A Memorial for your Pet?

Last year about this time I wrote about pet cemeteries, memorial services and keepsakes available in my State of Oregon and across the USA. Have you considered a memorial for your pet? Or a keepsake that brings that special lost friend to mind?

So, I believe it is time for an updated version of my past post: “Memorial Day for our Pets”. Let’s see what is still available.

In going back to my USA pet cemetery resource “Boogiethepug.com“, they show four cemeteries in Oregon in their August 2019 list. One of those, Chehalem Pet Cemetery has closed. Also one that I had found, Pet Rest Memorial Park in Medford, I am not locating. But I have found four pet cemeteries in Oregon.

Oregon Pet Cemeteries and Memorial Services

A Cherished Pet Crematory and Funeral Home in Portland, Oregon listed previously has closed also unfortunately.

Chehalem Pet Cemetery in Newberg has closed permanently too. Possibly due to Covid problems? It was created in 2017 by Everloved.com.

However, Forest Pet Cemetery is a new find at the Willow Witt Ranch in Ashland. They provide burial space and have bronze and stone markers available for your pet’s site.

Green Acres Pet Cemetery in Medford is still on the list. They provide burials and cremation services with onsite memorials available. They also accept horses and mules. Offerings include a variety of urns, caskets, markers, and jewelry.

Not mentioned in my previous post or on Boogie the Pug’s list is the Oregon Humane Society in Portland. Their cemetery and rose garden is unfortunately closed for burials at present but is expected to reopen soon.

Listed previously is Tree Haven Pet Cemetery in Pendleton through the Parks and Recreation Department. This is a cemetery within a cemetery named Olney Cemetery.

West Coast Pet Memorial Services was listed as having a cemetery in Clackamas, Oregon. However, that information has changed. Now they do provide online memorial services as well as cremations, but the closest cemeteries affiliated are in Washington and California.

The majority of my search brought up a multitude of cremation services. Some of those also provide euthanasia services. Most of the crematoriums have multiple styles of urns and keepsake articles like paw prints, jewelry, photo frames, markers, and name plates available. And several do offer online memorials. It appears, from reading the information, that most crematoriums deliver your urn directly to your home.

Urns and Memorial Keepsake Items

With such a great variety of offerings available I want to mention a few shown on the many crematory service sites.

For urns, you can choose a metal type with a name plate and markings, a wood in different woods, a molded animal shape, heart shapes, typical urn shapes, and many more with color and material choices.

In jewelry, again, there are pendants in various shapes, including hearts, and several materials including colored glass. Also available are paw prints in your choice of clay or ink.

And headstones or markers are made of bronze, steel, stone, granite and more with engraved name plates that you can order.

It is nice to know how well one can individualize their pet memorial to fit the best pet friend they are sadly missing.

USA Pet Cemeteries

As noted in my previous post on this topic, Boogie the Pug does list over 100 pet cemeteries across the USA. It is interesting to note that while most states show one to six pet cemeteries, Pennsylvania comes in first place with sixteen. California, Ohio, and Texas follow with thirteen pet cemeteries each. While Illinois, New Jersey, and New York have just ten each in those states. And the numbers dwindle down from there.

One very interesting cemetery is Hartsdale Pet Cemetery in New York which holds 80,000 plus animals. That number includes monkeys, rabbits, birds, reptiles, horses, even a lion and a tiger, as well as cats and dogs. It was created in the late 1800s and is the oldest known operating cemetery in the world. Hartsdale Pet Cemetery is actually registered on the National Register of Historic Places and is the only cemetery so registered.

Healing Remembrance Ideas

One service suggested is that you can actually have a water burial ceremony for your pet if you have a biodegradable urn and check with local authorities. A nice idea if you had a water-loving pet and a boat or if you would like to rent one for the occasion.

Another idea mentioned to help alleviate your sense of loss is to provide those closest to your pet with a piece of keepsake jewelry containing a small portion of your pet’s ashes.

An online memorial might be a good way to honor your pet in addition to your own private remembrance.

You can see more about my pets in “My Pets“.

Also see “Walkin’ with your Best Pet Friend“.

And one more in “Best Bird Friends“.

Having a memorial or some kind of special service, I believe, would be a great start in the healing process.

Thanks

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