Pet Loss Memorialization

I picked Felicity up from gymnastics camp and broke the news to her.

“Today?” She asked, sitting on the passenger side in her leotard.

I nodded. “Yea baby, I’m sorry.”

She immediately started crying and climbed into my lap.

“He was a really good boy, but he was very sick.” I told her. I started crying too. It wasn’t until Brandon made a video of Bingley that we realized what a big part of Felicity’s life he was. He was her constant companion, he’d been there since we brought her home from the birth center.

As she got older he slowly turned grey.

Felicity asked a bunch of questions about what happened to Bingley, where he was, and if she could see him. Since we knew the vet was coming that day we told Felicity to give Bingley a kiss and say goodbye to him before she left for camp. Though we didn’t tell her he wouldn’t be there when she got home. I’m not sure the best way to tell your 6 year old that the pet she loves is gone. The one who has been there since the beginning of her life, the one she fed her food when she was a toddler, the one that grew her love for dogs and animals. There’s no great way I don’t think. She kissed Bingley on the head that morning and gave him a squeeze around the neck. Then she pet his head and said, “Bye Bingley.”

Brandon and I looked at each other solemnly.

Watching Felicity walk through the grief of losing her pet has been heart wrenching.

Here’s a gift guide I threw together to show some ways we memorialized Bingley and helped Felicity through the process.

• Labrador Statue – We put this out by the fountain we have in our backyard. Felicity asked how it looked so much like Bingley.
• Stuffie with Engraved Collar – I’m really glad I got these. Felicity carries Bingley with her everywhere. I got a red velvet collar so it’s cozy to sleep with. I had Bingley’s name engraved on it and the next two lines said, “Your first dog, Thanks for loving me.”
• Dog Heaven Book – We checked this out at the library for a few weeks and it seemed to bring Felicity alot of comfort.
• Pictures – I have a mini photo printer I used to print a few of Lici’s favorite pictures of her and Bingley.

We also had a few sweet gifts that we so appreciated including, a watercolor painting of Bing, Willow Tree Dog, Willow Tree Adorable You, A garden plaque with his name, Pet Loss Kids Journal, Pawprint suncatcher (we love this! we have little rainbows in the living room each morning.)