Pet Ceremonies

It’s well known that Britain is a nation of pet lovers - over half the adult population own at least one pet (Hepper.com, 2025) and for many of us our animal friends are truly part of the family.  I have written elsewhere of the importance of ritual and ceremony in our lives today and have recently reflected on this with respect to the animal members of our families.

Lord Byron famously buried his beloved Botswain, a Newfoundland dog, at his ancestral home Newstead Abbey and wrote 'Epitaph to a Dog' to mark the occasion but, in 1808 it was considered somewhat eccentric to have gone to such lengths to commemorate his faithful companion. I think today there is greater appreciation than was once the case that individuals and families experience significant bereavement when a beloved pet dies and in recent years options for remembering our fur babies have grown.  Just as with other family members (Ways to Remember a Loved One) there are plenty of companies offering everything from photo books to memorial stones.  Hair or fur can be placed in lockets or made into jewellery.  If you have your pet cremated you can choose to have the ashes returned to you and then placed in the garden perhaps with a special plant or tree or they can be made into memorial jewellery, just as is popular with human ashes. Pet ashes can rest beside their humans at Mid-England Barrow - together in death as in life. Details are explained in my blog Spotlight on Mid-England Barrow. What is perhaps less common is a ceremony to accompany the passing of a pet.  Now I completely acknowledge I am biased, but as an Independent Celebrant (What is a Celebrant?) I strongly believe that acknowledging and marking significant moments can genuinely assist us in processing changes in our lives.  A pet funeral can offer families a beautiful occasion to acknowledge and express thanks for the part their pet has played in their lives.  It can include poems, readings, memories and even music and of course can be accompanied by a social occasion for family and friends.  I once wrote a ceremony for a beloved terrier whose ashes were placed under his favourite apple tree in the family garden and each member of the family chose a bulb to grow above ‘his’ spot. (For more information on funeral services please see my website.)

Rest in Peace

It recently struck me that the acquisition of a new pet might also be enhanced by a ceremony of sorts, especially where children are concerned.  What better way to help youngsters to understand the responsibility of pet ownership than marking the arrival of the new furry friend formally?  Each member of the family could make a promise to their new pet.  Key items of ownership such as collars, bedding, toys could be presented. You might even like to read a ‘contract’ to help younger family members make and keep their promises to the new addition. By consciously acknowledging the arrival of a family addition, the change to family dynamics can be navigated a little more smoothly.

Many families mark the birthdays of pets and/or the anniversaries of the day they arrived in the family.  A quick visit to any largeish pet store reveals plenty of accessories for such occasions - pooch champagne, edible birthday cards and cakes and of course the occasion can be marked with a new toy.  Such rituals demonstrate the central place our pets occupy in our hearts and suggest that their arrival and departure are indeed significant moments of change.

Of course, you don't need a celebrant to acknowledge any or all of the events suggested but a celebrant has experience in creating, writing and delivering ceremonies of all sorts. You can read more about choosing a celebrant here. If you would like help creating a ceremony for any significant moment in your life, please take a look at my website and get in touch if you think I could help.

By Catrina Young, Leicestershire Heart-led celebrant, Marking Life’s Moments.

© Hardingstone Ceremonies, April, 2025