5 Gentle Ways to Remember a Pet You Still Miss Every Day
Losing a pet hurts in a way most people don’t talk about out loud.
You feel their absence in the quietest moments—when there’s no one waiting at the door, when you reach down to pet them and remember they’re not there. It’s not just grief. It’s the sudden emptiness of a daily rhythm you didn’t realize they filled.
But love doesn’t just disappear when they’re gone.
It lingers in your habits, your memories, and the small things you do to keep them close. Here are a few ways I—and many others—have honored those memories. None of them fix the pain. But they help. They help a lot.
🌱 1. Create a Memory Garden
There’s something deeply healing about carving out a quiet corner of the world just for them.
Maybe it’s a favorite spot in the yard, or a sunny windowsill where they used to nap. Plant something simple—a little tree, a bed of lavender, some wildflowers. Add a stone with their name, or wind chimes that sing when the breeze moves through.
It becomes a place you can go when the grief rises. Somewhere to sit, to breathe, to feel like they’re still nearby.
🐾 2. Preserve Their Paw Print
Their paw print is one of the last tangible things we have that’s only theirs.
Some people press it into clay. Others ink it onto paper or turn it into a necklace. However you do it, there’s something powerful about having that tiny imprint—the way their foot curved, the softness of it, frozen in time.
I’ve heard people say they trace over the print with their fingers when they miss them. I do that, too.
🎨 3. Turn a Photo Into Art (Or Something to Hold)
One of the most comforting things I’ve done is take a favorite photo of my pet and turn it into something physical. A watercolor painting. A tiny sculpture. A framed portrait for the wall.
But what surprised me most was how much comfort I found in having a custom stuffed animal made in her likeness.
Same sleepy face. Same markings. Same size I used to hold.
It’s not a replacement. But it’s something to hug when the missing gets heavy. And sometimes, that’s enough.
💞 4. Donate in Their Name
We can’t bring them back—but we can pass their love forward.
Donating to a local shelter, sponsoring an animal in need, or even buying supplies for a foster parent can feel like continuing the kindness your pet brought into your life.
It turns grief into action. Love into motion. Loss into something that helps another living thing.
🔑 5. Keep Something Small With You
Some people wear a pendant with their pet’s name. Others carry a photo in their wallet or keep their tag on their keyring.
It doesn’t have to be big or public. It can be quiet. Secret, even. Something just for you to reach for when the day hits a little harder than usual.
I keep her tag in the inner pocket of my bag. It clinks against my keys when I walk, and for some reason… that sound helps.
🕯️ Keeping Their Memory Alive
We don’t “move on” from pets we love. We just figure out how to carry them with us.
Maybe it’s through a garden. Maybe it’s in a pawprint or a stuffed animal that still sits in their favorite chair. Maybe it’s just a quiet moment where you say their name under your breath and feel them close again.
Whatever your way is, I hope it brings you comfort.
And if someone you love is going through this kind of loss—maybe share this with them. Not as advice. Just as a little light in a heavy moment.
References:
Pet Love, Pet Loss | Psychology Today
How Memory Can Help Us Cope With the Loss of Loved Ones | Psychology Today
An Honorable Parting: Why Pet Memorials Matter | Psychology Today
How to Help Someone Grieving the Loss of a Pet | Psychology Today
How to Heal From Pet Loss and Different Forms of Grief | Psychology Today