Losing a furry friend is one of the most difficult things any pet owner will go through, so when it comes to honouring their memory, pet memorial gifts will give you something to cherish. As you navigate through all the emotions that grief brings, these pet gifts will serve as a reminder of the special bond you shared with your beloved fluffy bestie.
The death of a pet can feel as difficult as the passing of any human loved one, after all, they’re a member of your family, too. Even though you know that passing over the rainbow bridge means that your pet is at peace and free from pain and suffering, it doesn’t make it any easier to say goodbye. There’s no wrong or right way to grieve the loss of your pet, but once you find room in your heart for healing and remembrance, pet memorial gifts can help to keep the memory of your four-legged friend alive.
Best pet memorial gifts at a glance:
• Best pet memorial photo frame: Pearhead Pet Keepsake Frame Collar – View on Amazon UK
• Best pet memorial marker: Personalised Dog Cat Memorial Grave Marker – View on Not On The Highstreet
• Best pet memorial portrait: MASTERSCreative Personalised Watercolour Pet Portrait – View on Etsy UK
From personalised gifts like photo frames and engraved keepsakes to pet portraits and meaningful jewellery, there are many different gifts available that serve to commemorate your furry friend and the special bond you had together. Even if you personally haven’t lost a pet, giving one of these gifts to a friend or loved one, who is going through a tough time since their little ball of fluff passed away, will show them that you care. Here are some of the best pet memorial gifts we’ve found to cherish in memory of your paw-fect pal.
Best pet memorial gifts
Best pet memorial photo frame
Pearhead/AmazonHonour pets that have crossed the rainbow bridge by keeping their collar and photo on display in this Pearhead Pet Keepsake Frame Collar. It has an attached easel and triangle hanger for easy displaying so you can pop it up on a bookcase or sideboard and proudly display the memorial of your furry friend.
Customer review: "Great for my baby that passed away. Ideal size for cat or dog. Picture space too and the finish looks great."
Best pet memorial marker
Sprinkled With Magic/Not On The Highstreetwww.notonthehighstreet.com
Mark the spot in your garden where you can go and pay respects to your pet with this Personalised Dog Cat Memorial Grave Marker from Not On The Highstreet. There is a stake attached so that it can be placed in the garden or in a planter to remember your furry friend.
Customer review: "This memorial was exactly what we wanted as we were trying to find something appropriate for a memorial for our beloved cat Darcy who was sadly taken so early in his life. Absolutely fitting. Thank you very much for your prompt response to our request."
Best pet memorial portrait
MASTERSCreative/Etsywww.etsy.com
Capture your pet's likeness forever with a personalised watercolour painting. You can choose from different size options and display types, from A5 to A2 in frames and canvas to digital downloads that you can print off yourself to fit a frame of your choice. You can also see a proof before it's printed to make sure you're happy with it before it's sent to you.
Customer review: "One of the best things I’ve ever ordered! We lost our family Spaniel back in October and as a gift to my parents, I ordered a portrait. Paul was absolutely amazing and sent us through the picture to confirm we liked it before posting. We loved it so much, I’ve ordered one of my little pup! Delivery was so quick and it came packaged neatly so no damage! (We ordered without a frame)."
Best pet memorial necklace
YourLuckGifts/Etsywww.etsy.com
Bring a reminder of your beloved furry bestie with you wherever you go with the YourLuckGifts Paw Print Necklace. You can capture their paw, claws, nose or any other detail that is unique to them as a reminder of just how one-of-a-kind your pet was.
Customer review: "Couldn't be happier with the product! After my girl crossed the rainbow bridge I wanted something so she could be with me all the time without wearing her ashes and this was perfect!"
Best pet memorial plaque
QbearUK/Etsywww.etsy.com
Treasure your pet's memory for years to come with the QbearUK Photo and Message Pet Memorial Slate/Plaque. It can be used to mark your pet's final resting place or as part of a memorial garden where you can go and reflect on special times spent with them.
Customer review: "Loved my purchase, lovely memory of our loved dog. Packaging was also so professional and the little note card sentiment was a lovely touch. Thank you"
Best glass pet memorial gift
CumbriaCrafts/Etsywww.etsy.com
To mark your pet crossing over the rainbow bridge, you can get this Rainbow Pawprint Fused Glass Heart. Each heart is unique due to the mixing of the melted glass and can be used as a paperwhite or mounted into a frame to display it pride of place in your home.
Customer review: "Absolutely stunning fused heart, in memory of our beautiful greyhound Noah. Thank you so much."
Best pet memorial gift for a friend or loved one who's lost a pet
Angel & Dove/Not On The Highstreetwww.notonthehighstreet.com
It can be hard to know what to say to a friend or loved one who's lost their little bundle of fluff, with the 'Memories Of A Beloved Dog' Boxed Sympathy Gift you can let the gift do the talking to let them know you're thinking of them. It features a warm and comforting vanilla oil candle featuring the words 'memories of a beloved dog live in our hearts forever' as a porcelain heart keepsake.
