In memoriam

It might sound morbid, but I have kept the ashes of every pet I have lost. I couldn't bear to part with them, but it's a bit impractical to have urns dotted all over the house. A friend mentioned that you can get jewellery, such as lockets, that contain the ashes securely, so you can always have them close but in a beautiful piece of jewellery. I've heard that ashes can be turned into diamonds, too, but imagine this is very costly. 
Have you come across any such jewellery?

Vicky Wiley, by email



Alison Logan, vet, advises…

It is not morbid. We are all different. I have clients who simply want their pets cremated anonymously because the memories live on, others who request individual cremation with return of ashes for scattering, burial or, like yourself, to keep in the house. We are all different.

There are certainly items of jewellery available. When our dear Pippin was put to sleep last January, we had her ashes back and have buried them with a Cox’s orange pippin tree beside them, and bulbs all round. The pet crematorium did offer a silver locket with a token amount of her ash inside which my daughter has and it did help her to come to terms with losing Pippin. Your veterinary practice should be able to advise on what the crematorium it uses can offer. There are so many other possibilities now as containers for the ashes such as candle holders and pieces of sculpture.