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.

How to Cope With the Loss of a Dog: Gentle Steps for the Hardest Goodbye

How to Cope With the Loss of a Dog: Gentle Steps for the Hardest Goodbye

When a dog dies, the world can tilt in ways that other people don’t always see. The bed is still made, the emails still arrive, the traffic still moves—but the...

Pet Loss After a Sudden Death vs. Long Illness: Why Grief Can Feel Different

Pet Loss After a Sudden Death vs. Long Illness: Why Grief Can Feel Different

Losing a pet hurts no matter how it happens. Whether your companion died suddenly in an accident or slipped away after a long illness, the silence they leave behind can...

When a Bird Dies: Understanding the Unique Grief of Avian Companionship

When a Bird Dies: Understanding the Unique Grief of Avian Companionship

When most people think of pet loss, they imagine dogs or cats—walks, cuddles, playful nuzzles, and daily routines that are easy to notice and remember. What they often don’t picture...

Pet Loss Support Groups: Are They Right for You?

Pet Loss Support Groups: Are They Right for You?

Losing a pet can rearrange your whole world in a way that people around you do not always understand. The bed is emptier, the yard is quieter, and your routines...

Planning a Pet Memorial Service: Ideas for Ceremonies at Home, Outside, or Online

Planning a Pet Memorial Service: Ideas for Ceremonies at Home, Outside, or Online

The quiet house feels different without your pet’s gentle presence, the soft padding of paws, the way they curled beside you, the little habits that brought joy to everyday moments....

Losing a Pet During a Divorce: The Battle for Ashes

Losing a Pet During a Divorce: The Battle for Ashes

Losing a pet is heartbreaking in any season of life. Losing a pet in the middle of a divorce or separation can feel almost unbearable. You may already be arguing...

Understanding Dog Cremation Cost: What to Expect and How to Honor Your Pet

Understanding Dog Cremation Cost: What to Expect and How to Honor Your Pet

"Dogs leave paw prints on our hearts, long after they leave this world." When facing the loss of a beloved dog, thoughts of dog cremation cost may feel secondary to...

Pet Cremation Cost: What to Expect and How to Plan a Loving Goodbye

Pet Cremation Cost: What to Expect and How to Plan a Loving Goodbye

When you’re facing the loss of a pet, your heart is already heavy, and financial concerns may feel secondary, or even overwhelming. Yet the question of pet cremation cost inevitably...

When the Vet Makes a Mistake: Handling Anger and Grief

When the Vet Makes a Mistake: Handling Anger and Grief

Sometimes the worst part of losing a pet is not just that they are gone, but how it happened. You might find yourself replaying one specific moment in a clinic...

Christianity and Pets: Will I See Fido in Heaven?

Christianity and Pets: Will I See Fido in Heaven?

When a beloved dog or cat dies, the grief is rarely “small.” It may show up in all the ordinary places your pet used to be: the quiet corner where...

Dreaming of Your Deceased Pet: Psychology or Visitation?

Dreaming of Your Deceased Pet: Psychology or Visitation?

When a beloved animal dies, grief does not stay neatly contained in daylight hours. It often follows you into the night, showing up in vivid images: your dog racing down...

The Guilt of Relief: Why It’s Okay to Feel Relieved Their Suffering Is Over

The Guilt of Relief: Why It’s Okay to Feel Relieved Their Suffering Is Over

There’s a quiet moment that rarely appears in sympathy cards or social media posts. The vet has left the room, or the last breath has come at home. The house...

Do Animals Have Souls? Perspectives from Different Religions

Do Animals Have Souls? Perspectives from Different Religions

Why this question surfaces when a pet dies For many families, the first time they seriously ask whether animals have souls is not in a philosophy class or a theology...

Taxidermy and Preservation: Is It Creepy or Comforting?

Taxidermy and Preservation: Is It Creepy or Comforting?

When a pet dies, most families today are offered cremation almost by default. You may be handed a brochure about pet cremation urns, see options for pet urns for ashes,...

Digital Legacies: Creating a Virtual Memorial for Your Pet

Digital Legacies: Creating a Virtual Memorial for Your Pet

When a pet dies, the quiet moments often feel the loudest. You may catch yourself reaching for your phone to show a favorite video, only to remember that the dog...

Losing a Horse: The Grief of Losing a Partner, Not Just an Animal

Losing a Horse: The Grief of Losing a Partner, Not Just an Animal

When a horse dies, the loss rarely fits into simple words. People may say, “I’m sorry about your horse,” as if they are offering condolences for a distant animal kept...