Product review from Pete the Vet : looking after your pet’s remains after their death in a novel way – “cremation jewellery”
We all dread that day when we finally need to say goodbye to our pets. It’s always a difficult time, and on top of the emotional distress, there’s that difficult decision to make: what to do with your pet’s remains? It’s a difficult subject, and it probably makes sense to consider it in advance, so that when that moment comes, you have already given serious consideration to the various options. Your decision on the day will then be clearer and easier.
Generally, there are three main choices:
Burial at home - this suits some people, perhaps with smaller pets and with bigger gardens, but for many of us, it’s just not practical
Cremation – with ashes being returned. This option is the most popular for many people with a deep attachment to their pet.
Cremation – with ashes not being returned. Many people feel that they would not know what to do with their pet’s ashes, and they don’t feel the need to have them returned to them. And of course, there’s an extra cost to have pets’ ashes returned, and people may not be in a position to afford to do it.
At the time of your pet’s death, your vet will usually discuss each of these three options with you, and they will help you make the necessary arrangements in place.
If you do decide to ask for your pet’s ashes to be returned to you, what will you do with them? Some people scatter the ashes in a favourite place, while others keep the ashes at home, perhaps with a sample of their pet’s fur and some of their possessions, such as a collar or a toy.
Today’s product review is about a novel alternative for what to do with your pet’s ashes: you can have some of them incorporated into jewellery. Have you ever heard the Rainbow Bridge story? Well if you haven’t and have suffered pet loss then you should visit www.rainbowbridge-memorials.com: you’ll be able to read all about the Rainbow Bridge, as well as learning about Jennifer’s novel way of remembering your pet.
Dubliner Jennifer Muldowney created Rainbow Bridge Memorials when her pet dog of 16 years, Roxy died in 2009. A friend shared the story of Rainbow Bridge with Jennifer and it helped her to heal and continues to inspire her collection of pet memorials.
Jennifer’s collection includes a number of colourful jewellery pieces, from pendants to charms made from the cremated ashes of pets fused with glass. The fusion of ash with the glass creates a cloud like effect, ensuring that each piece is unique and individual to you and your pet. You can add different colours or charms to make it even more personal: just ask Jennifer and she’ll explain how this can be done.
When you make a purchase on the website – www.rainbowbridge-memorials.com you are sent a Rainbow Pack so that you can send Jennifer and her team a small amount of your pet’s ashes. All postage is included in the price of €160 (or €240 for 9ct gold) and each order is handmade separately.
Cremation Jewellery isn't for everyone, but if you are looking for a different way to remember your pet, it’s certainly worth considering.
Ok so we make some pretty fabulous Christmas ornaments here at Rainbow Bridge Memorials BUT they are memorial items and we want you to celebrate your babies while they are still barking and purring at your feet right now so in honor of that and the upcoming Festive season here is a cool DIY Xmas Ornament you can do at home with your furry loved one!!
Dough Ornament Ingredients:
1 cup salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup water
Or ratio of 1 salt to 1 flour to half water ;-)
Parchment paper or aluminium foil or just something unsticky! ;-)
A pen or pencil or general poking device for punching a hole - we're so tech here!
Mix the salt, flour, water in a bowl until it becomes firm. Knead the dough for 30 seconds and then cut individual circles with a Glass or Cup or if you're very fancy - a shape cutter!!! LOL
Now is the tricky part - hold your pet long enough to get the desired print!!!
Press your pet's paw into the dough and use the poking device to make a small hole at the top.
Bake at about 200 degrees in the oven for 2-3 hours or until completely dry and pray it doesn't crack!!
Once cool, paint the whole piece and then (suggestion!) Use a pretty (maybe red? or Green? ooh and even glitter!) to decorate the paw....
Another cool suggestion is to write the year and name with marker on the back (HINT: if you've painted a dark color, use a light sharpie like silver or white).
Annnnnd to prove you CAN be Martha Stewart - finish it off with a festive ribbon to hang on the tree! Voilà!! You ARE amazing and your furry one loves you even more ;-)
BIG COMPETITION NEWS!! Come see us at the Ireland's Family Pet Expo RDS Nov 7/8th 2015 for your chance to win. If you can't make it, share and comment on this post below and we will add your name to the draw that weekend. <3 we know not everyone can make it and it is SUCH a good prize!!!
PRIZE - “Rainbow Bridge Memorial Pack” - our Sterling Silver Paw Print Heart Locket, our Glass Photo Weight, our BRAND NEW Encased/Engraved Christmas Decoration, your choice of our original 20 inch Sterling Silver Fused Pendents and a Framed copy of the Rainbow Bridge Story.
This memorial pack totals 650 euros and will be personalized for the winner!!
This is a beautiful present for someone to use themselves or share with others.
COMPETITION TIME!
We want the FUNNIEST pics you've got of your furry babies - past and present! We will choose the top 5 and put it to a vote! Winner gets their pet immortalized on our super popular Glass Picture Weight worth 120 dollars or 110 euros or priceless in emotions!
Runners (2 and 3) up get a cute flat furry monkey squeak toy!
Should we or should we not have funerals or ceremonies for our pets? Pet owners would probably argue yes and non pet owners would probably argue that it's ridiculous and a waste of time and money.
I can understand both sides of the story. It's been interesting for me on this journey. I have lost a pet, grandparents, aunts, uncles and friends. Each one costs time and money but both these shrink into the background as the emotion takes over.
I wrote a book on Funeral Planning in Ireland. It was published two years ago. It was for humans. Of course it was. When humans die we have a funeral. That's why when we lost Roxy 6 years ago and we came home from the vets, I was at a loss - in every meaning of the word! I couldn't figure out what I was supposed to do. My friends didn't know what to do. There was no blueprint, no schedule of events to help us to figure out what was next.
I was talking about my business to a lady today and explaining this to her and it's interesting - there has been two funerals I have missed out on or have not happened to loved ones in my life - my grandmother (I was in America) and my pet Roxy (we didn't have one) and whether it is because of the strong bond I had with them or the fact that I didn't attend a funeral for them, I still get massively emotional when I talk about either. Is this because of the strong bond with them or because I didn't 'go through the motions' a funeral brings? Does a funeral help to move you through the stages of grief or is it just a 'thing you do' when someone dies?
I'm in NYC currently and I know pet funerals are a huge thing here and will probably at some point make an impact overseas but is it necessary or just another way for people to make money from emotional life events?
So yesterday I was in a restaurant in NYC in Soho to be precise and once the kitchen closed the restaurant/bar allowed two tiny puppies to be brought in by their owners for cuddles. Gorgeous lil puppies they were but it got me thinking - What IS the Law on this and should it change?
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