The Funeral.com Journal

Resources to help you create tributes as unique as the people (and pets) you love. Learn how engraving, photos, colors, and symbols add meaning; discover scattering rituals and at-home memorial ideas. We focus on the details that matter—because small choices can carry a lifetime of comfort.

Backyard Pet Burial: Laws, Recommended Depth, and How to Check Your Local Rules - Funeral.com, Inc.

Backyard Pet Burial: Laws, Recommended Depth, and How to Check Your Local Rules

Losing a pet can make the world feel suddenly smaller. In the quiet after the last vet visit or the last sleepy breath at home, many families find themselves asking...

Humane Fish Euthanasia: Understanding the “Clove Oil” Approach and When to Seek Veterinary Help - Funeral.com, Inc.

Humane Fish Euthanasia: Understanding the “Clove Oil” Approach and When to Seek Veterinary Help

Most people do not expect to grieve a fish, and that can make the hardest decisions feel strangely isolating. But when a fish is clearly suffering—struggling to breathe, unable to...

Hamster and Rat Grief: Why Small Pets Leave Big Holes (What to Do After Death and How to Cope) - Funeral.com, Inc.

Hamster and Rat Grief: Why Small Pets Leave Big Holes (What to Do After Death and How to Cope)

A hamster can be palm-sized and still take up a full-sized place in your daily life. A rat can fit in the crook of your arm and still become the...

Grieving a Parrot: Why Bird Loss Hits Differently (Long Lifespans, Bonding, and Rituals That Help) - Funeral.com, Inc.

Grieving a Parrot: Why Bird Loss Hits Differently (Long Lifespans, Bonding, and Rituals That Help)

If you’re grieving a parrot, you may be carrying a specific kind of heartbreak: the loss of a companion who wasn’t “just a pet,” but a daily presence with opinions,...

Rendering vs. Burial for Horses: Disposal Options, Regulations, and Real-World Tradeoffs - Funeral.com, Inc.

Rendering vs. Burial for Horses: Disposal Options, Regulations, and Real-World Tradeoffs

When a horse dies, the grief can feel immediate and physical, but the practical questions arrive just as quickly. If your horse passed unexpectedly in the pasture, if a long...

Transporting a Large Dog After Death: Safe Handling, Lifting Tips, and When to Call for Help - Funeral.com, Inc.

Transporting a Large Dog After Death: Safe Handling, Lifting Tips, and When to Call for Help

When a large dog dies at home, grief and logistics arrive at the same time. You may be trying to figure out what to do when dog dies at home,...

Necropsy for Pets: What It Is, Why Families Choose It, and What Answers It Can (and Can’t) Provide - Funeral.com, Inc.

Necropsy for Pets: What It Is, Why Families Choose It, and What Answers It Can (and Can’t) Provide

When a pet dies, the loss can feel surreal—especially if it’s sudden, unexpected, or happened in the middle of treatment you thought was helping. Many families carry two questions at...

Hemangiosarcoma: Why Sudden Bleeds Happen and What to Do When a Dog Collapses - Funeral.com, Inc.

Hemangiosarcoma: Why Sudden Bleeds Happen and What to Do When a Dog Collapses

One of the most frightening pet emergencies families describe is the moment a dog seems fine—then suddenly can’t stand. Sometimes it looks like fainting. Sometimes it’s a full collapse, with...

Parvo Puppy Loss: What Happens Fast, How Families Grieve, and How to Protect Other Dogs - Funeral.com, Inc.

Parvo Puppy Loss: What Happens Fast, How Families Grieve, and How to Protect Other Dogs

When Parvo Moves Faster Than Your Heart Can Catch Up There are losses that unfold with a kind of terrible speed, where your mind is still living in “yesterday” while...

Cancer and Quality of Life: When to Stop Chemo and Shift to Palliative Care for Pets - Funeral.com, Inc.

Cancer and Quality of Life: When to Stop Chemo and Shift to Palliative Care for Pets

One of the hardest parts of loving an animal is realizing that medicine can’t always “fix” what’s happening—sometimes it can only change how it feels. If you’re searching when to...

At-Home Oxygen Cages for Pets: How They Help, What Equipment Is Used, and the Safety Checks That Matter Most - Funeral.com, Inc.

At-Home Oxygen Cages for Pets: How They Help, What Equipment Is Used, and the Safety Checks That Matter Most

When a dog or cat is struggling to breathe, time narrows. You stop thinking in broad plans and start thinking in simple, urgent questions: Are they getting enough air? Are...

Aquamation for Pets: What Water Cremation Is, Why It’s Considered Gentle, and Typical Costs - Funeral.com, Inc.

Aquamation for Pets: What Water Cremation Is, Why It’s Considered Gentle, and Typical Costs

When you lose a pet, the first wave is heartbreak. The second wave is surprisingly practical: phone calls, timelines, and unfamiliar choices you didn’t ask to learn about. Many families...

Pet Cremation ID Discs: How They Work and How to Confirm You’re Getting the Right Ashes Back - Funeral.com, Inc.

Pet Cremation ID Discs: How They Work and How to Confirm You’re Getting the Right Ashes Back

When a pet dies, grief can feel strangely split in two. Part of you is trying to absorb the silence where a familiar sound used to live: nails on the...

Private vs. Communal Pet Cremation: What “Tracking” Really Means and What Guarantees Exist - Funeral.com, Inc.

Private vs. Communal Pet Cremation: What “Tracking” Really Means and What Guarantees Exist

The paperwork arrives when your heart is still catching up. One moment you’re hearing the last words you never wanted to hear, and the next you’re looking at a form...

Agonal Breathing in Pets: What It Looks Like, Why It Happens, and How to Support Owners - Funeral.com, Inc.

Agonal Breathing in Pets: What It Looks Like, Why It Happens, and How to Support Owners

The first time many people see it, they don’t call it anything. They call it “gasping.” They call it “struggling.” They call it “please, no.” It might happen in the...

Sedation Before Pet Euthanasia: Why Some Pets ‘Fight It’ and How Vets Plan for a Peaceful Goodbye - Funeral.com, Inc.

Sedation Before Pet Euthanasia: Why Some Pets ‘Fight It’ and How Vets Plan for a Peaceful Goodbye

When a family schedules euthanasia, most people picture a quiet, gentle moment: a beloved dog’s head resting in a familiar lap, a cat tucked into a soft blanket, breathing slowing...