Pet obituaries a rapidly growing trend among Queensland animal lovers

Queensland pet owners are going to extreme lengths to remember their furry friends, with the latest trend quite literally leaving a lasting legacy.

Queensland pet owners are finding new ways to remember their furry friends, with memorial websites, funerals, cremations and social media pages being set-up in their late pets’ honour.

Some owners have sculptures or paintings commissioned, to have a long-lasting reminder of their beloved animal.

A therapy dog who touched the lives of Queensland’s sick and vulnerable children will be remembered forever with an online obituary.

Delta therapy dog, Nanook Samuel, passed away suddenly last year after he spent years visiting Queensland Children’s Hospital and aged care facilities across the state.

The Alaskan malamute’s owner, Gavin Devine, said Nanook had meant so much to so many, he wanted to keep his memory alive.

“He had so many followers, he touched so many people, we had so many beautiful tributes and condolences,” Mr Devine said.

Gavin Devine with his young dogs Mya and Sam. Gavin has made a website to commemorate his Delta Therapy Dog Nanook who passed suddenly last year. People share their memories with Nanook on the site. Pics Adam Head

After the seven-year-old dog’s passing, Mr Devine said his local Manly Rd vet had recommended Pets in Peace to commemorate the life of Nanook.

“We started talking through with Pets in Peace about how we commemorate him from their side of it,” he said. But Mr Devine went a step further and created his own website to commemorate the much-loved therapy dog.

Mr Devine has since added two new dogs to the family, Sam and Mya.

Nanook’s memorial is one of the many obituaries on the Pets in Peace website, with founder Martin Hopp saying the free service went a long way for families to remember their beloved animals.

“They can look at other people’s pets and get comfort out of that but they can also go back six or 12 months later and they can see their baby’s photograph, it’s a forever memorial,” he said.

“It’s like if your loved one died and was at the crematorium, they could go back and visit every now and again – we have families who go back to our website to visit for that same reason.

“We get some beautiful memorials, and we do everything from little mice up to St Bernards, they’re all our babies and we want to look after them properly.”