Grief is like starting a new job you didn’t apply for but somehow have to show up for every day. It’s exhausting. Sometimes every part of you wants to protest this unwanted new reality. Remember, grief is work—it takes effort, energy, and maybe even more patience than you ever had to muster up before. Although it’s not the kind of work you’d choose, it’s necessary. Mourning allows you to begin processing your grief, honor your pet and celebrate your love story. To start to envision living while grieving.
The thing is, grief brain is real. When you’re deep in grief, it can feel impossible to come up with ideas for how to honor your beloved pet. Your go-to thoughts might be to frame favorite photos or to create a memorial space for your furbaby. But often we crave something a little more personal, creative, or unique.
This list is inspired by my own experiences and the experiences of some of my favorite people — other grieving pet parents who are navigating grief with love, creativity, and courage.
Whether you’re looking for meaningful ideas to honor your pet and attend to grief, or simply need a starting point, I hope you’ll find something here that resonates with your heart.
Keepsake Ideas
Clothes with Their Likeness/Name – Design or order a sweatshirt, t-shirt, or hat with your pet’s name and/or image on it.
Jewelry – Create or purchase meaningful jewelry like bracelets, pendants, a necklace with their initial, or a ring in their memory.
Birthstone Items – Incorporate your pet’s birthstone into jewelry or other meaningful keepsakes.
Frame Their Name and Paw Prints – Display their name alone or alongside their paw print and/or nose print. Creatives on Etsy can often make a digital file from a picture of the bottom of their paw or their nose, a photo of your clay paw print or ink print, or even a picture of a paw in snow!
Lyrics Printed/Framed – Choose song lyrics or a poem that you wrote that reminds you of your pet. Print and frame them as a meaningful keepsake.
Memory Box – Collect cherished items like toys, tags, or photos in a special box dedicated to your furbaby.
Creative Grief Projects
Repurpose Their Things – Transform collars, name tags, or toys (or even beds) into keepsakes like keychains, bracelets, dreamcatchers, wind chimes, or blankets/pillows.
Create a Calendar – Design a calendar with photos of your pet with notes for special dates you shared.
Commission or Create Artwork – Have an artist capture their likeness, or make your own artwork inspired by your pet. You could even do a paint-by-number if you’re worried about the creativity aspect.
Paint Memory Stones – Decorate stones with messages or images, leaving them in meaningful places you visited together.
Create a Digital Memorial – Write an online tribute, obituary, or create a slideshow showcasing their life and love.
Find something to nurture in their memory – A succulent, outdoor plant, or bouquet of flowers. Anything that needs care and will bring some beauty into your world.
Compassionate Rituals or Routines To Honor Your Pet
Greeting Card to Yourself – Write a heartfelt card either from you to you, or from your pet’s perspective, offering comfort and love.
Daily Grief Anchor – Have a linking object or choose a daily practice, like touching their collar, saying hello to their picture, or lighting a candle to stay connected.
Plant Wildflowers – Scatter seeds in places meaningful to you and your pet, creating a growing tribute.
Compile Affirmations – Write 10 affirmations in your voice or your pet’s voice, printing them to read aloud daily (tip: you don’t have to make them up – you can find affirmations in many books or on websites).
Create Two Playlists – Make one playlist which invokes and expresses tough grief emotions, and another that is lighter, for celebrating happy memories.
Legacy and Meaning
Host a Legacy Project Day – Dedicate a day to volunteer or create items to donate in their honor, like pet blankets, treats, or goodie bags.
Find or Organize a Charity Event – Participate in or organize a 5k community event to support animals in need (or any meaningful cause) as a tribute.
Start a “Lessons from My Pet” Journal – Reflect on the lessons they taught you (and still are). Begin writing them down and you’ll have a beautiful written testament to the power of their love.
Memory Map – Draw or design a map of all the places you visited together. You can add notes about your favorite shared experiences (states, parks, restaurants and breweries, beaches).
Get a Tattoo – Honor your pet permanently with ink, like their paw print, name, or a symbolic design.
One of the most important things to remember is that there is no timeline. You don’t need to cram the work of mourning into the first few weeks or months of grief. This is where that patience I mentioned comes in handy. Not just with the mourning process, but with yourself as well. Grief is normal. You’re normal.
There is not a finish line for grief and there is not something to aim to “complete”. As you actively mourn to honor your pet, the journey is gently evolving, even if you can’t necessarily see it. You’re working on incorporating your grief and the love you have for your furbaby into the next chapter.
