Rainbow Bridge Remembrance Day

What Is It and How Can You Celebrate?

The death of a beloved pet, whether it's the family dog, a furry kitty, or something a little more obscure, is a sad occasion. Rainbow Bridge Remembrance Day on August 28 is the day that we remember the pets that are no longer with us. When it comes to dealing with the death of a beloved pet, it is never an easy factor. So, when the time comes for your beloved pet crossing over the rainbow bridge, here are a few ways to keep their memory alive as well as how to observe this trying but beautiful Remembrance Day.

How to Celebrate Rainbow Bridge Remembrance Day

Gone but Never Forgotten

Our pets become family, and so in turn, we love them like family. Therefore, when we lose a pet or a family member, we can all agree that there will be grieving and heartbreak. However, in order to keep them in our hearts, we must always remember them. Some ways to reminisce and remember your loved one are to: remember the good times with your close friends and family, look through old photos or videos of your beloved pet, and post your favorite memory on social media – after searching through some of those old photos, of course.

Donate to an Animal Charity

Another healthy way to express your grief for the loss of a pet, you can donate to one or more animal charities of your own choosing. If this is something you are interested in doing but have no idea where to begin, not to worry, for we have got you covered. If you do in fact want to donate to an animal charity this coming Rainbow Bridge Remembrance Day, here is a list of some charity options to choose from as well as what makes them so special.

Best Friends Animal Society

The Best Friends Animal Society is a charity that helps reduce the number of pets killed in U.S animal shelters. What better way to remember a lost pet than to help save another in need?

Friends of Animals

This charity has been protecting animals all over the world from cruelty as well as exploitation since being founded in 1957. In addition to this, Friends of Animals also creates a sanctuary for mistreated as well as abandoned animals.

High Rollers Club

Fairly new non-profit organization, The High Rollers Club (HRC) starting in May of 2017 and has been growing since, helping over 598 pups regain mobility. Donating to HRC helps families who are not able to afford a wheelchair for their furbabies. Many recipients donate what they are able to and they'll cover the remaining balance.

WildAid

If you are looking to help out some wildlife, WildAid would be a great option to consider donating to. What WildAid does is convince consumers to not buy wildlife products.

Animal Welfare Institute

Lastly, we have Animal Welfare Institute. This non-profit organization was established to help reduce the suffering inflicted on animals by humans.

Hope for Paws

Did you know when shopping our boutique, a portion of the proceeds goes toward pet rescue organization Hope for Paws? A cause near and dear to our hearts, Hope for Paws saves the lives of abandoned animals, just like our little Willow, and works tirelessly to find foster pawrents and loving homes for rescued furbabies.

Volunteer your Time at a Local Animal Shelter

If you are looking for a healthy way to distract yourself from the loss of a pet, or if you simply want to lend a helping hand where you are needed, please feel free to donate your time at your local animal shelter, whether you do this on this coming Rainbow Bridge Remembrance Day or any day for that matter, help is always appreciated when it comes to animal shelters.

If you are in fact interested in offering your help, please remember to mindful of your own strengths and weaknesses. For example, are you allergic to cats? Or are you able to walk or stand on your feet for a longer period of time? While it is amazing that you are considering donating your time and effort, remember to pay attention to your own body’s needs and take care of yourself this coming Rainbow Bridge Remembrance Day as well.

Plant a Tree

This has been a more common practice these days where people like to celebrate life with life. Therefore, planting a simple tree, whether to remember the loss of a pet, celebrate a birthday, or just for the sake of adding some new life, is a beautiful thing to do this coming August.

Allow Yourself to Feel

When it comes to grief, it does not always look the same on everyone. Therefore, always be kind to yourself and others when it comes to allowing yourself to feel. When it comes to loss, some people may find themselves crying uncontrollably while others simply sit in silence, either of these scenarios are okay and valid. Others may laugh the pain and sorrows away while someone else may cope with listening to music and allowing themselves to cry. No matter how you are feeling or responding to the loss of your beloved pet, know that it is valid and safe to feel the way that you feel. Forgive yourself for crying or lack of crying. Spend time with someone who makes you feel safe and allow your feelings and emotions to be felt. Sometimes talking about this with a trustworthy friend or family member may be the best way to let your feelings flow out naturally. Remember, it is okay to grieve. Allow yourself to feel in order to move forward.

Post on Social Media in Remembrance

We share our lives online with many on a daily basis. While we tend to share the good in life with those that follow us, sharing our lives greatest impact is also essential. It can be difficult and heartbreaking to share that beloved pets have passed away. While it is difficult to express feelings regarding past pets, honoring them is special on Rainbow Bridge Memorial Day.

Instead of focusing on the pain of your loss, it is important to also focus on the good times and share with others about your beloved pet. Before their passing, a pet gave you an abundance of memories and love that you will always remember. Honor your pet by sharing the good memories every year and ensuring they are never forgotten. Others who have also lost pets can sympathize with you and become confident to post about their furry friend.

