National Pet Remembrance Day was launched by 3D pet sculpture specialists Arty Lobster (www.artylobster.com) and Pets Magazine (www.petsmag.co.uk) to provide a national day for people to remember deceased pets.
A Facebook competition for people to win a 3D memorial of their pet attracted many poignant stories of pet loss and grief. The day also generated major support from Facebook groups such as The Rabbit Welfare Association and the campaigning group Cavaliers are Special and Your Cat magazine. A Twitter chat also saw much interaction including celebrity retweets such as from Strictly Come Dancing star Anya Garnis. Using the hashtag #PetRemembranceDay, several hundred people shared their stories in a national outpouring of grief over pet loss.
Marie Carter, Editor of Pets Magazine, said: “The UK’s first-ever National Pet Remembrance Day really captured peoples’ hearts and imaginations. Hundreds of people shared their feelings, memories and photos of their departed pets on social media. It is clearly a day that people have been waiting for. We plan to make this new remembrance day an annual event and next year to combine it with helping to raise money for a pet charity.
“Grieving for a pet is gradually becoming widely accepted, and acceptable, but many people still don’t understand that for many pet owners, dogs and cats in particular, are now regarded as family members. National Pet Remembrance Day helps people to remember beloved companion animals.”
Lars Andersen, Managing Director of Arty Lobster, said: “While it’s now accepted and acceptable to grieve for a much-loved family pet, we still, as a country, do not really know how to remember our pets and to deal with their loss.
“Pets are increasingly regarded as members of our family, and basically we do not remember them as we should. This new national day of remembrance filled a real gap for people to do just that.”