What do you do with your pets' belongings after they passed?

[IrisJade]

I've kept all of the stuff from my last furbaby so far. I just think it would be really hard to part with something of his that I have so many memories attached to. I will use some of it for my next one, but the different sizes will make it hard to re-use collars and clothes. I know a shelter that is really down on their luck, so I'll probably give what I don't use to them.

[Quadraphinic]

When I lost Megan on the 28th of may, she was 15 and also my antidepressant, I kept her food bowl for a couple of weeks, and I still have her tag. Megan never really played with toys, although she really liked a toilet paper tube with the ends pushed in, when she was younger. My advice is donate any food and treats to your local shelter or SPCA, then when you are ready do what feels best in regards to her toys, bed, and other stuff.

I'm very sorry for your loss, and especially at such a young age. I know lots of people will tell you to wait for a while before getting a new puppy, but I think you should get another when you're ready, I waited a month and a week, my mood has improved greatly since getting Gina, it's great having another Yorkie in the house again.

Cheers Quad

[marlenemaria]

I'm so sorry for your loss. They do save our lives, they are so very special, Lord knows no one understands what they mean to us unless they have one of their own.

When the time is ready, you will know what to do.

Some may keep everything, some may give things away, it's what you feel in your heart is best for you.

I'm sure he is up there with the Lord watching over you

[Lisa and Pic]

I am so sorry for your loss and know your decisions are tough right now.

For me, when my Tinkerbell died at 3 and broke my heart, I gave her prescription food to a friend with a dog (immediately) and all her dog treats, etc. I put her favorite toy next to her ashes on my dresser, then gave some stuff away. I did keep some toys and after a couple of years, I let Piccolo play with them too. It kind of felt like we were sharing.

Anyway, hugs....

[rubymoon2072]

I kept all of princess's things. I dont think im ready to let them go...her clothes are too big for my yorkies but i have a container i keep all her things in. we have a lil headstone where shes buried in our front yard and i visit her everyday.

may teddy rip and im so glad you have draco to help you through the rough days. and i love that you named the fox after him. so awesome.

[jeane]

I kept my labs collar and leash and I did the same thing with my male JRT

[yorkietalkjilly]

I kept all of Scotty and then Jilly's things - all except Jilly's carrier that she took many of her last visits to the vet in. It had her name on it and I couldn't stand to ever see it again. But I still have most of their things.

[Sammy Mommy]

I'm so very sorry for your loss. It's such a heartbreaking time.
When Sammy died, I gave the wee wee pads to my Aunt for her poodle. Also some of Sammy's T-shirts to them too. I saved alot of Sam's clothing. I saved his leash, harness, doggie tags, dishes, and favorite toys.
I returned the food (he ate rx food) and heartworm meds to the vets office. I have my beagle, Benji's things too. Sometimes it is comforting to look at their things, sometimes not so much.
Take your time deciding what you want to keep, for the time being you could just keep them out of sight until you decide what to do. Wishing you all the best.

[spiritwings1202]

I took my Goldie's and put them in a bag and wrote a tribute letter and buried them under her favorite tree in the yard.

[joyce evans]

I am soo sorry for your loss. Take your time in making your decision. Everyone is different. I still have a sweater from a Dobi of mine that passed in 1991. It's at the bottom of my laundry hamper and everytime I see it I think about throwing it away but I still can't. Not a lot of large dogs wear human sweaters but my dog got cold easily and loved to snuggle in her sweater. You would think that after 22 years I would be able to let go. I've never even washed it and probably never will.

[Bobswench]

I'm so sorry to hear you lost your dog. We lost our German Shepherd dog Chatty on Easter morning. We kept all of her things, except those that were worn out or half destroyed - she had a way of chewing through toys in record time. When we got Abigail in May, we let her have a few of Chatty's toys. Mind you, most of them are bigger than she is - Abbi's only 3.5 pounds and Chatty weighed in at about 85! But, it makes me smile whenever I see her playing with something that Chatty loved to play with too.

Do whatever makes you feel better.

[Lovetodream88]

After we got our first dog she was my best friend and one vacation I was missing her and found a stuffed animal that looked like her well after she had to be put to sleep I took her harness with her tags on it and put it on the stuffed animal and used rubber bands to hold it on tight enough and then put the stuffed animal in a safe place. Well we our next family dog ha to be put to sleep I looked very very hard for a stuffed animal looked like him and I put his collar with tags on it. The other items were used for our other dogs although there was one toy of my first dog I put in a ziplock bag and put it in a safe place.

[Maya56]

I'm so sorry for your loss, as soon as I got back from the vet office I gathered all her things, beds, toys, food ect. And went straight to the humane society and donated it all except her favorite toy that I keep next to her ashes. A couple of weeks later I was at the local Petsmart store and they had adoption day and I saw some of her things being used by other dogs waiting to be adopted. It made me feel good that her things made a difference in other dogs life's. I have another baby now and bought everything new for her.

[KimInMD]

Originally Posted by Lovetodream88

After we got our first dog she was my best friend and one vacation I was missing her and found a stuffed animal that looked like her well after she had to be put to sleep I took her harness with her tags on it and put it on the stuffed animal and used rubber bands to hold it on tight enough and then put the stuffed animal in a safe place. Well we our next family dog ha to be put to sleep I looked very very hard for a stuffed animal looked like him and I put his collar with tags on it. The other items were used for our other dogs although there was one toy of my first dog I put in a ziplock bag and put it in a safe place.

I love the stuffed animal idea. Thank you for sharing it. It's funny, I was just cleaning out some of Lucy's things last night. Dang it was hard. I thought I was ready, but the pain is still so raw. I got a nice fabric keepsake box so I can store her special things together. I still miss my sweet little heart girl so much.