Planning a Pet Funeral
I Want You to Say Their Name, Even if it Makes Me Cry
November 2, 2018
Helping Yourself Through Grief
November 12, 2018
Pets are a large part of many homes and families. If you have recently had one die, then you know how devastating it can be, especially for children. A great way to make this easier on everyone is to get closure by having a funeral service for the animal. There are lots of Chester, VA funeral home and cremations providers that offer services for animals, but you can do a lot of the planning yourself, as well.
One of the first things to decide is whether the body will be cremated or buried. Depending on where you live and what kind of budget you have, cremation will probably be the best choice. There are plots in pet cemeteries you can purchase, as well as caskets that are made for animals, but you should consider that they can be expensive. An urn, on the other hand, is very affordable. There are also pet cemeteries that have options of placing the urn in a niche or in a mausoleum.
Be sure to involve the child in the planning of the funeral. They may have certain ideas that they want to put in the service that can help them heal. Sit down with them and ask them how they would like to honor their pet. They may think that certain music can be played, or certain items can be added to the service. Encourage the child to be creative and to speak about the animal they have lost. You will be allowing the child to come to terms with the loss in a pro-active way.
It may seem silly for some people, but writing a eulogy can also help. You should consider getting everyone involved, perhaps each member of the family providing their own stories or memories of the pet. It can provide closure and can be cathartic for children who are really struggling with the loss.
Plan to have flowers and decorations for the funeral service. You want to make it look like a real service, so you may also consider inviting people who knew the animal. A child’s grief needs to be validated, and this can only happen if people take it seriously enough to attend a funeral service for their pet.
A funeral service for an animal is much more common than many people think. It can be a great way to express grief at the loss of a member of the family, and it can really encourage children to understand the loss and start getting through it. You can hire a funeral home or cremations provider in Chester, VA to help you plan the service. They see this kind of thing every day, so there is no need to feel strange about asking for pet services. Contact a company like Morrissett Funeral and Cremation Service, which you can find at 6500 Iron Bridge Rd Richmond, VA 23234, to learn more about their options. Give them a call at (804) 275-7828 and start planning a pet funeral service.
