You may be prepared for the loss of your own pet, but what about your friends and family? Do they have a plan in place? Often times, when faced with the impending death of a loved one, people forget to ask some of the questions that should seem obvious: Will the pet be buried or cremated? How will we tell the kids? Will we hold a service? So, when a friend experiences a loss, there are plenty of ways you can help soften the blow and take care of some of the details for them. Some ideas for how you can help:

• Arrange a casual gathering to share memories of and stories about the family pet. Plan it at a comfortable place with familiar friends and good food.
• Create a photo album of pet photos as a gift for your friend. If you can make it a surprise, it might be even more special to them.
• Bring your friend a homemade meal on their first day without their pet to give them a day off. Offer to eat the meal with them--they may want company. (Or they may not! Always ask first.)
• Help them choose a way to commemorate their pet in a more permanent way with a memorial plaque or urn. Best Friend Services offers various options for the perfect gift. But, if you can't decide which product is best, one safe bet is a Best Friends Services gift certificate.

No matter how you choose to help your friend mourn their loss, remember that being present and available to help is the best thing you can do. The rest will fall into place.

It is important to honor the memory of your pet when they are no longer with you.  These pets were an extension of your family and deserve a timeless memorial.  Best Friend Services offer many products that will help facilitate the grieving process and help make this hard time a little easier.

Right now there are several featured products to make the memory of your lost pet last forever.  The Cody Series Photo Urn is designed for pet owners who wish to display their favorite photograph in honor of their lost pet.  The urn style is hand crafted from your choice of several hardwoods.  This urn is a beautiful and lasting memorial to your beloved pet.

Check out this featured pet memorial and other memorials on Best Friend Services' website. This is a way to honor and remember your pet.  With a picture urn, you are characterizing a favorite past time and keeping it forever.

If you are visiting this website, it is most likely because you have lost a pet recently, or you are about to lose one.  You are going through one of the hardest moments of your life, and it’s understandably hard to cope with.  You are probably asking yourself a lot of questions, and not getting any answers.  The important fact to remember right now is that everything is going to be okay, and that you are going to get through this.

One of the questions you may be asking yourself is “Why does it hurt so much?  It was just a pet.”  The truth is, a pet is as much a part of your family as the rest of your family.  Yes, your pet was an animal and not a human.  Therefore, it is hard for others and yourself to understand the way the searing pain of loss is reaching your heart and affecting your life.

It is crucial to remind yourself that your pet was probably there for you many times when no one else was.  Pets are the most forgiving creatures on the planet, and they are truly loyal to you.  Your pet was a constant part of your life, day in and day out.  Whether you or others want to admit it or not, your pet was a significant part of your life.  Thus it will not be easy to get over, nor will you be able to get over it quickly.

The best thing you can do right now is accept these facts to be true.  Repeat to yourself daily that it is okay to feel grief because you just lost an important member of your family.  If others don’t understand your feelings, that’s not your concern.  You don’t have to judge yourself based on their opinions.  Remember, everything will be healed in due time.

View Additional Pet Loss Resources & Support Information

When you suffer the loss of a pet, it is always a really hard time.  One of the worst things you can do is suffer through the loss alone.  Suffering amplifies all of your emotions, and loneliness plays a huge role in those emotions.  When you are alone, you don't have anyone to step in and encourage you or relate with you.  You are left to your own devices, and the results of that could be disastrous. 

This is why pet loss support groups exist.  They are a lot of people who have been through exactly what you have been through.  They loved their pet just as much as you did, and they miss them just as much as you do.  It may be hard to believe that, but it is true.  People who have suffered the loss of a pet will be able to understand what you are going through.  They can help you deal with your emotions.

Pet loss support groups exist all around the country, so it should not be too hard to find one.  Look for one online that is close to you, and at least try it out.  This could be a great opportunity for you to make some new friends, and talk in a safe place about your struggle with losing your pet.  Give yourself a break from the loneliness, and try this out for at least a month.  You may find that it’s the best, and most healthy, choice you made during this time of pain.