Author: Danny LaDue

We’ve all been through the pain of losing our favorite pet. It seems cruel that our furry friends have shorter lives than we do. During that short time, they become nothing short of family. It can be so difficult to watch our beloved pets age and come to the realization that we won’t have them forever. Although we don’t want to think about life without our furry friends, it is always a good idea to plan ahead. That’s where Family Animal Services comes in.

Finding Quality Pet Memorial Products

Located in Sandy, Utah, Family Animal Services offers pet cremation services as well as unique pet memorial products. Memorial products are a beautiful way to honor your lost pet. Our acrylic products are carefully constructed with care and respect to your furry friend. We know how hard it is to lose our pets, so we want to make sure you can memorialize them properly with our unique products.

Family Animal Services is the only company in Utah to offer acrylic paw print memorials for you furry friend which are a beautiful way to honor your beloved pet. The product is clear with a laser engraved paw print and name of your pet. The sleek, unique design will look elegant no matter where you keep it, and you’ll have friend and family asking about it for years to come. The best part is that this product is acrylic which means it is strong, sturdy and water-resistant. So you don’t have to worry about your memorial being broken or damaged.

Paw Print Urn

I got a pet memorial product for my cat when he passed, and it certainly helps to see a beautiful memorial whenever I walk into my office. Although it was hard to lose him, I feel at peace knowing that the memorial will continue honor him. I can’t help but smile when I see it knowing that if he were here, he’d love to try to knock it off the shelf. It helps me remember him and keep his memory fresh in my mind. And with the convenience of Family Animal Services doing pet cremation services as well as memorial products, there’s no need to look for other places to go.

So, if you’re living in Utah and you want to make sure your furry friend is carefully cremated and properly memorialized, look no further than Family Animal Services. Check out our unique selection of pet memorial products today and make sure to take a look at our acrylic products as well for a unique memorial. We know this is a tough time for you, and we want to help make this painful step as easy as possible. So, come check out our website to see the products that we offer.

Pet ownership can be one of the most rewarding and inspiring aspects of life. When the circle of life draws to a close for our furry friends, advanced preparation can help ease the difficulty of death. At Family Animal Services of Utah, our goal is to assist your family through the process of this loss as you say goodbye. Our services and memorial products provide an avenue to say goodbye and honor your cherished companion.

Although it can be difficult to find the time, working with a pet after-death provider before death allows for a more peaceful decision making process. Family Animal Services is happy to take your appointment to visit our facility and work with one of our staff to discuss option for your pet.

Pet Cremation

Cremation as an option for after-death pet care has not always been a popular choice, but it provides an excellent and cost effective way to sustain the memory of your pet. Backyard burials are sometimes restricted, and a family move may cause unexpected heartache as the family member is left behind. The peace of mind granted by utilizing caring after-death cremation and keeping your family member’s remains with you is a service Family Animal Services is honored to provide.

When you bring your pet to our facility, we meet with you privately to discuss your plans and review our services in our grieving room. Your appointment guarantees the room for an hour for your family to say a final private goodbye.

All cremations are performed locally at our office in Sandy. Our five business day turnaround time is unmatched and guarantees that time away from your pet is limited and the closure step in the grieving process can begin.

When your pet comes to Family Animal Services for a private cremation, our a pet identification system utilizes a metal ID disc that always remains with your pet. This ID disc number is used to track your pet through the entire process and is returned with the cremains.

Cremation remains, or cremains, are created using high temperatures that reduce and evaporate organic material leaving dried bone. We carefully remove the cremains and process them to ensure a high-quality result that is suitable for filling an urn, memorial jewelry, or for spreading at your discretion.

