Many ways to remember pet

Dr. Rolan Tripp   /  Knight Ridder

Editor's note:

This column is written by Dr. Rolan Tripp, a veterinarian and animal-behavior specialist. You may view his work at www.animalbehavior.net.

Can you have a bond with a deceased pet? I think so.

Many of us have known pets that touched us so deeply that we carry the memory of that pet for the remainder of our lives.

Sometimes the bond between a person and pet is so strong that when the pet dies, the person wants some type of symbol or memorial.

Those not going through the grieving process or inexperienced in the power of the bond might snicker at the options listed below. The wise just smile and understand that different people respond differently to the loss of a special friend.

Veterinary medicine is the only state-controlled profession with a "license to kill." For veterinarians, pet euthanasia is both a burden and a boon.

Most vets responsibly refuse "convenience euthanasia," but this simply shifts the burden to the local shelter. Used appropriately, it offers the final freedom to end unnecessary suffering.

Justified euthanasia is known by a synonym, "mercy killing." However, it still carries the accompanying grief of the owner over the loss of a very close and special animal friend.

Veterinarians now have many new options to help the owner navigate the bereavement process.

There are now veterinary pet loss pamphlets intended to be given to the owner by the veterinarian.

These contain comforting quotes and information about the normal human bereavement process.

There is a list of pet grief counseling services available at www.AVMA.org.

Many pet owners want something to help remember a particular pet. This might be as simple as the veterinarian clipping a little fur and putting it into an envelope.

Another option is to provide the client "emotional CPR" by doing an actual paw impression from the pet using a special clay (www.PetPeopleHelp.com).

Still other options for the veterinarian are sending flowers or a sympathy card, or a donation to a worthy cause in the name of the pet.

Some veterinarians offer a variety of cremation urns from a simple but classy redwood container to the more formal Peaceful Pet Memory Chest, which has an embedded picture frame (www.evrmemories.com).

Although not for everyone, a new option is a Huggable Urn made from plush fabric with a zippered compartment to hold urn or keepsakes (www.HuggableUrns.com).

Rarely, people have been known to have their pet stuffed, or even freeze-dried to preserve its body shape and image (www.perpetualpet.net).

After euthanasia, some people want to take the pet home, so veterinarians may send the body home in anything from a makeshift cardboard casket to a made-to-order burial and presentation bag (www.PetKnap.com). Once the pet remains arrive home, there are at least 75 companies in the United States alone that offer bereavement or cremation-related products and services.

If the remains are buried in a pet cemetery or in the backyard, there are a bevy of headstone alternatives.

A rock memorial with an internal ashes urn is offered by ValleyMonuments.com. KayBerry.com offers both the pet's name and a memorial message.

Perhaps a handmade cast stone sculpture from www.AshesInStone.com, or a polished granite pet memorial customized with pet's name, date of birth and death, plus a special phrase from www.confab-precast.com, might be just right.

You may have a human friend who has lost a fur-covered friend, and you want to extend your sympathies. If a card or flowers simply isn't enough, you might send a pet memorial candle (www.FurryAngel.com) or a memorial pendant meant to be worn, "close to the heart" (www.WhisperInTheHeart.com).

The grieving process is helped for some people by a visual reminder in their home that will last their lifetime. Options range from an elegant lead crystal pet urn (www.PetRemembranceProducts.com) to a combination product like the memorial keepsake box that comes with wildflower seeds, bereavement recovery steps, sympathy card, journal, keepsake pouch, photo album and a book ( www.FareWellToPets.com).

For those who like crystal, www.TheUrnist.com offers a combination of custom glass urns with matching picture frames.

Rock and Water Creations offers a memorial monument for your backyard that is a synthetic rock with an urn inside and a plaque on top (www.rock-n-water.com).

If you have some favorite pet pictures and some video clips, you can have them made into a graphic visual presentation by www.StarboardStudios.net.

Cryogenics is unproven and a tad expensive for pets (www.cryonics.org), but an option closer to being available is a clone of the pet. The company Pet Savings and Clone (www.savingsandclone.com) is now accepting and storing genetic samples with the intention of soon being able to produce a living clone of the pet – all for only $32,000.

Another seemingly futuristic option is actually available now.

For that unique pet, consider a diamond created from their cremated carbon remains (www.LifeGem.com).