After losing a pet, it’s quite common to feel sadness, guilt, anger or disconnected from family, friends and other favorite things. Whether you have lost your pet to death, it is missing or stolen, or you have had to surrender your pet, a permanent separation has occurred and that sense of loss can be felt for days or years to come. Many things can help alleviate the emotional pain we feel as we cope with the separation from our family pet; this article will focus on creating an online tribute for your best friend.

An internet search for “online pet tributes” returned thousands of hits to websites that offer a means to pay tribute to the family pet. Most will offer space for text, photos, video and audio files. The cost for creating these tributes is usually dependent on the amount of content that users load on their tribute. Also, depending upon your comfort and level of expertise, creating an online tribute can be as easy as “point and click” or require a certain level of programming if you choose to start a blog.

The process you choose to take may prove to be therapeutic as you search through photos, videos and music that remind you of your pet. Maybe there’s a particular song that you listened to while walking Scout or would dance around the house to while cuddling Casper. Videos can include snippets from family movies or outdoor activities. When putting together your memorial, what you choose to say about your friend can include favorite stories about playing at the dog park, antics around the food bowl as they wait expectantly for dinner or proud moments when you realize that they’ve learned a new trick…and can repeat it on command. These stories may often make you smile and laugh as you remember cherished moments with your pet. Or, you may find yourself crying as you are reminded that your best friend isn’t asleep in her favorite spot.

If you are at a loss as to what to include, consider photos or stories showing how you found your pet, when you first brought them home, house breaking or litter box training, trips to the dog park, favorite trips to local attractions (dog beach, restaurants, pet events), vacations or quiet moments together. Ask family or friends to submit their own stories or favorite memories. Some people like to include poems or song lyrics as a way to express how their pet made them feel. If you have children, ask them for their favorite story or song. You could ask them to create a piece of art that you can scan and include on your pet’s memorial page.

When telling your pet’s story, write from the heart and in your own style. Be specific. Instead of writing about how smart and sensitive Boomer was, tell us a story illustrating those qualities.

Creating an online tribute to your pet can be an ideal way to celebrate your best friend’s life.