As your pet ages, you may find yourself wondering how to prepare for their passing. As a pet owner, you love them unconditionally and want to make sure that they’re comfortable at all times. When you realise that your pet is nearing the end of their life, it can be difficult to know what steps to take next. In this article, we will discuss the steps you can take to ensure that your beloved pet passes in peace and comfort, and how to prepare for their death.
How To Prepare For The Loss Of A Pet
When you have to say goodbye to your pet, it’s important to be prepared. Although you may not be able to prepare for the emotion that comes after, you can take steps to ensure that your pet has a safe and comfortable death. It’s also important to plan for when your pet passes to avoid financial strain, emotional distress, and other issues that may arise. Here are some tips on how to prepare for a pet’s death:
1. Discuss End-Of-Life Care With Your Vet
Preparing for the loss of your pet can start as simple as talking to your vet about end-of-life care. This includes considering what kind of environment is best for them as they pass away. It also means considering whether or not euthanasia is something that would be best for your pet and if you wanted this to take place either at home or at your veterinary practice.
2. Create A Memory Book
A memory book allows you to collect all your favourite memories together in one place so that you can look back on them whenever you want to remember your pet. It also allows you to share these memories with others in an easy and accessible way, making this an especially good idea if you have children who will be affected by the loss as well.
3. Cherish The Time Left
To cherish the time you have left with your pet, consider writing down all the things you want to do for your pet before they pass away. For example, take them on walks around their favourite parks. If there’s a certain treat they like that you don’t often give them, let them enjoy it. These little gestures make the last few days enjoyable for you and your pet.
4. Make Funeral Arrangements
You may want to consider making funeral arrangements in advance so that you’re ready when your pet passes away. If you plan on having them cremated, you may want to think about what you want to do with the ashes afterwards. If you choose to bury your pet, it’s also important to decide where they will be buried.
5. Gather Some Keepsakes
As you pack away their things, gather any collars, tags, and toys that you would like to keep as keepsakes. Gathering keepsakes is a great way to create a personalised pet memorial. You can use these items to create a remembrance frame through Remembered Forever’s online service. See Remembered Forever’s Pet Ashes Frames as an alternative urn also, for after their cremation.
6. Look After Your Mental Health
When the time comes or the time seems close when you’re going to have to be saying goodbye to your furry friend, remember to look after yourself by practising self-care and reaching out to friends, family, and support services especially there to help you throughout this process. Charities which have been created especially for these difficult times include The Blue Cross, Animal Samaritans, and PawsToListen.
If you’d like to find out more about how Remembered Forever can help you, then please get in touch today.
Image Source: Canva