Honoring The Memory Of An Animal Rights Enthusiast: Four Unique Ideas
When planning the funeral for a loved one, it's often a nice idea to incorporate something he or she loved into the services. For a friend or relative who was an animal rights supporter or pet lover, there are countless ways you can bring the person's love of animals into the funeral. Here are a few creative ideas you can use when planning the services.
Ask For Donations
Work with your local animal shelter to create an easy way for visitors to make a donation in lieu of flowers. The shelter may have envelopes with its information listed on the outside, which lets the people making a donation simply tuck a check or cash inside. These can be made available at the entrance to the funeral home. You can then arrange for the funeral director to deliver the donations to the shelter, or have the shelter pick up the donations after the funeral is over.
Arrange A Pet Adoption Day
Depending on the weather and facilities available at funeral homes, you may be able to arrange a small adoption day with your local shelter. This is a great option for the day of the viewing, as people can meet and greet potential new pets after paying their respects to your loved one. The shelter can have someone from its staff bring a few pets needing homes, or it can have a look book ready at the funeral home for visitors to learn more about the pets available for adoption without bringing the animals to viewing. Work with your funeral director to ensure you have permission for either option.
Have A Pet Procession
Chances are, your animal-loving relative had friends who shared his or her interests. Talk to your funeral director about the possibility of mourners bringing their pets to the graveside service after the funeral. Having loving, cared-for pets see your loved one off can be a great way to say goodbye. If it is not possible to have everyone's pets at the cemetery, consider asking for special permission to bring your relative's pets present so they can pay their final respects as well.
Create A Pet Memory Wall
If your loved one took pictures with his or her pets, consider arranging the images on a poster board, which can be placed next to the casket at funeral homes. This lets you show all the visitors just how much your relative loved animals, giving you yet another way to pay tribute to his or her life. Talk to your funeral director about these different ideas, and see which ones are most appropriate for your loved one's funeral venue. With a bit of creativity, you can create a funeral service that honors your relative's memory while maybe doing something good for animals in your area.
For more information, contact a company like Foster-Warne Funeral Home