For many of us, our pets become another member of our family. They are there to greet you excitedly after a long day, provide plenty of snuggles, and depend on you to care for them. It makes sense that pet owners want to honor their pet’s life after they pass with a funeral or wake.

Here are a few stories of pets that received a service to honor all the love they provided to their owners.

Ernie the Funeral Home Therapy Dog

Ernie served at Clock Funeral Home and local hospices to comfort people during their last days. He also made in-home visits to patients to comfort them and their families.

Eventually, Ernie developed lymphoma and passed away within ten days of his diagnosis.

To honor their one-of-a-kind dog, his owners held a memorial service at their funeral home. Anyone from the community was welcome to pay respects to Ernie. Almost 100 people and their pets came to the service! They set up an altar with a few pictures of Ernie and some lit candles.

The Meow the Cat

The Meow was a show cat before retiring to his owner, Caitlin Doughty. One day, Caitlin found a lump on The Meow and later found out from a vet that it was mammary cancer.

Since Caitlin has a lot of experience with death and at home funerals, she knew that The Meow should be honored in this way.

When it was The Meow’s time, Caitlin had a vet come to her home to euthanize her. She recommends at home euthanasia for the comfort of your pet.

Caitlin held a wake at her home for The Meow. She made an altar for her by placing her cat’s body on a pillow, surrounding it with flowers, flower petals, and candles. Caitlin and her friends who attended the wake enjoyed food and drinks to commemorate The Meow’s life.

The next morning, she buried The Meow on her friend’s beautiful property in the woods.

Thor the German Shepard

Orman and Janice Melanson held a funeral service for their beloved dog, Thor at Pet Passages. At the service, they shared stories of Thor and showed pictures of him on a television screen. They had a eulogist say a few words and read a poem.

A reporter from VICE covered this funeral and expected it to be a waste of money. However, after seeing how much Thor meant to the couple, she realized how important this service was for them. Thor was a part of their family and truly cared for them. He deserved a funeral service that showed the loyal companion he was.

Ogar the K-9 Officer

When Ogar was shot in his line of duty, the police force wanted to honor his service and his life. Many law enforcement officers came to the funeral service to show their support. They felt that Ogar needed to be honored like any other officers who lost their lives while serving.

Have you ever attended the funeral of a beloved pet? Share your experience by commenting below!