A pet parent doesn’t have to mourn silently when their beloved companion dies. In addition to family and friends, organizations and businesses are eager to help pet parents cope and pay tribute. There are many options online. For example, a pet parent can create a virtual tribute to share stories and images with family and friends. Here are the top three free pet memorial websites (in random order):
DoggyHeaven.com is a dog-only memorial website. According to the website’s terms of use, “DoggyHeaven.com is a cyber graveyard (website) for sharing your dog’s memories and photos with other dog lovers.” In addition to memories and photos, a registered pet owner can share their dog’s favorite toy, treat, game, hobby, and special abilities. To create a memorial page, you need to fill out only one page. Visitors wishing to pay their respects can leave messages and “tokens of affection,” which include steak, heart, margarita, bone, donut and bacon strip. Finally, a memorial page can be emailed to family and friends.
PerfectTribute.com is a memorial website where pet parents can create a public or private tribute to a cat, dog, or even a person, in three easy steps. Prior to confirmation, the pet’s parent provides tribute details and selects the tribute settings. Family and friends can share photos, sign the guestbook, and share the tribute with others. First, they must register and request access to contribute. An interesting feature of PerfectTribute.com is the “attentive visitors” counter. A pet parent can track how many people paid tribute to their beloved companion.
GoneTooSoon.org is more inclusive than DoggyHeaven.com and PerfectTribute.com. A memorial page can be created for any pet, from an ant to a zebra, or even a person, in four easy steps. Once a pet parent signs up, he or she provides details about a pet, provides a eulogy (or obituary), and adds photos and music. Registered visitors can add a gift, tribute, and photo, as well as light a candle. Unlike the other features of GoneTooSoon.org, giveaways are not free. However, they are ideal for celebrating special occasions such as birthdays and anniversaries. Proceeds from giveaways cover administrative costs, along with sponsors, to help keep the memorial pages free of charge. Backers receive more features in exchange for their financial support. It’s also worth mentioning that a memorial page can be shared on social media and bookmarking sites, such as Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace.
In conclusion, the memorial websites listed above are great for pet tributes. The fact that they are free is a big plus. Now a pet owner can share the memories of his beloved companion with many people who truly care about him.