Avoiding Mistakes

• Pet urns should be tamper-resistant. Don’t purchase a pet urn that can be easily opened, especially if you will be placing it outdoors.
• Make sure that the material used is good quality and will stand the test of time. Stone, iron, or hardwoods are best.
• Don’t overpay. Some pet memorial websites offer urns that cost up to $4,500. Although your pet is priceless, you don’t need to spend an exorbitant sum to respectfully memorialize him or her. Affordable options exist.

Choosing a Pet Urn

• When choosing a pet urn, one important aspect is style. You’ll want to decide on a pet urn that will reflect your pet’s personality and meaning in your life.
• Ask yourself: What is the thing I will remember most? Do I want something formal? Playful? Heartwarming?
• Deciding on material and style is governed in part by where you plan to place the urn. Will you place the pet urn indoors? Outdoors? Prominently? Discreetly?

Purchasing a Pet Urn

• What is the appropriate time to purchase a pet urn? There’s no one right answer. Your feelings will best guide you. As your pet ages, you can begin to think about making a purchase in advance, or you can wait until the time has come.
• What is the cost of purchasing a pet urn? Although there are manufacturers who offer very expensive urns, there are affordable options that allow you to honor your pet without breaking the bank. Some affordable choices are: eBay – by far the best selection and price – keychain urns for under $10, large pet alder, poplar, and oak urns for around $20.

Displaying a Pet Urn

• It’s not necessary to display your pet urn at all. You may simply want to keep it safely stored to ensure the security of your pet’s ashes.
• Indoors – If you choose to display the urn inside, choose a place that has a special meaning to you...on a table at the foot of your bed, near the fireplace hearth, or on a table where your pet’s bed was placed.
• Outdoors – If you prefer to keep your pet urn outdoors, the same basic principle applies…choose a place that has meaning. Under a favorite tree, on the deck, or perhaps on the front or back porch.

By following these tips, you will be assured that your beloved friend will be remembered and protected forever.

Pet Urns on Amazon:

	Egyptian Aanubis *Bronze0* Canopic Jar Pet Dog Burial Urn Sale Price: $36.95

	Peaceful Pet Revolving Memorial Box Mahogany List Price: $49.99 Sale Price: $34.99

	The Bendemeer Cremation Urn, A Black Grain Polished Marble Urn, 3" Sale Price: $18.94

Post from: Pet caskets, urns and memorial help. Visit us to find all the information you need to get through the death of your pet.

With these factors in mind, and preparing in advance, you are more likely to make the best decisions, both emotionally and financially, for all concerned. Don’t wait until the last minute, when emotions are high, to decide such matters as, where to find a pet casket, where to bury your pet, and what you can afford.

Depending on the size of your pet, will determine the size of pet casket you will need. Don’t make the mistake, when buying a pet casket online, of ordering one that your pet will not fit in. Likewise, you do not want to pay for one that is too large. Make sure you are fully aware of the size of the casket's length, width, and depth.

If you are planning on using a pet cemetery, it is important to talk to the director about your plans and your budget. Most pet cemeteries will offer a variety of plans, which include the pet casket, a service, and a headstone. The pet cemetery may also offer the option of a payment plan. And although you want the best for your beloved pet, don’t be taken in by the pressures of the sales pitch, and end up paying more than you can afford.

Ask the director about their acceptance of you pre-purchasing a pet casket from another source, or perhaps their acceptance in using a casket that you yourself made. This is a very important question, as most pet cemeteries require the pet casket to be made of a certain material.

Pet caskets now come biodegradable. You can find several choices online, at very reasonable prices. These average from $40.00 to several hundred dollars, depending on the size of your pet. These caskets are made of a material that will eventually break down, and become part of the natural surroundings. If this is your choice, but you want a marker, perhaps you could consider planting a tree in memory of your pet, close to where they are buried.

Pet caskets come in a variety of materials, from wood to steel. Wooden caskets can run from $150 into the thousands of dollars. This again will depend on the size of your pet, and the type of wood you choose. Steel caskets are also in the thousands of dollars but are guaranteed to last forever. If you do choose to purchase a pet casket online, make sure you take the cost of shipping into consideration.

