Pet Memorial Associations

The grief after losing a pet is similar to the bereavement that follows after a close family member dies, according to studies in a 2010 Harvard mental health newsletter. The grieving period can continue for weeks or months, and one study found that a third of bereaved pet owners experienced grief for at least six months. However, the grieving process has been found to be more manageable after a memorial ceremony.

  1. Find a Memorial Association

    • Pet memorial associations exist in most states. Many are nonprofit organizations, such as the Association for Pet Loss and Bereavement (APLB) are volunteer driven and dedicated to helping pet owners cope with their loss. The APLB provides a regularly updated listing of pet cemeteries and cremation facilities that offer a variety of services, from cemetery interment to cremation or memorial services. Some facilites, such as Wayside Waifs in Missouri, have an animal shelter and hospital financed in part by the memorial park and cemetery. The Los Angeles Pet Memorial Park in Calabasas, California, has 10 landscaped acres that provide a resting place for more than 40,000 animal companions. If you can't find a conveniently located association, visit the Rainbows Bridge virtual memorial home online.

    Burial and Cremation Options

    • Burial services in established pet cemeteries are operated only by a few organizations that have the facilities and premises. The majority of pet memorial associations offer cremation services, after which the remains are returned to the owner to be scattered during a private memorial ceremony. A pet cremation service in Wheat Ridge, Colorado, offers a private grieving room and individual cremation, witnessed individual cremation at no extra charge for owners who prefer not to attend, home pickup and communal or group cremation without the return of remains.

    Memorial Packages Available

    • Cremation packages include the casket, pickup and transportation of the pet if required, return of the remains in a decorative urn and viewing room time if required. Burial packages include visitation rights, the burial space, the opening and closing of the grave, a one-time maintenance fee and a personalized headstone. Both types of packages retail from around $600 to $1,500.

    International Oversight

    • The International Association of Pet Cemeteries (IAOPCC) was founded in 1971 in West Chicago. It is a "not-for-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of pet cemeteries and crematories through public awareness programs." The organization, which has no paid staff, runs public awareness programs and operates on income from dues and member contributions. The organization invites all professionals in the pet funeral ndustry to become members. Upon joining, they are expected to attend member training sessions and annual conventions, and to uphold the standards of the organization in both business and ethics.