We put together a complete guide on how to plan a funeral service for your hamster. We will discuss many aspects of planning a pet’s funeral, give you song ideas for the service and help you with what to say in the eulogy. We will also give you tips on burying the body of your pet.
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It's never easy to say goodbye to a lovable pet. We hope that these tips help you honor an animal that brought you joy.
Steps for Planning a Pet Hamster’s Funeral
Do you want to say a formal goodbye to your pet? Learn some steps to help you get started.
1. Consider what type of pet funeral you would like to have
Think about the purpose of the funeral as you make your decision.
Maybe you plan to use the death of a beloved family pet as a teachable moment for your children. You may use a hamster funeral to share your beliefs with your children and teach them that all living things eventually die. A family pet’s death prepares children for the eventual loss of family members.
Maybe you would like to say goodbye to your hamster by performing an act of service, such as planting a tree or bush in its honor or dropping off donations at a pet charity.
Maybe you want to surround yourself with like-minded family and friends who will support you as you grieve.
Some people want to be alone as they say goodbye to a pet. This means that you may wish to have a private ceremony or ritual that will allow you to reflect on the life of your pet.
Once you have figured out your reasons for having a hamster funeral, you can continue with the next step.
2. Decide the final resting place of your hamster’s remains
Check with a vet in your area to determine what options are available to you for your hamster’s remains. Not only will they be able to connect you with a crematory that accepts pets or a pet cemetery, but they may also know of any laws in your area regarding pet burials.
If cremation is an option in your area, you may have to choose between a private cremation where you would receive your hamster’s cremated remains or group cremation. You won't pay as much for group cremations, but you will not necessarily have your pet’s cremains to scatter or bury.
If you choose to pay for the expense of cremating your hamster, you may want to scatter the cremains as a part of the funeral ceremony.
You may also decide to bury the remains of your hamster. Purchasing a plot in a pet cemetery would cost more. Consider purchasing a biodegradable hamster casket if you plan to bury the hamster in your own yard. You can purchase biodegradable caskets through pet supply websites.
3. Choose who you want to invite to the funeral
You may choose to have a private ceremony for your hamster. After all, no one else may have had a relationship with the hamster and may not prefer to say goodbye to a pet that they didn’t know.
If several members of your household feel sad about the loss of the pet, you may want to have a simple, private event for those who also loved your hamster.
Take careful consideration if you plan to invite people from outside your household to the funeral for your hamster. If you want the event to be a somber goodbye to the pet you loved, invite only like-minded people to the service. After all, some people don’t know what to say or how to act when someone loses a pet.
4. Consider the order of ceremony
You can conduct a ceremony as simple or in-depth as you wish. It can be a three-minute goodbye or last all day.
You may consider lighting a candle and spending a moment reflecting on your hamster's life as you say goodbye.
If you plan for an event for your household, you may want to allow each person to verbalize how they feel and share special memories of the animal.
Are you inviting friends or people from outside of your household to attend the funeral for your hamster? You might want to take time to plan what you want to say or what music you would like to have for the event.
5. Think about the logistics of inviting people to an event
The more people you invite to an event, the more complicated the logistics. Think about parking and restroom facilities. Depending on the length of the event, you may need to serve food or drinks.
6. Think about how you would like to memorialize the life of your pet
You can choose from many pet memorial items online. You could purchase a stepping stone, a photo frame, or hire someone to paint a portrait of your favorite animal.
Ideas for Your Pet Hamster’s Funeral or Memorial Service
If you plan to have a formal event to say goodbye to a hamster, learn some ideas to help you with the order of service.
Song ideas
You may consider looking for lists of songs for a pet’s funeral or you may want to simply choose a song that has a special meaning to you.
Do you need some specific ideas? Try “What a Wonderful World” by Louis Armstrong or one of the many versions of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.” You could also consider playing a song that celebrates your faith.
Poem ideas
Why not write your own poem to celebrate the life of a pet you lost?
If you don’t enjoy writing, consider reading “They Will Not Go Quietly,” by an unknown poet that speaks about coming home to an empty house after losing a pet.
Speech or eulogy ideas
Do you plan to speak during your hamster’s funeral? You may want to make a few notes or write a word-for-word speech of the ideas you wish to share.
When writing a eulogy, share pleasant memories of the deceased. Consider sharing a favorite quote or song lyric to describe how you feel regarding the loss. The best memories involve those that are heartfelt and sincere. Try to speak from the heart.
Prayer ideas
Many people turn to their faith during difficult moments in their lives. You may consider using this prayer time to give thanks for the life of your pet. You may also ask God to comfort you as you grieve the loss of your pet's life.
Burial ideas
You might find it impossible to bury your hamster if you don't have a yard. Even if you have space and burying is an option in your area, you may worry that another animal would disturb the grave. You may also want to have an eco-friendly burial using a biodegradable casket.
First, think about your safety. Don't dig in an area full of underground wires. Call before you dig. Second, bury the hamster in a secure container or deep enough so that its grave won't get disturbed. If you wish to revisit the burial site, consider marking it with a small stone or grave marker.
Saying Goodbye is Hard, No Matter the Size of the Pet
Don’t let others tell you how you should feel after the loss of a hamster or compare their pain with yours. If you feel sad when you experience a loss, allow yourself to feel this pain.
If you continue to struggle with your grief, you may consider visiting an online pet loss community. These monitored message boards allow others with similar mindsets to post responses.
You may also want to do something nice for yourself. Maybe take a few hours off from work to spend time reflecting on the life you lost. Purchase a bouquet of flowers as a visual reminder of the beauty that your hamster brought to your life.