Pets are members of American families. About 62 percent of U.S. households have one or more pet, with 78 million dogs and 86 million cats. About $1.5 billion is spent on pet food, and expense that is one of the hardest to rid from a family budget. When pets pass, many families buy gravestones for pets of the same quality as humans have.

Pet stones are a lovely way to honor your pet. Typically smaller than a human headstone, pet stones are still made from granite, basalt, or another durable stone. Pet stones are almost always engraved with a birth and death date, and may include an epitaph. Modern pet grave markers even have visual representations engraved onto pet stones themselves.

Many families chose to bury their pets in their backyard. Pet grave markers are a great way to connect the home with the pet for eternity. That said, local zoning ordinances sometimes forbid pet burial, for decomposition and pet stone dust threaten the water supply. If home burial is not an option, find a local pet cemetery that provides pet stones, or a crematorium. If families wish to further honor the memory of a pet, they can volunteer at an animal shelter or donate to an animal charity. Families can even create a memorial garden for their pets, complete with commemorative pet stones.

Headstones for pets are a dignified way to honor a family member. No matter how you chose to honor the last remains of a pet, pet stones will keep the memory forever.