I Need Help And Ideas, So sad without Leon Options

[Leonpup]

I am desperate to get some ideas... How have you dealt with loosing you pet? Did you donate money in his/her name? Did you spread their ashes? I want to do something so super special for Leon- I live in San Diego... We took him to the dog beach after moving here, has anyone done something special for their dog park in honor of a lost pet? The pain is really awful, isn't it? It is so difficult to get by- Leon just filled my life. I can't believe this has happened.

Thanks for any help!

-Rebecca

[babybear2005]

when i lost my babybear i made a donation to a local rescue centre now i donate every month. for some reason i couldnt bring myself to scatter his ashes so i got a wooden cat urn of a cat curled up sleeping i have it in his favorite spot and every now and then i talk to him and give him a stroke, i also have a heart locket necklace with a picture and some of his fur that i wear every day. i know how hard it is but for me i knew that i had to do something in honour of him. you will know whats right to do for you just give yourself some time. and i promise in time the pain will ease, its never ok that they have passed but it does get easier.

thinking of you

[howzerdo]

I lost my dog Rudy to cancer 9 weeks ago, at age 10. I lost his predecessor, Howie 10 years ago, and his former companion Penny 6 years ago. My parents' dog Hobo died in July 2004, and they had several pets before him, who died previously.

There are many ways you can remember you beloved (aside from in your heart, where he will always be :-). You could plant a tree or shrub, get a garden monument for your yard or some other item to honor him in your house, make a donation to an animal welfare organization, write a story about him, make a collage of favorite pictures.

All the pets I mentioned are buried near each other in a family pet cemetery on my parents' farm. All have monuments. Howie and Penny and the other animals have garden monuments, Hobo and Rudy have engraved tombstones.

Since Hobo's death, in his memory I have sponsored a dog or cat who is in need of adoption at the shelter where he came from, which runs a monthly ad in our local newspaper. When Rudy died, I added his name to the ad.

I also sent a donation and a letter of tribute to the shelter where I adopted Rudy. (I have always donated to the shelter on his birthday, my other dog Sophie's birthday, and at Christmas).

I placed a memorial obituary with his picture in my local newspaper. Some of my neighbors read it and made a point of mentioning to me when they saw me outside how nice the ad was and how sorry they were about his death. (That was a relief, since I always wondered if his piercing howl bothered them :-).

I wrote a story about Howie and Penny which is posted at Dogstar (a pet memorial site) and I intend to write one for Rudy also.

I have posted a picture of Rudy as my computer wall paper. I also framed a favorite picture of him and have it in my bookcase.

I hope this helps. Gina

[QorquisDad]

Hi Rebecca,

You might also think about volunteering to help out a bit at a local shelter or animal rescue. In time, if you're up to it, maybe even foster an animal that's waiting for it's forever home.

So many shelters, especially in big cities, are so overpopulated that the animals that end up there are only there for a few days, then they're put down. It'll tear your heart out if you look into what's really happening to these poor babies.

Without enough "no kill" shelters to handle them all, it's only through volunteer foster fur-parents that many fur-kids ever get a chance at a full and happy life.

I can't think of a better way to honor Leon than to help prevent the needless death of other loving furries by giving a bit of your time to a homeless dog or cat, or even something more exotic if you can handle it.

Tim

[Leonpup]

Thank you so much for the ideas. I like the idea of planting something in the garden for Leon. We just moved to San Diego 3 months ago, and yards are hard to come by, but we found our little place with a small "garden" that we planted with grass seed. Leon always dug holes in it- so I think I might plant something in or around his little hole. It is so painful for him to be gone.

[ImissToty]

Leonpup,

I've just lost my adorable, 'best friend' Toty the hamster, and am in quite a lot of pain right now.

I happened to notice your posts about your beautiful wee Leon, and wanted to share an idea that I've just been given by a friend.

Your idea about planting something is lovely (I hope to plant something on my wee guy's grave too, in the spring; maybe a bit of heather).

I spoke to my friend today, and she said I might find it helpful to put all my feelings about Toty down on paper, as a sort of poem, written in his memory. I'm finding it difficult to get thru the day at the moment, so doing something like this will be the perfect way to do so (since my wee one's on my mind so much).

I'm going to write down every detail of all the special moments we shared, and all his adorable wee antics, that just made me laugh so much!

Maybe you'll find this helpful too - making an album of word pictures, which you can read and add to at any time?

Take care,

Toty's mum