A Memorial-Donation Guide for Giving in a Pet's Name
For a friend, sibling, parent, or partner who has just lost a beloved animal — the kind of loss that leaves the house perceptibly quieter, and the daily rituals abruptly changed. These are memorial gifts chosen for their ability to hold both the depth of the grief and the hope that some good might follow: donations made in the animal’s name, markers that endure in gardens or on walls, and cards or tributes that acknowledge what the pet meant without crowding the moment with sentiment. The guide spans organizations and geographies, from the most traditional American and UK memorials to tributes made in support of animal rescue, research, or even the wild creatures beyond our homes. Send the one that fits their connection, the story of the pet, or the place they called home. You do not need to send more than one.
TMM Editorial · May 2026
The Picks
Best Friends Memorial Brick at Angels Rest
The most permanent way to mark a pet's life: an engraved brick along the memorial path at Angels Rest, the Best Friends sanctuary garden in Utah. $159, up to six lines of engraving; placement takes from six weeks, and you get an email with a photo of the brick in place.
ASPCA Pet Memorial & Honor Donations
A familiar American in-lieu-of-flowers choice when a pet has died. A donation in the pet's name, with an optional card or e-card sent to the family to let them know.
Petfinder Foundation In-Memoriam Donation
For the family who adopted the lost pet through a Petfinder-listed rescue. The donation helps fund rescue groups. After giving, you can email the pet's photo and a short tribute for the Foundation's public online memorial wall, so check the family is happy to have it shared.
Morris Animal Foundation Pet Memorial Wall
For the honoree whose pet was lost to a disease the research could still fix. Morris funds veterinary science for cats, dogs and horses. A gift of $500 or more adds the pet's name to the digital memorial wall at its Denver headquarters and to its AnimalNEWS memorial pages, and you receive a medallion engraved with the name. Both are public, so check the family is happy with that.
Best Friends Tribute Gift in a Pet's Name
The Best Friends memorial donation for the supporter who wants the money to go to rescue and adoption work directly, without the permanent marker of the brick. Choose a one-time gift or a monthly one; you can also create an online memorial page for the pet.
RSPCA UK In-Memory Donation
For UK supporters. The RSPCA's in-memory page lets you make a one-off donation in a pet's name or set up a Tribute Fund webpage where family and friends can share memories and give. UK taxpayers may be able to add Gift Aid.
Ontario SPCA Gift of Urgent Need
For Canadian supporters: a symbolic gift in the pet's name that pays for urgent treatment and medication for animals in the Ontario SPCA's care. CA$45; you get a charitable tax receipt.
RSPCA NSW In-Memory Donation
For supporters in New South Wales: an in-memory donation to RSPCA NSW, which rescues, rehabilitates and rehomes animals across NSW (other states have their own RSPCA). You choose a one-off or monthly gift on the form.
WIRES In-Memory Donation
For the supporter whose grief widens to all the wildlife still in need. WIRES rescues and cares for native Australian animals; an in-memory gift can come with a tribute page, and WIRES can send a letter to the family on your behalf if you ask. Tax-deductible in Australia.