Have a Ceremony

When a pet passes away, it is almost as if we lost a close family member. The process is painful and occurs so fast. On the day of a death, the grief can be so immense that holding a ceremony might not be feasible. Rainbow Remembrance Day is a chance to commemorate your pet and hold a proper ceremony. A ceremony does not have to be large. It can be simple and intimate with a few loved ones to share in it with. You can gather with those closest to you and share stories about your pet. Grieving with others is a healthy way to health and remember your pet. If you originally cremated your pet and are waiting to spread the ashes, Rainbow Bridge Remembrance Day is the perfect opportunity.

Buy Yourself or a Loved One a Memorable Keepsake

If you are not looking to burry your beloved pet and wish to cremate them instead, there are so many meaningful things you can do with your pet’s ashes. Have you every deeply thought what to do with pet ashes?

Searching for an appropriate bereavement gift can be daunting and our heartfelt cremation keepsake jewelry: urns, pendants, bracelets, and necklaces will safely hold the ashes of beloved pets, friends and family members who’ve passed away. Urn necklaces for ashes is a special way to ensure your beloved pet is near your heart always. Necklaces for ashes are special and can be a treasured possession.

SHOP LOCKET

Treasure their Memory

Steampunk Urn Necklace

Aesthetically beautiful and magnificently intricate, this geometric urn is perfect gift to cherish pets that have crossed over the rainbow bridge 🌈 by safely storing a small amount of their ashes. Keepsake includes a 20" snake chain, velvet-lined jewelry gift box and funnel kit to safely insert ashes.

Our keepsake jewelry collection is a thoughtful gift for pet owners to memorialize loved ones forever and honor the joy they brought to your life. They can be engraved with a personalized message so you can cherish their memory, carrying them near your heart always.

Buy One Get One 50% All Keepsake Jewelry - Share the Love

For a limited time, we are offering a buy one and get the second one 50% off. Use code SHARELOVE at checkout. The gift of keepsake jewelry is a wonderful way to spend Rainbow Bridge Remembrance Day.

This discount applies to all keepsake jewelry to hold ashes, choose from urn pendant necklaces to cremation bracelets. Our most popular keepsake, the lovely Capsule Urn Necklace is available in four classic colors: Silver, Cobalt, Onyx and Gold.

Potentially Adopt Another Furry Friend

Whether it’s been months or years since your loss, an opening in your heart continues to remain. While jumping into another relationship with a pet might be too soon, if you are ready, your pet would not want you to be lonely. Adopting a new friend can be a way to honor your old furry friend’s legacy by potentially saving a life. Allowing for a new dog to have a family will bring an immense love for them. If you are ready to move on, adopting is a great start.

The History of Rainbow Bridge Remembrance Day

Now that we have gone over a few simple ways you can celebrate this coming Rainbow Bridge Remembrance Day on Saturday, August 28th, you may be asking yourself: well, what exactly is Rainbow Bridge Remembrance Day and how did it come to be a nationally celebrated day? To answer your question, this day was created on August 28th back in 2013.

This day was founded by a woman named Deborah Barnes after she had to say goodbye to her own pet, her beloved cat, Mr. Jazz. Deborah and Mr. Jazz spent 15 loving years together, so, after her cat passed away in 2013, Deborah decided to publish her very own book to honor the relationship she had with her cat. This caused a large impact on other people who also wanted to help create a day to remember the loss of more beloved pets all around the world. Thus, Rainbow Bridge Remembrance Day was born, and it is coming up again very soon. In fact, it is just around the corner!

While on the topic of learning how to best celebrate all beloved pets from all over the world, we wanted to also share a few unusual facts about pets that you may not have already known.

6 Fun Cat Facts You May Not Have Known:

• A cat has 32 muscles in each ear, humans only have 6.
• Cats spend 15-20% of their time grooming.
• Cats have more than 100 vocal sounds.
• A young, healthy, average-sized cat can jump about six times their length or over eight feet in a single bound.
• Cats have a sensory organ at the end of their whiskers called a proprioceptor, which sends tactile signals to the brain and nervous system.
• Cats are able to rotate their supple spines more than many other animals and can twist their bodies to a much greater extent.

5 Interesting Dog Facts You May Not Have Known:

• A dog’s sense of smell is so precise, it could detect a teaspoon of sugar in a million gallons of water, or two Olympic-sized pools worth.
• A dog’s nose print is unique, much like a person’s fingerprint.
• When dogs kick backward after they go to the bathroom it’s not to cover it up, but to mark their territory, using the scent glands in their feet.
• Dogs are not completely color blind. They also see blue and yellow.
• Dogs actually do sweat, but only through the pads on their paws.

Now, in order to properly wrap up this more difficult discussion, we would also love to welcome any feelings or grief or sadness when it comes to the loss of a pet or a loved one. We would also very much like to say that we completely understand how you feel and that all feelings, extreme or less extreme, will always be completely valid. That is why we are happy to have this Remembrance Day in place; so that we may not only validate these feelings but to also remember the love and memory of your lost pet as well.

Until next time, thank you for reading!