It is important to remember, there may be restrictions, even if you choose to bury your pet in your own backyard. It is wise to check with your city or town offices to find out what those restrictions are, if any.

Pet Caskets on Amazon:

	Urn - Long Rectangular Shape Pet Urn - Apex Casket - H-UP27

	Double Extra Large Serenity Series MDF Pet Casket

	MDF Birch Veneer Medium Remembrance Series Pet Casket

Post from: Pet caskets, urns and memorial help. Visit us to find all the information you need to get through the death of your pet.

When we grieve, it often helps to get through the tough times ahead. So it's only natural to think of the same processes for our dear old pals. Others are not always as sympathetic. How dare anyone suggest to stuff Fluffy in a trash bag or worse yet taken to a disposal site where they will do God knows what with his remains.

Depending on where you live and who your pet is, there are many options to choose to help you get through this difficult time. Your pet's funeral can be a small, intimate gathering with just a few friends and family. If your pet is a show dog, or other well known pet, you might consider a slightly larger memorial service.

Secondly, you will need to decide on a final place of resting. Unlike humans, it is easier to keep your best friend close by with a backyard burial. Pet cemeteries are seldom near therefore it makes it difficult to visit.

Some pet friendly parks may even allow for a memorial stone.

After you've picked a place of final resting, you will need to decide on a casket for your friend's eternal days. Most pet cemeteries require a slightly more durable product such as Duralon. This type of casket is made of plastic and can withstand the environment and are equally environmentally friendly.

Other glorious caskets are made of wood or metal. Both are a bit more luxurious providing you with a traditional feel. These magnificent caskets deliver a variety of cool hues and plush bolds with a gold or silver trim.

Going green is always important, especially if you are planning a backyard service. Though they are difficult to find, biodegradable caskets are highly in demand. They are not air tight or waterproof, so that the casket and the remains get recycled back into the earth.

Urns are also an option. They allow you to keep your loved one near by to help ease your pain. They are relatively inexpensive in most cases. Urns come in several forms. You can choose from silk boxes, to marbled pet shaped containers.

You can also pick from memorial trees, personalized pendants, angel candles, garden stones, or benches to lock your pet's eternal memories in. Cremation pendants are easy and elegant choices. These ornate cylinders hold a tiny amount of your pet's ashes so you can feel that they are always with you.

Pets are just as important as Aunt Sally, or cousin Joyce. They sit by our sides during the hardest of times, joy, and laughter. They are our exercise buddies, quiet thinkers, and judgment makers. No matter how you chose to immortalize your lifelong companion, rest assured there is a choice just right for you.

Pet Headstones on Amazon:

	Evergreen 84576 Garden Stone, Dogs Leave Paw Prints on Our Hearts, 11.5-Inches x 7-Inches List Price: $22.49 Sale Price: $18.74

	Accents & Occasions Bless My Kitty Figure, 9-Inch Long by 7-1/2-Inch Tall List Price: $40.45 Sale Price: $40.45

	Red Carpet Studios Ltd. Garden Stones Memorial Stones Our Beloved Pet List Price: $21.95 Sale Price: $21.35

Post from: Pet caskets, urns and memorial help. Visit us to find all the information you need to get through the death of your pet.

The first issue is always the act of preparing yourself for the passing of a pet. Many parents do not properly prepare themselves, before they decide to tell the children that the pet is passing away.

Take the time to grieve prior to telling the children. The shock to the child will be severe enough with a grieving parent making the situation worse. Take some time to accept what is coming, and then you should be strong enough to tell your child and allow them to cry on your solid shoulder.

One of the hardest things to do is accept the fact that a pet is dying. Children can remain blissfully ignorant much longer than the parents, but even a child can figure out something is wrong after a while. This is the point where parents allow the pet to linger for too long and this can make the process of saying goodbye more difficult.

Your children look to your for strength, and if you know a pet is dying then you need to summon the strength to let that pet go without forcing the pet to hang on for your own purposes. If a pet is suffering, then a child will see that. The most humane thing you can do for your pet, and your children, is to let the pet go without an extended period of deterioration.

Probably the biggest mistake parents make when it comes to the death of a family pet is to not open up conversation with the children. It is inevitable that the death of the family pet is going to cause emotional pain, the worse thing a parent can do is to not let the child express that pain and allow the child to be part of the final arrangements for the pet.

