Person kneeling down to hug a dog

Coping with pet loss

No amount of time with our best friends is enough, and saying goodbye can be devastatingly difficult.

Grief over the passing of a pet is very real, and coping can be a challenging and even misunderstood process. But know that when you’re ready, there are resources we’ve compiled that can help you cope with the grief and sadness of losing a pet.

line drawing of person with heart

Find help and healing

Wind chimes

Guided reflections to help you cope with grief

Take a moment to breathe, reflect, and find calm with our 10-minute guided meditation on pet loss and remembrance.
Start the meditation
Cat resting on a person's shoulder

Resources for coping with the loss of your pet

The grieving process is personal and can differ tremendously from person to person. We hope that in time, the memories of your pet become a comfort and a light.
Get help
Person kneeling down to hug a dog

Pet loss workshop

Coleen Ellis of Two Hearts Pet Loss Center and Best Friends’ own Patty Hegwood focus on how we care for ourselves as we actively mourn.
Watch the recording
Hand painted pet memorial rocks

Paint a memorial rock to remember your pet

Here at Best Friends, we have a long-held tradition of painting memorial stones in honor of animals who have passed. Learn to create a painted memorial of your own.
Create a memorial rock
Dog running in front of the sun setting in the background

Grieving pet loss during the holidays

If you are experiencing pet loss during the holidays, here are some ways to help you cope with the grief.
Coping during the holidays
Person petting a dog on the head while sitting next to them on a couch

Coping with pet loss: Healing resources

Pet loss is challenging, but there are many healing resources that can help you cope with the grief you experience.
Healing after the loss of a pet
Person standing outside under a tree while holding a small dog close to them

Pet euthanasia: Deciding when the time is right

Deciding when to euthanize a pet who is very ill is extremely difficult. Here are some things to think through.
More about pet euthanasia
Two people sitting together with a cat between them

Find comfort in community

Continue the healing journey by posting photos, sharing memories, and connecting with like-minded people who understand the depth of the human-animal bond.
Join the group
Person sitting at a desk and writing

Start a memory journal

Follow guided prompts in My Pet Loss Journal to remember your pet with writing, photos, sketching, and poems.
Download your journal

More ways to cope with the loss of a pet

Pets make our hearts fuller for loving them, leaving us forever changed. Memorializing them when they pass can help bring comfort in our grief.

When they’re gone from our lives, we look for ways to remember our cherished pet. That’s why we offer this unique digital space to remember and pay tribute to your special companion.

Icon of a calendar

Monthly animal blessings

A monthly blessing is held at Angels Rest to honor beloved Sanctuary animals, as well as pets of Best Friends members, staff, and pet lovers who have recently passed.

Blessings provide a way for people of all creeds and backgrounds to commemorate the lives of special pets and find healing alongside those who understand and value these extraordinary bonds.

When you create a memorial, your pet will also be remembered in an upcoming monthly blessing at Angels Rest, a final resting place for beloved animals here at the Sanctuary.

As part of Pet Memorial Month, you are also invited to join us at Angels Rest for a special annual blessing on September 26 at 4 p.m. MT to celebrate the profound effect that pets have on our lives. If you can’t attend in person, we’ll post the recording on our Facebook and YouTube pages the following week.

Heart with a paw print in the center of it

Create a pet memorial

Whether you're creating a memorial page for your own pet or on behalf of a grieving loved one, you’ll be able to easily share your online tribute, including on social media.

Friends, family, and other visitors will have the option to post their own comments and words of encouragement. You can also leave a virtual token of remembrance on other memorial tribute pages as a symbol of your sympathy and support.

When you create a memorial, you ensure your pet will also be remembered in our monthly blessing that takes place at Angels Rest here at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary. These ceremonies celebrate and pay tribute to the special animals who remain forever in our hearts.

Create a Memorial
Icon of gift box

Find memorial gifts that comfort

Whether you’re looking to memorialize your own beloved pet, or you want to support someone grieving the loss of theirs, we offer meaningful options for remembering an animal companion.

Find a Memorial Gift
Person holding a cat in their arms


Remembering your pet to save lives

When you celebrate the memory of your pet, the love for your pet lives on. 

You'll be helping the animals at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary — and homeless pets around the country — live their best lives when you create an online memorial, make a donation in memory, or purchase meaningful pet remembrance gifts.

Remembering your pet saves lives

A month of pet remembrance

No matter where you live, you can attend our virtual and in-person gatherings to remember and celebrate special pets who are gone from our lives.

National Pet Memorial Day is observed the second Sunday in September (this year on September 8) and is dedicated to remembering the beloved pets who have passed through our lives and pay tribute to the extraordinary bond we share with them. 

As anyone who has experienced unconditional love from a pet knows, our pets may be gone from our lives, but they remain forever in our hearts. To further honor that bond, Best Friends has designated September as Pet Memorial Month. 

Events are held throughout Pet Memorial Month to help you remember and honor your special pets.

Join us for comfort and healing during Pet Memorial Month.


Remembering and sharing are a part of the grieving process

To share memories and photos of your pet, create a memorial page. If you’re not ready to create a page, you can help homeless pets waiting to live their best lives with a gift in memory of your special pet. 

 

Best Friends Animal Society logo mark

About Best Friends

Here at Best Friends, home to the largest no-kill companion animal sanctuary in the country, we know that grief can arrive when we least expect it. But so too do the hope and healing that come from remembering those we love.

Best Friends is home to the country’s largest no-kill companion animal sanctuary, and we understand the special place that pets have in our lives.

Angels Rest is a serene place of remembrance at the heart of Best Friends Animal Sanctuary where hundreds of wind chimes ring in memory of beloved pets, carried on the soft breezes of Angel Canyon. It’s where memorial stones — with their touching tributes and keepsakes — pay tribute to the love we hold for our dogs, cats, and other companions.

We’re working to bring love home for dogs and cats all across the country, giving homeless pets the chance to live their best lives — and you can make a tremendous difference. Together, we will bring the whole country to no-kill in 2025. Together, we will Save Them All.