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Bridgeville, Pennsylvania 15017

Letting Go After Losing Your Pet

"You Can Only Lose What You Cling To"
~Buddha~
Grieving is a highly individual experience. Some people find grief following the loss of a pet comes in stages, where they experience different feelings such as denial, anger, guilt, depression, and eventually acceptance and resolution. Others find that their grief is more cyclical, coming in waves, or a series of highs and lows. The lows are likely to be deeper and longer at the beginning and then gradually become shorter and less intense as time goes by. Still, even years after a loss, a sight, a sound, or a special anniversary can spark memories that trigger a strong sense of grief.

The grieving process happens gradually. It can’t be forced or hurried—and there is no “normal” timetable for grieving. Some people start to feel better in weeks or months. For others, the grieving process is measured in years. Whatever your grief experience, it’s important to be patient with yourself and allow the process to naturally unfold.

Feeling sad, shocked, or lonely is a normal reaction to the loss of a beloved pet. Exhibiting these feelings doesn’t mean you are weak or your feelings are somehow misplaced. It just means that you’re mourning the loss of an animal you loved, so you shouldn’t feel ashamed.

You may find comfort in leaving your pet's favorite bed in it's place or their food and water dish at their mealtime spot long after they have passed. This is a normal reaction to grief and one that I am personally struggling with after losing both of my beloved dogs.

Trying to ignore your pain or submerging it will only make it worse. For real healing, it is necessary to face your grief and actively deal with it. By expressing your grief, you’ll likely need less time to heal than if you withhold or “bottle up” your feelings. Journaling about your feelings and talking about them with others who are sympathetic to your loss can be a great source of comfort during such a difficult transition.
What Makes Chartiers Custom Pet Cremation Special?
Wide Selection of Urns to Consider
Choosing an urn for your pet is a sentimental as well as a practical activity that helps you define and honor the relationship you shared with your pet. It is not surprising how often families ask, “What urn should I get?” The answer to that question is as unique as your relationship with your pet.

To help you in your selection, here are a few points to consider when selecting an urn for your pet:

Shape
Your family might like to see a representation of your pet in or on the urn. There are urns that are statues shaped like cats or dogs that hold the cremains inside the hollow space in the urn. There are other selections that allow your family to affix a figurine to a box that holds the cremains. There are also urns that show the pet in relief or as a silhouette on the surface of the urn.

Material
Urns come in a vast array of materials—wood, marble, ceramic and resin to name just a few. Think about the different properties of each material—weight, eco-friendly, touch, color, durability, natural vs. manufactured.

Photo
Some urn designs allow you to easily insert and change the photo of your pet. The picture frame shape can either easily accent a photo (oval) or may be more complex (heart shaped).

Accessibility
You may want to touch and hold your pet’s cremains, desiring an urn that can be easily opened. Or you may want to safeguard your pet in an urn that is permanently fastened closed. Or something in between.

Personalization
Engraving your pet’s name and dates of birth and passing are often chosen. This can be done on the urn, on a medallion or on a base the urn sits on. You may want to also include a nickname, achievements, epithets or symbols.

Characteristics
Did your pet have blue eyes? Did you take long walks? Urns can incorporate an attribute, pose or behavior that reminds you of your beloved pet.

Physical Features
Large and wide, tall and narrow, heavy or light. low or high center of gravity. Where you put your pet’s urn dictates the space it will occupy in your home, the view you will have when you see it, the possibility it can be dropped or broken.

Other Pets
When you have several pets who are buddies, you may want to place all of them together in one urn.

Other Items
Was there a favorite toy, a well-worn leash, tags or other mementos that must be kept with your pet? Urns can hold cremains as well as these precious items.

Shared
Would you like to share the cremains between several family members or would you like to scatter some of the cremains and keep some in your home. Keepsake urns and/or cremation jewelry can serve this purpose.
 
As you can see from this list, the purchase of an urn involves careful consideration of an array of issues. I encourage you to take your time in making an urn purchase so that the urn you bring into your home is the perfect combination, reminding you of everything that made your pet special.

Pictures and descriptions of urns are available at www.ccpc.ws/urns .
For customization and pricing, please call Deb at 412/220-7800.



Warm Woods
Fall turns our attention to the woods as the leaves turn. These beautiful hand crafted wood urns provide a wide variety of choices in material and presentation so that the urn you ultimately choose is a one of a kind memorial to honor your precious companion. 

Manufactured in the United States, this urn allows you easy access to frequently change the picture of your beloved pet, if you so desire. Frolicking while raking the leaves, scampering about in the first snow, snoozing by the campfire or playing catch -- you can change them to suit the seasons and rekindle your fondest memories. Appropriately named Magic Window due to this attribute, the urn is available in Cherry, Oak, Walnut, and Maple woods and in small, medium, and large sizes.

Your precious companion will rest peacefully in this beautifully designed urn made extra special by you.

If you would like more information on this urn,
 please call Deb at 412/220-7800
To see additional urn selections, go to