The  Dog Paw Print Devotion Garden Stone by Evergreen Enterprises is a beautiful pet memorial that can double as a gift for someone whose dog died. I actually saw the same quote in a human obituary this morning: “If love could have saved you, you would have lived forever.”

A Personalized Pet Memorial Stone that sits in your garden or on your desk or bookcase might be a lovely way to remember your dog or cat.

Here, pet owners describe how they immortalized their beloved dogs and cats. They share different types of pet memorials, ranging from urns of cat ashes to dog toy inventions.

7 Beautiful Pet Memorials and Gifts

Video of a pet memorial service. “I firmly believe in holding some sort of memorial service for a pet,” says Pam Vetter. “It doesn’t have to be large or expensive. It can be only immediate family at home – but a funeral or memorial helps us honor a life lived, whether it was a human or a pet.” You can videotape your pet’s memorial service, and watch on your dog or cat’s special anniversaries or birthdays. Vetter also says that full funeral services officiated by clergy are offered by some pet cemeteries. “While I think this is a good service, not everyone can afford thousands of dollars in pet funerals. But, everyone can do something smaller in their own home – whether it’s lighting a candle in remembrance or framing a photo of the pet. The best thing to do is say good-bye to your dog or cat with a smile.”

Online pet memorials or tributes. “Online pet memorials, which are becoming common on the internet,” says Vetter. “People post a photo and a little life story about the pet. I’ve read many wonderful tributes to dogs who served as family companions, along with cats who curled up in a child’s bed every night for many years. Part of the healing process when you’re grieving pet loss is sharing stories and remembering the pets we love.”

Urns of your dog ashes. “What helped me with the loss of my cat, Pepper, is having her ashes,” says Diahna Husbands. “A company by the name of Heavenly Days gave me her ashes and made a paw print mold. I keep the ashes and mold on my mantel piece. My computer icon is also of my cat, so I always remember her when I log in. I have not gotten a new pet yet. I am not quite ready to move on my cat has been with my family for over 16 years, so it might just take me a little longer to get over my grief.”

Coping with pet loss is especially difficult when you’re dealing with guilty feelings after your dog or cat dies.

A special pet memorial spot in your home. “When our two very old cats, Harry and Blackie, had to be put down from illness, we did three things,” says Ian. “First, my wife and I thought it was important that the house not be empty of an animal presence. We adopted two rescue kittens who were so lively and crazy as kittens are that they occupied our time. Second, we created a picture memorial for Harry and Blackie. We put out framed photos on a library table and we remember them in happy times, though we still feel a lot of sadness that they’re gone. Finally, as way of honoring the memory, I put a picture of Blackie on the cover of my first collection of fiction, Hunger and Other Stories. In the picture, he’s on a patch of carpet and I know that any second, he’s coming over to sit in my lap”. – Ian Randall Wilson.

A special spot outside in the yard – with a pet memorial stone. “Our seven year old dog died very suddenly two years ago,” says Meagan Farrell. “We were all heart broken. We planted a rose bush in our dog’s honor and put a plaque by it to memorialize it. When our family heard what we had done, they all sent us more rose bushes. Now we have “Bailey’s rose garden.” Also, our daughter was only five at the time, so to help her cope, we got a balloon and released it ‘up to Bailey in heaven.’ This helped her to process the loss of our beloved pet.”

The Spoontiques No Longer by My Side Step Stone pictured is a beautiful memorial stone for a dog.

A dog toy invention. “We had a cat for 19 years and it was terrible when we had to put him down. My therapy for the past four years has been to invent a toy cat that sounds and feels like a real purring cat. My husband says it has been the most expensive grieving process he could imagine. I tried to turn my family’s grief into something that can provide joy to others who never experienced owning the perfect cat.” – Vivian Hoard.

Memory gifts for pets, such as books, journals, or photo albums. To remember her pet and cope with pet loss,  Diana Scimone wrote a series of books about a traveling dog.” Adventures With PawPaw features a little dog who travels to a different country in each book, introducing young kids to other countries and cultures,” says Diana. “So far PawPaw has visited China , France , and Costa Rica – and is packing his bags for Kenya , Italy , Egypt , Israel , and other spots.”

“Grief is like the ocean; it comes on waves ebbing and flowing. Sometimes the water is calm, and sometimes it is overwhelming. All we can do is learn to swim.” ~ Vicki Harrison.

And sometimes swimming through grief involves life rafts or life jackets — which is what pet memorials are.

If you’re struggling to cope with pet loss, you may find Letting Go of an Animal You Love helpful. It’s my ebook; I share 75 tips from veterinarians, pet owners, and even pet psychics on coping with pet loss.

Do you have any thoughts on remembering your pet, pet memorials, or gifts for lost pets? Please comment below…