Writing a tribute for your pet is one of the most loving things you can do after they are gone. It does not have to be long, perfectly written or follow any particular format. What matters is that it captures something true about who your pet was — the small details, the big personality, the particular way they had of making your life better.
This guide will help you find the words, even when grief makes them hard to reach.
What Is a Pet Obituary or Tribute?
A pet obituary is a written piece that honours the life of an animal companion who has passed away. It might be a short paragraph or several pages. It might be funny or solemn or both. It can be shared with family and friends, published on a memorial page, or simply written for yourself as part of the grieving process.
A tribute is similar — it focuses on celebrating who your pet was rather than the fact of their death. At Rest Easy Friend, every memorial page includes a tribute section where you can tell your pet's story in whatever way feels right to you.
What to Include in a Pet Tribute
The basics — their name, species, breed, date of birth and date of passing, and where they lived. These ground the tribute in fact and help readers connect.
How they came into your life — where did you get them? Was it a rescue centre, a breeder, a litter of kittens that appeared in the garden? The beginning of the story is often the beginning of the love.
Their personality — this is the heart of any good tribute. What made your pet them? Were they bold or timid, mischievous or gentle, a devoted shadow or fiercely independent? The quirks and habits are what people remember most.
The moments that stood out — a particular memory, a funny incident, the way they reacted to certain things. Concrete, specific memories bring a tribute to life far more than general statements.
Who they leave behind — family members, other pets, people whose lives they touched. Naming the people and animals who loved them acknowledges the full extent of that love.
A closing thought — how you want to remember them, what you hope for them, or simply a farewell in your own words.
How to Start When You Don't Know Where to Begin
For many people, the hardest part is the blank page. Grief has a way of making words feel both too small and too large at the same time.
A useful approach is to start not with a formal opening, but with a single memory. Write about one specific moment — the first time they came home, the last good day, a silly Tuesday afternoon that somehow stays with you. Once you have one true memory on the page, others tend to follow.
You might also try speaking aloud rather than writing. Record yourself talking about your pet as if telling a friend about them, then listen back and write down what felt most true.
Using the Rest Easy Friend AI Bio Writer
Every Rest Easy Friend tribute plan includes an AI-powered biography writer, built specifically for pet memorials. It is designed to ask gentle, guided questions about your pet's personality, history and the moments that defined them, and to help you shape those answers into a warm, heartfelt tribute.
Many people who felt they could not find the words have found the AI writer takes the pressure off entirely. You do not need to produce a finished piece of writing. You simply answer questions, and the writer helps you shape it.
A Note on Getting It Right
There is no right or wrong way to write a tribute. Some people write three sentences. Others write ten pages. Some are funny and celebrate a pet's ridiculous habits; others are quiet and tender. Some people write directly to their pet; others write about them.
Whatever feels true to your relationship is the right approach. If you find yourself rewriting it several times and still feeling it does not capture them — that is normal too. The people who loved your pet will understand. And your pet, wherever they are, already knows.
Written by Mick Hanly, founder of Rest Easy Friend
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