Families “don´t know what they don´t know” when it comes to their options for memorializing the loss of their pet.
As a pet parent, it´s so difficult to instinctively know what the options are to honor a precious little pet when they die. In our North American culture, it´s just not natural for us to say “it´s a beautiful day today – let´s go get educated on our death care options.” We just don´t do that.
So when a family turns to you for guidance during this time, don´t assume that they know what they want. Rest assured, they, more than likely, DO NOT have a clue as to what they want nor what their options are.
When you are guiding a family, don´t hesitate to educate them on all of their options. If your organization has done it´s job of having a variety of memorialization items available for a family to see, then take this opportunity to educate them on these options – as well as other ideas for them to consider. For example, do you point out cremation jewelry and let them know that these vessels are also a good place to hold a bit of all of the pet parent´s fur-kids hair? Or to consider a keepsake urn for a loving grandparent? Or maybe a large urn that can be used as a family urn – while all of the pets lived under one roof in life, let them rest under one roof, i.e. in one urn, in death.
How are you guiding your families? Be a resource. Help them in an area where they truly “don´t know what they don´t know.”
Because if you are like me, a really bad day for me is when a family says to me “I wish you would´ve told me about THAT – I would´ve loved to have done THAT. But now it´s too late.”
Be their “companion for their journey.”
