Part of the grieving process of losing a pet is to remember the memories you created with them. This may seem counter productive, but it is much better than repressing or "forgetting" the memories shared—reminiscing about the good times, if done appropriately, can help us move forward in our grieving journey. Here are some ways to remember our pets:

Create a photo album

A picture tells a story of a thousand words—a photo of your furry friend already tells a memorable story, let alone a whole set of photos to keep! If you're a pet lover, chances are that you have countless photos of your pet on your camera roll. Some of us even have Instagram accounts just for our pets (check out @phoebeisgold for our founder's goldie!). Even if your photos are not "IG-worthy", they are still meaningful to keep, and they'll bring fond memories even years down the road.

Have a physical keepsake

Physical keepsakes are ideal for those who best remember through touch and seeing. Appealing to these senses would elicit good memories of your loved pet. The most obvious option is to have a keepsake of the ashes. If you opt for a private pet cremation, you will be able to retrieve the ashes after.

What pet owners do with the ashes differs, but the first step would be to place it in a vessel; either an urn or an ash-storing jewellery. Some people go for a piece of jewellery to store the ashes inside. Wearing the jewellery reminds them of the similarly comforting presence of the pet. Some people opt to place the urns in their house, and others may decide to place the ashes in a pet niche and make time to visit.

Apart from ashes, some pet owners keep other items that the pet has used in their lifetime, such as food bowls, collars and even their favourite blanket!

Talk about your pet

Again, this may seem counterintuitive as it feels like we are dwelling in the memories. However, it helps to relive the memories, and at the same time, build a gradual acceptance that their pet has said goodbye. Grieving over a pet may seem strange and unfathomable to those without pets, so we would advise for grieving pet owners to speak to a fellow pet owner and share their memories.

Create art!

Art is a way of channeling and expressing our emotions, and of course, grief for a pet is no different. Even if you do not consider yourself a creative, you can still dabble in art to express how we feel in ways that we are unable to verbalise. It might be as simple as drawing a portrait of your pet, creating a comic that displays their personality, or even more eclectic ways of expression such as embroidery!

There are so many ways to remember our furry friends. Much as how we would remember a human loved one upon their passing, it is normal and okay to grieve over your pet, and hold on to the memories that you have created with them rather than wanting to repress or discard them. We also encourage you to seek comfort and solace in this trying time.