Does Judaism provide any prayers we can say when burying our beloved pet dog?
Does Judaism provide any prayers we can say when burying our beloved pet dog? Dear Rabbi, We will soon be putting our beloved dog to sleep as he can no longer get up on his hind legs. We will be burying him in our backyard. Does Judaism provide any prayers we can say during the burial? Thank you, Marian Answer: Dear Marian, Technically, we do not mourn the death of a pet animal as we would a human being. However, I’ve learned over the years that a family pet can be greatly loved and missed. Rituals are as much for the sake of the survivors as for the “soul” of the deceased. May I suggest that you contact your Rabbi or Cantor or perhaps even your local Jewish funeral director. They have texts which are intended to provide comfort to your family – whether Psalms from Hebrew Scripture, readings, or even the Internet. Also I recommend that you and your family create a memorial scrapbook that includes writing or drawings about your memories of your dog, photographs, perhaps a poem …. Kadd
