What to send when someone loses a pet
Food is practical. Comfort is real. A basket that arrives ready to open, something warm and unpretentious, meets a need that most people don't think to name until they're in the middle of it.
A fruit basket is light and easy, something to reach for without effort over several days. A snack and comfort food basket gives the person grieving something to eat when cooking feels like too much. Baked goods are familiar and ask nothing: no preparation, no refrigeration, just something good to have nearby. A tea and cookies gift is quiet and low-key, right for someone who needs comfort without ceremony.
Comfort now, or something to keep
Most of what you'll find here falls into one of two categories. Comfort now is food, snacks, something warm and ready to eat. It meets an immediate need and asks nothing of the person receiving it.
This is the right choice when the loss is recent, when you're not sure what else to do, or when you know the person needs something practical more than something symbolic. Something to keep is a memorial keepsake, a garden stone, a candle, a paw print frame, an ornament. It's for the person who needs something tangible to mark the loss. Not everyone does. But for the people who do, it matters a great deal. If you know the person well enough to know they'd find comfort in something to keep, this is worth sending alongside a food basket or on its own.
When you're not sure which one is right, lean toward comfort. Something to eat is always useful. A keepsake is only right when it fits.
When to send it
The first few days are when most things arrive. That's appropriate. The loss is immediate, the grief is raw, and something showing up at the door is a reminder that someone noticed. Food especially is useful here; the person may not be cooking, may not be eating well, may be sitting in a house that feels wrong without the sound of their companion in it.
The first empty week is often harder than the first few days. The initial wave of messages has passed. The routine that revolved around feeding, walking, and caring for their pet is suddenly just gone. A basket that arrives in this window often means more than one that came immediately, because it comes after the noise has quieted.
What arrives, and how
Every basket is packed and shipped from the Exeter, NH facility. Orders typically arrive within two to three business days. You can select a delivery date at checkout.
A note card is included with every order. You write the message during checkout. It doesn't need to be long. "Thinking of you" is enough. If you're not sure what to write, we can help.
Baskets can be shipped to a home address or a place of work. They can also be delivered to a funeral home.
Related: Sympathy Gifts for Loss of a Mother · Sympathy Gifts for Loss of a Father · Sympathy Gifts for Coworkers · All Sympathy Gifts