Writing an obituary can be an intimidating task. In relatively few words, you need to share practical information about when a person passed, who their most important loved ones were, and where services are taking place, while also summarizing who they were in a way that at least somewhat captures their spirit.
Jump ahead to these sections:
- What Should You Include in an Obituary for a Dog or Animal Lover?
- Steps for Writing an Obituary for a Dog or Animal Lover
- Examples of an Obituary for a Dog Lover
- Where Can You Post an Obituary for a Dog Lover?
One way to make that last part of writing an obituary easier is to highlight the deceased’s passions. For example, perhaps you’re writing an obituary for someone who was a dog lover. You might use this trait to guide you as you write the part of their obituary that describes their life and personality.
This guide will offer tips on writing an obituary for a dog lover, along with a few examples of what such an obituary might look like. For more general information on this topic, check our guide on how to write an obituary.
What Should You Include in an Obituary for a Dog or Animal Lover?
There are two basic types of information and details you may want to include an obituary for a dog lover. They are:
Practical details
Just as you would include general information about the names of a deceased individual’s human loved ones and the nature of their relationship with them when writing a typical obituary, you might similarly include information about the names, breeds, ages, etc. of the dogs they owned in their life. These practical details can establish a basic foundation that you can build upon.
Personal details
After sharing practical details that clearly establish the degree to which the deceased loved dogs, you can go into more personal or specific details about how they expressed their love for dogs in life.
For example, maybe they participated in charities or organizations devoted to animal welfare. You can share information about this accordingly. Or, perhaps they enjoyed engaging in specific activities with their dogs, such as hunting or camping. These are the types of details that can make an obituary for a dog lover more personal.
Steps for Writing an Obituary for a Dog or Animal Lover
You can simplify the process of writing an obituary by breaking it down into steps. For example, the process of writing an obituary for a dog lover may include such steps as the following:
Gather the practical information
Consider starting the obituary-writing process by gathering the practical information that the above section of this guide covered. Get the names, ages, and breeds of the deceased’s dogs, and list them out as an easy reference you can use when actually drafting the obituary.
List the personal information
After you’ve organized the practical information you plan to share in an obituary you can start making a list of more specific details you might want to include. Think back on your memories of the deceased and list a few ideas for details you can include that express in more specific terms how they embodied their love for dogs when they were alive. You can also ask for suggestions from other family members and friends if you’re struggling with this step.
Choose a photo
This step can come later if you have easy access to a large number of photos of the deceased. However, if you don’t, you may want to avoid scrambling to find an obituary photo at the last minute by taking that step now. Naturally, if you’re writing an obituary for a dog lover, you might want to find a flattering picture of them smiling with one (or more) of their beloved dogs.
Write a draft
Now you may be prepared to write a first draft of your obituary. Consult the lists of practical and personal information you made, check the finished first draft for accuracy, and make any edits you think are immediately necessary.
You should then strongly consider asking other loved ones whose opinions you value to read the draft and offer any insights. They can also identify any inaccuracies or errors you might have overlooked before the obituary is ready for publication.
Examples of an Obituary for a Dog Lover
Studying obituary examples is another way to make the process of writing an obituary less stressful. The following are some generic examples of what you might write about when penning an obituary for a dog lover:
Example for a dog lover with children and a spouse or partner
We are sad to announce that John Smith passed away on Saturday at the age of 55. He is survived by his loving wife Judith, son Ben, and daughter Mary. As a passionate dog lover, John also considered his terriers Andy and Pat to be members of his family. Together, they would all accompany him on their many trips to the lake house, where they forged some of their most lasting memories.
Example for a dog lover with children and no partner or spouse
We must sadly report that William Donner passed away at the age of 70 on Monday. Wiliam started his family when he married his wife Jessica at the age of 23. They spent 20 happy years together until Jessica’s untimely passing. After this time, William demonstrated the personal strength that was one of his most trademark qualities by taking on the responsibility of raising his sons, Jack and Jimmy, as a single parent.
One way William helped his children cope with the loss of their mother was to get them a pet dog, a golden retriever they named Charlie. This sparked in William an up-until-then unknown love for dogs that would last the rest of his life. It was through this shared love for a new pet that William forged a truly strong bond with his children that would help all of them through the painful grieving process.
Example for a dog lover without children or a partner or spouse
Friends of Kelly Blake are sad to announce that she passed away on Sunday. She was 65 years old.
Kelly spent 40 years of her life as the beloved Ms. Blake, a children’s librarian at Archer Public Library. However, her true passion was dogs. Over the years, she owned five dogs herself while also participating in local rescue operations and fundraisers devoted to raising money for animal welfare.
Where Can You Post an Obituary for a Dog Lover?
You have a variety of options to consider when deciding where to post an obituary. The following are common examples:
Newspaper
It’s customary to post an obituary in a public newspaper. If you’re not certain which newspaper (or newspapers) to choose from, the staff of your chosen funeral home can assist you with this task.
Online memorial site
Posting an obituary on an online memorial site is becoming commonplace for several reasons. One of the main reasons is the fact that it gives friends and loved ones who live far away an easy means of finding important information about a funeral or memorial service if they don’t have access to a local newspaper.
This reduces the burden on the loved ones of the deceased, as they may not have to spend as much time reaching out to far-off friends and family sharing this information with them directly.
Don’t worry if you don’t have the skills or experience necessary to create an online memorial site yourself. This is another task that many funeral homes can assist with (although you may want to confirm a funeral home definitely offers this service before deciding to work with them).
An online memorial site can also serve as a digital tribute to someone who has passed on, featuring pictures, videos, and stories from loved ones. Naturally, if you’re writing an obituary for a dog lover, you might want their memorial site to feature pictures and other elements that reflect their love for dogs.
Social media
You can post an informal obituary on social media to tell others of a loved one’s death. This typically consists of a basic post sharing the text of their obituary.
That said, how you go about sharing their obituary on social media will depend at least in part on the platform you’re using. On Facebook, your post can feature the entire text of your loved one’s obituary.
On Twitter, where there is a significant limit on the number of characters a post can feature, you may have to link to an online version of their obituary. This can be a link to an online memorial site, a page of obituaries on the funeral home’s website, or a digital version of the newspaper in which you have posted the obituary.
Just be careful when posting an obituary on social media. You need to consider whether any of your followers who were close with your loved one might not have known about their death. Finding out about a friend or family member’s death when scrolling social media can be a very shocking experience for many.
Publications from organizations your loved one participated in
Consider whether the person whose obituary you’re writing participated in any groups or organizations with their own internal publications. To return to an earlier example, you may be writing an obituary for a dog lover who participated in animal welfare charities. Check to see if they publish any newsletters or similar materials where they might share the obituaries of current or former members.
Writing an Obituary for a Dog Lover: Ideas to Consider
Again, while writing an obituary for anyone may be challenging, it can be easier than it might initially seem if you consider what they loved most in life. Hopefully, this guide has helped you better understand how to properly write a dog lover’s obituary.