Pet Memorial Day: Remembering the Love They Left Behind
September 8 is Pet Memorial Day—a day to remember the pets who are no longer by our sides, but who will always have a place in our hearts.
For many of us, our pets are never just pets. They are family. They grow alongside us, become part of our everyday routines, celebrate the good days with us, and somehow seem to know when we need them most.
And when they're gone, the love we have for them doesn't simply disappear.
There’s a saying that has always stuck with me:
“Grief is just love with nowhere to go.”
I think there is something incredibly true about that. We grieve so deeply because we loved so deeply.
Remembering Spencer 💙
Pet Memorial Day is especially personal to me because I've experienced that loss myself.
I lost Spencer, my dog and the original inspiration behind Play Plus.
In many ways, I consider Spencer the founder of Play Plus. Without him, this brand simply wouldn't exist.
Losing him left an emptiness that is difficult to put into words. Anyone who has lost a dog knows the strange quiet that follows. You notice the places where they used to sleep. You miss hearing their paws coming down the hallway. You miss the routines you probably never realized meant so much until they were gone.
Sometimes, it's the smallest things you miss the most.
But over time, I've tried to remind myself that Spencer's story isn't defined by the day I lost him.
It's defined by all the days I had him.
The walks. The playtime. The laughs. The goofy moments. The ordinary days that didn't seem important at the time but eventually became some of the memories I'd give anything to experience one more time.
That's what I want to remember.
Not just the sadness of saying goodbye, but how lucky I was to have someone who made saying goodbye so difficult.
Spencer may no longer be here physically, but what he gave me is still here. His memory continues through Play Plus and through the love behind what I'm building.
A little piece of Spencer will always be part of this company.
Remember the Good Times
If you're missing a pet this Pet Memorial Day, I hope you give yourself permission to grieve—but I also hope you remember to smile.
Remember the ridiculous things they did.
Remember their favorite toy, their favorite spot in the house, the way they greeted you when you came home, the adventures you took together, and all of those little personality quirks that made them them.
Look at the old pictures.
Tell the funny stories.
Talk about them.
Say their name.
Because while losing them is painful, we shouldn't let the pain of their final chapter overshadow the beautiful story that came before it.
They wouldn't want their memory to bring us only sadness.
They gave us too much happiness for that.
For Every Pet We Carry With Us 🐾
On September 8, everyone at Play Plus is sending love to anyone remembering a pet who has crossed the rainbow bridge.
Whether you lost them yesterday or many years ago, there are some companions you simply never stop missing.
And maybe that's okay.
Because grief is love with nowhere to go—and all that love is proof that they were here, that they mattered, and that they changed our lives.
So this Pet Memorial Day, I'll be remembering Spencer.
I'll miss him.
But more importantly, I'll remember him.
I'll remember the good times, the laughter, the companionship, and everything that made him special.
And I hope you'll do the same for the pet you're thinking about today.
Here's to Spencer, and to every dog, cat, and beloved companion who left paw prints on our hearts that time could never erase.
We were lucky to have them. 💙🐾
With love,
Play Plus
