Memorializing Your Pet

It’s hard to even consider the prospect of losing your pet, but unfortunately, there comes a time when we must say goodbye. Anyone who knows me is well aware of how much I adore my furry kids.  So it nearly killed me three weeks ago, when I had to put down my beloved Russian Blue, Dakota, because he was so severely sick. Dakota was 12 years old and the first indoor pet I had ever had. My relationship with him was longer than my relationship with my husband. I used to tell my husband that if Dakota hadn’t liked him when we first met, then it would have been sayonara and I would be writing this article under a different name.

Dakota was a fierce, aggressive kitty who was extremely protective of me. He was, without a doubt, the alpha male in the animal kingdom of our household. Needless to say, his passing left a hole in my life. As I look around my house now, I see reminders of him everywhere. Because he had been such a big part of my life for so long, I have tons and tons of pictures of him, on the walls, in photo albums, on magnets on our fridge. There are lots and lots of Christmas ornaments with his name on it. Whenever we would get a new addition to our home, we would always get a new ornament with the entire family’s names on it. We are now up to two ornaments to list everyone’s names. Dakota’s collar and tag will also be turned into Christmas ornaments and hung on the tree, mainly because he was always lying in the middle of the presents underneath the tree.

I chose to memorialize Dakota by having him cremated at Dreamland Pet Memorial. He is now in a beautiful little gray and white marble urn, sitting on top of the cabinet in the middle of my living room, alongside my little dog Mocha, who passed away unexpectedly two years ago. He and Mocha sit in the middle of my angel figurine collection. It comforts me to know they are there, right in the middle of everything, just like they were when they were both alive.

Memorializing your pet doesn’t have to be expensive, just comforting to you. I have known people who continued to sleep with one of their dog’s toys after the dog passed, or those who buried their pet in the back yard with a sweet little grave. It doesn’t matter so much what you do to commemorate the life of your pet, just as long as you remember them with fondness and love in your heart.

I chose to remember Dakota 1 last way as well, by adopting a small kitten from a rescue in the area (Forgotten Paws Pet Rescue). The new kitten, Harley, is by no means a replacement for Dakota. But her personality reminds me so much of Dakota’s when he was little that I almost think he has been reincarnated in this little ball of fluff that is swatting at my ankles as I type this. Harley is ferocious and unafraid of anything. She chases the dogs (even though she’s so small she can run under their bellies) and has even rolled them over. She makes her presence known without a doubt. She is smart, funny, super cute, and needed a good home. I know Dakota would approve.