We maintain a high standard of cleanliness and un-wavering commitment to the integrity of cremains. With an appointment, we are happy to provide tours of both public and private areas of our building

The death of a family pet may be a child’s first encounter with death and dying, and is one of the hardest facts of life to explain. How it is handled can have a far-reaching impact. Children often view their relationship with a pet as indefinite and don’t understand that animals are on a different biological clock, or that illness or injury may make euthanasia the best option. Older children have a better understanding that all living things eventually die, and once the grief passes, can remember pets with more
love than hurt. At all ages, honesty is the best policy. Experts recommend the words ‘death’ and ‘dying,’ and explain the permanence of death.

A child’s ability to understand what death means depends on his/her age and emotional development. The general guideline below helps describe the perception of death by age group:

Under 2: A child feels and responds to a pet’s death, based on the reaction of those nearby, and picks up the stress felt by family members.

2 to 5: A child misses the animal as a playmate, but not necessarily as a love
object. They will see death as a temporary state. As they begin to perceive the trauma around them, they may temporarily regress in their behavior.

5 to 9: A child begins to perceive death as permanent, but may indulge in
“magical thinking”, believing that death can be defied or bargained with. This is when children recognize a correlation between what they think and what happens. For instance, a child may resent taking care of the pet and wish – however briefly – that the pet would die. If the pet then dies, the child can be consumed with guilt. Parents need to reassure children that they did not cause the pet’s death.

10 and up: A child generally understands that all living things eventually die. Understanding and accepting are two different things, however. They may go through the normal stages of grief that grownups do: denial, bargaining, anger, guilt, depression, and acceptance. Or they may react by withdrawing, or feeling abandoned.

Be open and honest. Treating this delicate topic poorly can scar children for life. If a pet is terminally ill and needs to be euthanized, the parents need to tell the child as soon as possible, and questions should be answered. Use the words “death” and “dying” to make your meaning clear. Some children will want to be present during euthanasia and most will be curious about the process. Some veterinarians are firmly against it; others say it depends on the child’s age and maturity.

• Make sure your child understands what ‘dying’ means. Explain that the animal’s body stopped working. Most important, the child should know that the pet has died and will not be coming back.
• Be available. Take time to let your child discuss his/her feelings by talking or writing about the fun times. You may want to hold your own service to memorialize the pet and to say goodbye formally. Some people plant trees in a special spot in the yard, others bury the pet in a cemetery so the family can visit.
• Show your own feelings. Show your child that the pet was special and that they are not grieving alone. You can also encourage your child to open up, which helps the healing process.
• Talk to the teacher. Tell your child’s teachers about the loss, so they will understand why your child is behaving differently.

Children are very resilient, and they usually learn to accept their pet is gone. If a child persists with nightmares or seems unable to cope, however, it may be necessary to talk with a counselor.

The worst action is to say the animal went away. Children will eventually learn the truth and lying can breed resentment and destroy trust between parent and child. Later in life, when the child learns the truth, they’ll wonder what else the parent lied about.

• Don’t use euphemisms. Euphemisms can cause anxiety or confusion because children take what you say literally. For instance:
• If you say a pet is put to sleep, the child may suffer sleep anxiety;
• If you tell a child that the pet just ‘went away,’ the child will await the pet’s return, and upon learning the pet had been buried, may want to unearth the animal;
• If you say ‘God has taken your pet because he was special,’ the child may resent God, and fear who might be next.
• Don’t blame the veterinarian. Some parents, especially those who fear explaining euthanasia to their children, find it easier to put it all on the vet. This is not only unfair to the veterinarian but potentially harmful to the child. He or she may grow up distrusting veterinarians and, by extension, doctors and other medical professionals. In addition, parents shouldn’t put the decision on the veterinarian. Your veterinarian can help the parent explain why euthanasia may be the most humane option, and answer questions the child may have.
• Don’t replace the pet too quickly. Parents often want to ease their child’s hurt by rushing out and buying another pet. The last thing you want to do is convey the impression that the pet – a family member – is replaceable. Wait until the child expresses an interest in another pet.

Children are very resilient, and usually learn to accept that their pet is gone. If a child persists with nightmares or seems unable to cope, however, it may be necessary to talk with a counselor.