Final Arrangements For Pets When Short Of Cash

Final Arrangements

For Your Pet

When Short Of Cash

Today, it is rough-sledding for many pet owners struggling to make ends meet due to job loss, cut in pay or hours. If you have a pet with a chronic or catastrophic illness, your resources shrink further, due to veterinary expenses. So, what can you do when your pet passes, and you cannot afford the cost of an individual cremation or burial at a pet cemetery?

During our lifetime, cirumstances can change quickly, without warning...nobody is immune to this. What we previously could afford may no longer be possible. As pet owners who consider their beloved pet/s family members, we all want what we consider a proper good-bye when they go to The Bridge. What is a proper good-bye? A proper good-bye is anything other than tossing your pet's body into the garbage for disposal, and should be in the realm of what you can afford...it need not be big bucks. If you are thinking about burying your pet on your property, check your local codes, as many areas do not allow it. Don't feel guilty if you can't afford an individual cremation or burial in the beautiful pet cemetery you had in mind. Remember, what really counts is the loving care you gave your pet when it was alive...not how much you spend when it passes. As with humans, the most expensive final arrangements are of no benefit to the deceased...it merely represents closure for those left behind. With a little bit of creativity, you can achieve the same closure by memorializing your pet in a meaningful, but inexpensive way. Best of all, it's something you created from the heart.

If you know your pet's death is imminent, are unable to bury its remains, or cannot afford the individual cremation, there is something you can do. Start saving fur when brushing or trimming...even nail clippings if you wish. If you have a bird, save the feathers. While they are not your pet's body, they were part of your pet. If your pet's death is unexpected, clip some fur or ask your vet to do it after the euthanization, so you have it. The next thing you will need is a memorial container for the fur, etc. Check out your local craft store for inexpensive, small wooden boxes you can finish or decorate with paint. Save your pet's license and name tags for mounting on either the top or front of the box, using small brass screws. If you are familiar with decoupage, or have a friend or family member who is, make a few high-quality paper photo copies of the picture you wish to use. For a larger project using more than one photo copy, purchase an unfinished wood plaque at a craft store, to use as a wall hanging. If you have never done decoupage, but would like to try it, go HERE and scroll down for step-by-step instructions. As another idea for your wood memorial container, look for a tiny wood or metal frame at craft stores, place your pet's photo in it, and mount on the box with glue, or screws if possible. The size of the wooden box depends on what you wish to include, besides the fur. You may wish to include your pet's collar or favorite toy, so decide what you wish to place in the box before purchasing.

If you would prefer something other than a wooden box for your memorial container, check out your local garage sales. Look for suitable china or opaque glass vases with a small tapered neck (like a rose vase.) There is no shortage of all kinds of nice vases at garage sales, that are very inexpensive. I got a really nice one for $1.00. Purchase a short length of fine chain at a craft store, and attach your pet's name tag (or license.) If you don't have a name tag, you can purchase one engraved with your pet's name. Make the chain short enough so it hangs securely on the vase. While at the craft store, purchase a plastic stopper that you can insert in the opening of the vase.

Build a small memorial garden! Plant some spring and summer flowering bulbs as well as perennials, so you have flowers from spring through the fall. Hunt around for some nice rocks you can put in. Add a small flowering shrub, such as an azalea or an evergreen, that you can easily keep to a small size. You can purchase flowering shrubs and perennials much cheaper "after bloom," that will look lovely the following year. Add any flowering bulb plants you receive as gifts, to your garden. If you have a friend or neighbor who is "thinning out" their perennial beds, tell them not to throw away the plants, as you would like to have them. I have acquired many perennial plants this way, and have shared some of mine with others. In the interim, plant inexpensive annuals such as impatiens, for color..in fact you can do that every year, by planting them in containers and placing in your garden, among your plantings. If you would like a memorial marker to put in your garden, or cat or dog figure, ask for it as a Birthday, Holiday or other special occasion gift. If you don't want to have a memorial container, bury your pet's fur in the garden, or if you have a memorial container, you can place a small amount of the fur, etc., in the garden.

Purchase an inexpensive frame, or better yet, you may find a really nice frame at a garage sale for $0.50 or $1.00. You don't care about the ugly picture in it, you want the frame. Even if it is a bit beat up, so what? You can refinish it yourself with stain, which will cover up scratches, etc...besides, the "distress marks" add interest. Put a nice photo of your pet in the frame along with a poem you have written. Purchase a name plate engraved with your pet's name, and attach to the frame, or attach your pet's name tag, if you have one. This will be a nice memorial to hang on your wall.

The above suggestions also work for those who will have an individual cremation, but may not be able to afford the really nice urn they want. You can make your own creation, and at the same time keep yourself busy, while you recall the fond memories of your pet. When your project is finished, it will be truly meaningful, and something you can be proud of. For more ideas, visit my Pet Loss Resources page, where you will find links for various pet memorial products. You will find lots of ideas on these sites for the creation of your own unique memorial. As a final thought, always remember that the best memorial to your pet is in your heart, and it doesn't cost one dime.