Why I Started Pets In Memoriam

In September 2026, I lost my Chocolate Lab, Apollo, to lung cancer. He was diagnosed on August 25th and only eleven days later, on September 5th, he was gone. The experience reshaped how I thought about pets, empathy and grief.

It was tough for me to talk about his cancer diagnosis, and his passing. I would find myself choking up the first few days after. What's always helped me during tough times was writing down my thoughts and feelings and thoroughly reflecting on the past. I wanted to share my writing of Apollo's life story and how I was impacted emotionally with friends and family, but I couldn't find an avenue that I felt gave Apollo the respect and dignity he deserved.

Traditional pet memorial sites start with an impersonal template. You give a name, a few photos, and a short paragraph. These sites then display your pet's "tribute" on a page with hundreds and thousands of other pets, each in the same exact style making your pet feel like a dot in a directory. Pet cemeteries are rare and self burial isn't always an option in your area or living situation. They also feel more about honoring your pet's death than its life. Social media posts get the word out, but don't have room for much detail, and disappear within a day. Scrapbooks and photo books are beautiful but private, sitting on a shelf unable to be shared with everyone who knew and loved them too.

I wanted something better, so I built it myself. I spent days going back through years of photos and videos, writing out his life in chapters - before I even had him, the adjustment period, the years at the dog park, and finally his last few weeks. Putting it into words and going through all of the photos brought me so many memories I might have otherwise let blur together and by the end, not only had I felt like I'd given him a dignifying memorial, I had also given myself an avenue for reflection, grief and the ability to share with those we loved.

Those who read my memorial were moved, and some said it was one of the most touching and heartfelt tributes they'd ever seen for a pet. A few people who saw what I'd made for Apollo asked if I could do the same for their pet when the time came. That's when I realized what I'd actually built wasn't just a website — it was a process. A way for someone to sit down with their photos and memories to help them reflect and grieve, and in the end, give them something that adequately respects and honors their pet's legacy.

If you've lost a pet who you loved like family, or know someone who has, I'd be honored to help build something beautiful for them too.