Tuesday, October 1, 2013

Choosing The Right Pet Memorial Headstone

By Angel Dudley


A pet memorial headstone is a great way to commemorate the members of our families who just happen to be animals. To a casual observer, the family dog or cat might seem more like property than a family memory, with only those inside the family circle knowing just how beloved the pet truly was, particularly by the children in the household. This poses a challenge when the time comes to find out how to honor their memory.

There are two primary materials used for animal headstones, granite and river rock. Each can be engraved with any printed message one chooses, including the birth and death dates and a few well-chosen words of remembrance. For an extra fee, either an engraved image or a photograph can also be affixed to the marker.

Among a wide range of possible materials, ordinary river rock stands out in popularity, particularly for homeowners. River rock is uniquely well suited for gardens, and gardens are uniquely appropriate places to bury a cherished pet. River rock will bear a nearly infinite variety of written expression, including light-hearted or jovial messages. At the other end of the spectrum, river rock is equally well suited for hymns or poems.

A river rock grave marker for a pet is a great way for family members to commemorate an animal loved one. It is also a way to do so while subtly honoring the difference in dignity between humans and animals. While unimportant to many, it can be important to families with traditional religious backgrounds.

A granite grave marker is innately more formal than river rock, as many humans have chosen granite markers for themselves and their close relations. They are common enough in back yard grave sites, but are even more common to cemeteries. This association can make granite feel somehow more official and significant, no matter where the grave site might be.

Obviously, millions of households have beloved cats, dogs, or other pets, but don't have any plot of earth for a burial site. They could be people whose lives are transient by nature, such as professional musicians, military personnel, or college students. They could also be urban apartment residents who have foregone land ownership as such.

Cremation is a better option for apartment dwellers and for people on the move, with the remains of their pet placed in an urn. Urns are typically made of either some sort of ceramic, pewter, or sometimes brass, and will bear a wide variety of decorative designs. Urns are usually placed atop a mantelpiece or behind a glass, and their design should complement the head of the household's interior decoration choice.

It can be difficult to properly commemorate a lost, beloved pet. Fortunately, the funeral industry has long accommodated those of us to whom a particular dog, cat, or other creature was a beloved member of the family. A pet memorial headstone can be at once inexpensive and quickly delivered when the moment comes.




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