are lots of us out there just like you, and you have lots of ways to remember your companions just chose what’s right for you. If you ever need someone to talk feel free to comment or drop me an email and I will always be here for you. Thanks for taking the time to read.