Best wearable urn pet memorial gift
Mylee London/Not On The Highstreetwww.notonthehighstreet.com
Keep your late pet with you wherever you go with this Personalised Heart Pet Urn Ashes Necklace. The pendant unscrews so you can fill it with the ashes of your beloved pet so you can keep them forever close to your heart. It also comes with the option to engrave it with your pet's name and dates.
Customer review: "Lovely item, solidly made."
Best pet memorial key ring
Batiyeer/AmazonThe words on the Batiyeer Remembrance Keychain will bring you comfort and sympathy when you're feeling sad. Whether you've lost a dog, cat, rabbit or hamster, the Batiyeer Remembrance Keychain can be carried anywhere to symbolise the enteral love you have for your furry friend.
Customer review: "Such a beautiful poem, the words brought tears to my eyes. This key ring is such a special gift and reminder of our special fluffy babies. Very delicate and cute design, would highly recommend along side a key ring picture of your fur baby."
Best pet memorial Pandora charm
Pandora
If you've already got a Pandora bracelet, the Hearts & Paw Print Dangle Charm will be the paw-fect addition to remember your fluffy friend. Hand-finished in sterling silver, the engraved message will serve as a reminder that although your pet is gone, they'll never be forgotten.
Customer review: "I actually bought this a month or two ago now but I absolutely love this charm. It looks great on my snake chain bracelet and is the perfect charm to remember my lovely dog."
FAQs
How do you honour a pet after death?
After your pet has passed away, saying a final goodbye and planning ways on how you can remember your furry friend can be comforting and helpful for starting to process grief for both adults and children. The Blue Cross suggests a couple of ways that you can involve all members of your family to honour your beloved four-legged companion after they’ve crossed over the rainbow bridge.
Rituals and burial: Holding a funeral for your pet can help you and your family openly express how you are feeling. This can be particularly helpful for children to process the loss – but only include little ones in the ceremony if they want to be involved. If you bury your dog or cat in your garden, you may want to plant a tree or place a plaque in the spot to give you something visual to look at when you come out to pay your respects.
Cremation: Remember, it is your decision if you decide on cremation as to who you instruct to carry out your wishes. Never feel rushed as it is an important decision that has to be right for you and your pet. You may want to keep the ashes in a special casket or bury them in a special place. Ashes can be scattered on favourite walks and special places in the garden.
Memorials: Memorialising our pets is an important part of the grieving process. Here are some popular ways to remember and celebrate their lives by: writing poems or letters to your pet, painting pictures and making models, making a scrapbook with photographs or a memory box, and volunteering or sponsoring an animal in your pet’s memory. You can also get cat gifts or dog gifts as a token of your love for them.
FAQs
How to cope with the loss of a pet:
Everyone experiences grief in different ways so there's no right or wrong way to cope with the loss of a pet. It can feel hard to deal with the feelings that loss leaves behind, which is why we've got some tips from the Blue Cross to help you process the emotions that come with saying goodbye to your furry bestie.
You are normal: Some may not understand how upsetting the loss of a pet can be and can make you feel you’re overreacting. You should not feel ashamed of your emotions, and the grieving process can’t be forced or sped along. Be patient with yourself. Understand that what and how you are feeling is perfectly normal.
Don’t ignore pain: Bottling up your feelings will only make matters worse in the long run. To heal, you need to actively face your grief. Don’t be afraid to show your emotions. It’s okay to cry or feel angry, after all, you have lost someone very special and dear to you. Don’t be hard on yourself if some days are more difficult than others. There will be events that trigger your grief. These can be places you often went to, or the date of your pet’s arrival or their birthday. Support from others will help, and when you are ready, make these days a celebration of that unconditional love you shared.
Open up: Talking about your feelings and your pet can really help. Don’t be afraid to speak to family and friends, especially if they knew your pet, as they can support you. You may also find putting pen to paper provides comfort. If a pet is lost or stolen, then there is often no closure and this can be very difficult. One thing we suggest is writing down how you feel and what you would have said to your pet before they left. This can work for any form of loss.
Practice self-care: Losing a beloved pet can be very stressful, often throwing your normal routine into havoc. It is important to make sure you continue to care for any other animals in your home and of course, yourself. Look after yourself physically as well as emotionally. Make sure you eat, sleep and spend time with those who care about you. If you can, try exercising regularly too, as this will release endorphins that will help boost your mood.
Fill your time with activities you enjoy: A change to your daily routine can help – it’s a good idea to try to fill your time with activities you enjoy. Picking up a long-neglected hobby, taking a class, helping friends, rescue groups or animal charities to care for their animals can all help.
Seek professional help: If you find that your grief is severely impacting your ability to function in day-to-day life, seek professional help as you might be suffering from depression.
Rosie Floyd is a Pets, Homes and Garden Product Writer for Take A Break Pets, specialising in all things dogs. She grew up always having at least one dog as part of the family and has experience in owning a variety of breeds, including Labradors, Cockapoos and Yorkshire Terriers.