Ask your children how they would like to memorialize the pet when the pet has passed on. In most cases, children would just like a way to remember their pet and you can help them with the grieving process by seeing to it that their wishes are met. Perhaps a picture of the pet in the family room will do the trick, or maybe the children feel the pet deserves a full memorial service complete with burial. There are many services you can contract for pet memorials and the cost is very reasonable.

A pet is a family member, and when a human family member passes on there is usually something done to memorialize that family member in the home. Most parents do not allow the children to feel as though the pet was a family member because they offer no memorial to the pet.

Even if your children express the desire for a memorial to the pet, they are still looking for you to create some sort of memorial in the home. Your children may never mention it, but they are looking to see if their parents miss the pet as much as they do. A framed photo hung on the wall is a perfect memorial to a lost pet. There needs to be some acknowledgement by the parents that the pet is missed.

Young children have a difficult time moving on after the death of a pet, and a mistake made by many parents is to not allow a new pet into the home after a family pet has passed.

A family pet is a large part of the life of a young child, and the passing of a family pet leaves a large emotional void. After a period of grieving, it is advisable to allow a new pet into the home to allow the children to continue their focus on a family pet. It is a child's way to provide love to a family pet, and not allowing that to continue could be devastating to a child.

Pet Caskets on Amazon:

	Urn - Long Rectangular Shape Pet Urn - Apex Casket - H-UP27

	Double Extra Large Serenity Series MDF Pet Casket

	MDF Birch Veneer Medium Remembrance Series Pet Casket

Post from: Pet caskets, urns and memorial help. Visit us to find all the information you need to get through the death of your pet.

Not a happy topic, but all us who live with a beloved pet must realize that our pet has a shorter life span than ours. This means we and/or our families will have to deal with the illness and death of our pet or with the sudden departure of our friend due to an accident or acute illness.

Some more common questions which come to mind are:

How do I know when euthenasia is the kindest choice,
How do I prepare our children for the pet's death,
How do I want to handle the disposition of my pet's body,
And, where can I or my family go for help with our grief.

When do I... How do I know?

I once read of a veterinarian who told an owner, "Your dog is going downhill. Do you want to wait until he reaches the bottom?" Vets are often reluctant to tell an owner when it is time to let the pet go. They understand that it is a personal decision, one that we, the owners, have to be ready for. But as loving owners we have a responsibility to our animal friends not to let them suffer unneccessarily.

Preparing the children.

Be honest with them. Name the ailment or cause of death. They may have already seen that your pet is not the same, is more quiet, walking slower. Explain to them that when a pet is suffering and there is nothing which can be done to relieve that suffering, owners must do the most difficult, but kindest act of their ownership. Don't incite panic, but explain this is a part of the life cycle.

Be prepared for tears - it's natural. You are losing a dearly loved family member. Allow them, and yourself, to grieve. Help your children decide how they will remember their pet, perhaps in photos, or by planting a tree. If you are going to inter the remains, have a ceremony at the cemetery sharing your happiest memories of your pet's life with each other.

What to do with your pet's body?

Today we have pet cemeteries where caskets and urns can be interred. You can also place a memorial stone at the grave site or keep the urn in a place of honor at home. Standard and biodegradable models are available. Alternatively you can cremate and scatter the ashes over water using eco-friendly urns which will harmlessly dissolve in salt or fresh water, allowing the remains of your pet to gently float back to nature. Another option to remember your pet by is to have part of the ashes placed into a piece of jewelry, usually a pendant. Most are made out of sterling silver and offered in various designs.

While many feel that grief over the death of a pet is unwarranted, we who have loved them know better. There are organizations who offer help getting through this grief. The aspca.org is one of them and armchairadvice.co.uk also offers practical and sympathetic help. You can also ask your vet about organizations which offer support.

Pet Caskets on Amazon:

	Urn - Long Rectangular Shape Pet Urn - Apex Casket - H-UP27

	Double Extra Large Serenity Series MDF Pet Casket

	MDF Birch Veneer Medium Remembrance Series Pet Casket

Post from: Pet caskets, urns and memorial help. Visit us to find all the information you need to get through the death of your pet.