| In the lives of some people, animals represent a | | | | again. Buddhist pet memorials employ Buddhist rituals |
| source of unique joy. As pets, animals selflessly love | | | | in cremating dead pets and their ashes are stored in |
| their masters, no matter what. Many pet owners just | | | | urns. There are many urn-makers that sell beautifully |
| can't help reciprocating this unconditional love. The | | | | carved, decorative urns in wood, marble and gold. |
| pain of loosing a beloved pet is immense and most | | | | They can engrave a likeness of the animal on to the |
| pet owners have felt this grief. Some prefer running | | | | urn, some even use lasers to burn in a photograph of |
| away from the pain of burying their dead pets by | | | | the pet. Pet owners can also obtain miniature, |
| asking vets to take care of the disposal, only to | | | | ceramic figurines of their pets to attach to the urns. |
| regret it later. However, all the good and bad times | | | | At times, each member of the family to which the |
| with a pet can be enshrined eternally in a memorial in | | | | dead pet belonged would yearn for a memorabilia of |
| its honor. Pet memorials help owners immortalize their | | | | the pet to hold on to. Organizers of Buddhist |
| pet's memory by preserving the remains or by | | | | memorials can arrange for smaller urns to carry small |
| setting up a symbol to remember it. | | | | amounts of the ashes, which can be distributed to |
| According to Buddhist philosophy, animals have many | | | | many people. |
| lives and after death, they are reborn. It is believed | | | | For the owner of a dead pet, the memories of their |
| that by honoring a pet after it's demise, the owners | | | | loved creature are important sentiments. Buddhist pet |
| can ease the pet's afterlife journey and perhaps, also | | | | memorial are an outlet for them to express their |
| ensure that it find its way into a caring home, once | | | | feelings. |