BACKYARD DOG CELEBRATION OF LIFE SESSION, FAMILY PET CELEBRATION OF LIFE

(Note: these images are of Igor’s last full day on Earth. No euthanasia/end of life images are included in this blog post).

There are moments in this career that remind me to my core why it is I do this.

Igor’s health was declining, and his family had to make the difficult decision to end his life to protect him from pain and suffering. But that didn’t mean he couldn’t have one last toy and peanut butter filled day.

I trekked out to Mariah and Jared’s backyard an hour outside of Minneapolis to document his last day in their backyard at their home. The session turned into spoonful after spoonful of peanut butter, and covering the backyard in toy stuffing like it was snow.

It was a bit of a decision, whether or not to blog this session. Ultimately, grief manifests itself in many ways, but so does joy. It’s important to remember that no matter how you process the lost of a loved one, there are ways to celebrate them too. Showing this story of how one family chose to process the experience can give insight to those looking for guidance.

Celebration was important to Mariah, even amidst the pain. And it’s my greatest hope that these images get down to the core of who Igor was. To show how important he was to this family.

Scroll below to see images from Igor’s backyard dog celebration of life session. Interested in hearing more about their experience? Reach out and let’s get coffee. Let’s talk about if a session like this would be a good fit for your family.

M