Did you know that psychological studies have shown that 77 percent of dog and cat owners view their pet as a member of the family? People who regard their pets as family members instead of possessions often end up seeing both physical and mental health benefits.
Jump ahead to these sections:
- Sympathy Flowers or Arrangement Types for Loss of a Dog
- Sympathy Flowers or Arrangement Types for Loss of a Cat
- Sympathy Flowers or Arrangement Types for Another Animal
Loved ones who lose a pet sometimes grieve as deeply as they would for any other family member. It’s best to treat the pet’s death as gravely as you would the death of a human loved one. You might send a sympathy card or help with practical matters like selecting urns for ashes. You might also want to send sympathy flowers.
Here, we break down different kinds of sympathy flowers you can send to someone who has lost a beloved pet. These arrangements can bring comfort to someone mourning a cat, dog, or another cherished animal.
Sympathy Flowers or Arrangement Types for Loss of a Dog
Unsurprisingly, many flower companies offer arrangements geared toward dog owners. We’ve also used some creativity to come up with other flower arrangement options for dog owners.
1. Loyalty bouquet
In the Victorian era, floriography became mainstream in England and the United States. Floriography is also known as the language of flowers. Each flower is assigned a meaning. People would send each other coded messages by combining flowers with certain meanings together. You can use that kind of cryptological communication for symbolic funeral arrangements.
The personality trait most frequently associated with dogs is loyalty. You can put together a bouquet that represents this quality. Some flowers associated with loyalty include:
- Bluebell
- Chrysanthemums
- Daisies
- Dandelions
- Hyacinths
- Speedwells
- Sunflowers
- Violets
Because of the diversity of the flowers that can represent loyalty, there are many kinds of arrangements you can build. You can put together a bright and uplifting wildflower bouquet filled with daisies and dandelions.
You could do a more elegant bouquet in shades of blue featuring bluebells, hyacinths, and speedwells or give your friend a potted violet. Be sure to include a card that explains the meaning behind your flowers so that the recipient appreciates the symbolism.
2. Dog-shaped flower bouquet
Skilled florists can put together pretty elaborate bouquets. They can even craft them in certain shapes. Many florists offer dog-shaped arrangements that incorporate carnations or other flowers. Those floral arrangements are then perched in a basket, watering can, or other vessels.
These won’t work for every dog owner, as they are fairly distinctive. You likely want to honor what the dog looked like. But an arrangement like this can be a great gift for someone mourning a shaggy dog like an English sheepdog. Online tutorials can help you create this kind of arrangement on your own or you can contact most florists to have something made.
3. Floral stained glass cremation art
If your spouse or a close family member loses a pet, you may want to do something extra special to commemorate the pet. If they had the pet cremated, you can ask for a small portion of the ashes and commission a piece of cremation art.
Ashes can be incorporated into beautiful colored glass for a long-lasting memorial. A stained glass panel featuring flowers is a sweet sympathy gift gesture that lasts longer than a standard bouquet. For extra significance, ask the artist to incorporate the flowers that symbolize loyalty, as outlined above.
A remarkable pet deserves a unique legacy.
Create a diamond from your pet's ashes so you can always keep them close.
Sympathy Flowers or Arrangement Types for Loss of a Cat
Cat owners may grieve the loss of their sweet and cherished feline friend. These flower arrangements can honor the special relationship between cats and their humans.
4. Cat-safe sympathy flowers
Many cat owners don’t stop at just one cat. In fact, 52 percent of cat owners own multiple cats. Your first reaction if a cat dies may be to send the owner a bouquet of lilies to express your sympathy. However, lilies could prove detrimental to the remaining cat. Other popular flowers that are toxic to cats include:
- Azaleas
- Chrysanthemums
- Hyacinth
- Oleander
- Tulips
These are just a few, so be sure to look up the toxicity of a given plant before sending it to a cat lover. Safe flowers you can send include:
- Asters
- Freesia
- Gerbera daisies
- Orchids
- Roses
- Snapdragons
A bouquet featuring these flowers is a sweet sympathy gesture to someone in mourning. It will also help keep other cats safe.
5. Memorial plant
Some people prefer not to get sympathy flowers after the loss of a loved one. It can be hard to watch something else die so soon after losing a beloved pet to death.
A more permanent sympathy gift, like a sympathy plant, can be a kinder gesture. If you know someone who had a cat that liked to go outdoors or who enjoyed looking out the window, you can get a memorial tree or plant. Your loved one can plant this tree in honor of a late cat and can see it grow as a living memorial to a cherished pet.
6. Memorial glass flower infused with pet ashes
Earlier, we talked about using a pet’s ashes to create floral stained glass cremation art. That’s just one example of what to do with pet ashes.
You can also do a more three-dimensional floral tribute. Some artisans can make blown glass flowers infused with cremation ashes. While sending a sympathy bouquet is a time-honored tradition, these flowers don’t last. A more permanent flower like this can serve as a lasting memorial to a beloved cat.
Sympathy Flowers or Arrangement Types for Another Animal
Cats and dogs are some of the most popular pets in the world. But other popular pets include fish, birds, rabbits, rodents, and reptiles.
If you’ve never had a pet like this, you might not think you can bond with them the way you do a cat or a dog. But pet lovers can deeply love these less traditional pets. These arrangements are a sweet sympathy gesture for someone who has lost a less mainstream pet.
7. Underwater bouquet
People who own fish are often very serious about their pets. It takes a lot of time and money to create a lasting habitat that fish can thrive in.
Well-cared-for tropical fish can live for three to five years. Some goldfish and koi can live up to 20 years. An underwater bouquet is a thoughtful gesture. It features orchids submerged in water. Other flowers like roses, lilies, and hydrangeas rise above the underwater orchids. This unusual arrangement is both beautiful and significant.
8. Rabbit tail bouquet
There is a type of grass called Lagurus ovatus, or bunny tail grass, which looks like — yep, you guessed it! — fluffy rabbit’s tails.
Dried Lagurus ovatus is often used in decorative bouquets. You can use it in an arrangement to pay tribute to someone’s deceased pet rabbit.
9. Vegetable bouquet
Many pets, including rodents and some reptiles, eat vegetables. Vegetarian reptiles include:
- Green iguanas
- Aquatic turtles
- Dryland tortoises
- Solomon Island skinks
One sweet way to honor the death of these kinds of pets is to put together a vegetable bouquet. It can include leafy greens, clover, alfalfa, and more. If the pet owner in question owns other pets with similar diets, they can use the bouquet to feed their other pets.
It’s a nice gesture that can end up nourishing other members of the household.
Get These Sympathy Flowers for Someone Who Loses a Pet
It’s important to offer support to friends and loved ones grieving the loss of a beloved pet. These sympathy flower arrangements can bring some measure of comfort and solace in their time of need.
Sources
- Buchanan, T.M., and McConnell A.R. “Family as a Source of Support Under Stress: Benefits of Greater Breadth of Family Inclusion.” Psycnet.apa.org, APA.org, 2017, psycnet.apa.org/record/2016-59827-006.
- “Rose and Flower Meanings.” Rirs.org, Rhode Island Rose Society, www.rirs.org/languageofflowers.htm.
- “Which Flowers and Plants are Safe for Cats?” Petmd.com, Pet MD, 21 February 2014, www.petmd.com/dog/care/safe-flowers-dogs-cats.