If you’ve ever suffered through the heartbreak of losing a pet you know how devastating it is. The terrible void it leaves in your life.  It’s not just the loss of a dog, it’s the loss of a family member, a friend.

For those that aren’t dog lovers, they will never understand the importance of being able to say a proper goodbye. Being able to grieve without being criticized, share your feelings without anyone saying it was just a dog. There’s an online site Peternity, where you can go to connect with others that are going through the grieving process.  They have a place where you can post free online memorials, a wonderful way to honor your dear friend.

Peternity also has an online store where you can purchase a vast array of memorial products. You can get everything from custom blankets to urns.  They also have a terrific new service for children, Kidoodlyrock, to help them deal with the loss.  It includes a stone memorial marker with your child’s drawing, and a place for them to post a picture and share some special words on their Kidoodlyrocks gallery page.

We created Kidoodlyrocks, right here at Peternity, because we wanted to figure out a way to help children through the difficult experience of loss. A Kidoodlyrock is a pet memorial marker that is engraved with your child’s drawing of their pet. These precious stones are very near and dear to my heart, as I experienced loss at the tender young age of 4 when I lost my mother to breast cancer. Through Kidoodlyrocks, I feel that I can give back, by helping children to find their way through the first loss that most of them experience, the loss of a pet.

For any Dogsters that have lost a pet, thanks to Peternity’s generosity, you are going to have a chance to win a personalized blanket.  It’s a cozy chenille blanket, pictured above,  with words of affection discreetly embroidered in the corner.

To enter the contest all you need to do is leave a comment in the comment section sharing the name of the pet you lost, and a story if you like.  The contest will run today through Monday, March 23, when I will choose one winner.

If you’ve lost a pet or know someone who has keep Peternity in mind for all your memorial needs.  It’s a great place to order yourself a special keepsake,  or to buy a gift for the dog lover in your life who has suffered a loss.

Three years ago after losing her beloved Maltese, Mindy, Heeja O’Leary decided rather than focus on the sadness of her loss she would build a memorial to honor Mindy’s life.

Her plan was to build a dog run at PAWS Humane Center on South Street in Calais, ME. That was nearly two years ago. O’Leary raised more than $5,000, and construction began last summer.

Not only did the O’Learys raise money they also did much of the work themselves.  Although Greg O’Leary did receive help he’s a bit modest when it comes to admitting how much of the work he did himself.

However, anyone who watched the project day-by-day often saw O’Leary by himself. For months, armed with a chain saw, O’Leary leveled trees in a wooded area behind the shelter. Rather than strip the land, O’Leary decided to use as much of the natural area as possible, so he laid out an octagonal section.

Last Friday the O’Learys got a tour of the now completed dog run,  which covers over 1,600 square feet.

In the past, the shelter had only a small fenced-in yard with one tree. Most of the time the dogs rooted around outside in the sun.  Now they can romp under the trees, sniff at the roots and occasionally lift a leg.A dog named Yeller jumped up and gave Heeja O’Leary a big kiss on the chin. Heeja O’Leary smiled as she watched the dogs run.

Since the O’ Learys did so much of the work on the dog run they were able to save money on the project.  Last year they donated $1000 to the PAWS shelter to help with the operation.