When it’s time for your pet to cross the rainbow bridge, it’s natural to feel overwhelmed. Preparing for their passing in advance will help ease some of the burden and ensure you make the most of the time left to you. From playdates to pet headstones, use these three tips to say goodbye to your dog or cat.

How to Prepare for the Passing of Your Dog or Cat

1. Find a Trusted Veterinarian

As your pet gets older, they’ll need a medical professional to look out for their best interests. If your pet has a condition that requires regular checkups or treatments, such as kidney disease, you may already be working closely with a veterinarian.

Even if your pet is in perfect health, find a vet who you can turn to for end-of-life care in a moment’s notice. For example, if your pet is having difficulty breathing or eating as they age, you might want to turn to euthanasia to ensure they pass away comfortably and peacefully.

2. Spend Quality Time

Even when keeping up with your cat’s feeding schedule and taking your dog out for walks, your busy daily schedule may be preventing you from spending meaningful, quality time with your pet. As they approach the end of their expected life span, use your free time to prioritize this.

Take your dog for a weekend beach day, or spend a few hours playing with your cat and a new feather toy. Invite friends and family over who have gotten to know your pet over the years, so they can spend time socializing too.

3. Plan a Pet Funeral

When your furry friend crosses the rainbow bridge, you’ll want to commemorate their life and the ways they brought joy to yours. It might bring you peace of mind to plan a small funeral for them, where you can invite loved ones over, reminisce, and say a few words about your late best friend.

If you’ve received your pet’s ashes, you can bury them and mark the spot with a pet headstone. This monument can feature an engraving of your pet’s adorable face or perhaps just their name and a heartfelt epitaph. Whenever you miss them, you can come out to the headstone, sit down, and say a quiet prayer.

If you’re interested in designing a pet headstone, reach out to Hawaii Art Stone of Honolulu. Whether you envision a granite monument or a brass plaque for your pet’s ashes, you can count on their state-of-the-art laser technology to memorialize your furry friend. To learn more about their materials and engraving options, visit the website or call (808) 744-3162.