Pet Memorial Gifts: Ways to Remember a Dog or Cat With a Photo

When a friend loses a dog or a cat, flowers feel wrong and words feel thin. A photo of the animal, made into something they can keep, is the gift people tell us they still have years later. This guide covers the memorial gifts we make most often, what suits which situation, and how to choose the photo.

A photo rock slate

The photo rock slate is our most requested pet memorial. It's natural stone with rough-cut edges, and the photo is printed straight onto the smooth face. It sits on a shelf, a windowsill or beside a grave marker in the garden, and it looks like a keepsake rather than a product.

Three sizes:

• 15×15cm square: a bedside or shelf piece for a single photo.
• 20×15cm rectangle: room for the photo plus a name and dates.
• 20×20cm large square: the one people choose for a living room or for a very good photo.

Add the pet's name and years, or a short line. "Always by my side" and "Good boy" come up a lot. Keep it short. The photo does the talking.

An engraved dog tag necklace

For someone who wants to carry the memory rather than display it, a stainless steel dog tag engraved with the pet's name, a date or the coordinates of a favourite walk is discreet and wearable every day. It comes in silver, gold, rose gold or black. A small disc pendant engraved with an initial or paw-print sketch is the quieter alternative.

Photo coasters for the everyday

Not everyone wants a memorial on display. A single photo coaster by the kettle is a private, everyday way to keep a pet close without it being a shrine. Choose round or square, and if there were two pets, order one of each.

A mug for the morning routine

Dogs especially are part of the morning. A photo mug with their picture keeps them in that routine. It's dishwasher safe and comes gift boxed, which matters when you're posting it to someone.

Choosing the photo

This is where memorial gifts succeed or fail, so take five minutes over it.

• Eyes in focus. A slightly blurry action shot looks worse printed than it does on a phone screen.
• Natural light. Garden and window-light photos print far better than flash or dim indoor shots.
• Space around the animal. For slates, a bit of background gives the stone edges room to breathe. For round coasters and mugs, keep the face away from the edge.
• Send the original. Ask for the photo to be sent directly from the phone, not forwarded through messaging apps, which compress it.

If the only photo is a poor one, tell us in the order notes. We look at every image before printing and will get in touch if it won't print well.

Sending it as a gift

Everything is printed to order and dispatched from London. If you're sending direct to the recipient, put your message in the gift note field at checkout and we'll leave the invoice out. Delivery details are on our how it works page.

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