Losing a dog or cat who was there for more than a decade is hard. Some owners want to gather the photos and clips into one video, to play at a farewell, to keep at home, or just to watch when they miss them. This page is for you if you are thinking about it. There's no hurry. Start when you're ready.
What the video can look like
There's no set format. Three common ones:
- A life in review: from the day they came home to the end, in order, three to five minutes.
- Everyday life: not chronological, but in sections: sleeping, eating, walks, cuddles, mischief. People usually smile watching this kind.
- A short one: about a minute, a dozen favourite photos and one song, to share with friends.
The mood can be quiet, or warm and even a little funny. The second is a fine choice, because it's more like them.
Choosing the material
- Every stage: the early days, the liveliest years, old age.
- Their character: the head tilt, the stolen food, the reaction to the word "walk", the spot they always slept in.
- With the family: a photo or two with each person.
- Video first: movement and sound bring them back more than a still does.
A three-minute video needs roughly 30 to 40 photos and about ten short clips. If you can't choose, send everything and tell us what must be included.
Whether to keep the sound
The bark, the purr, claws on the floor, your voice calling their name. You won't hear these again, so where the clips have them, we usually suggest leaving one or two moments of original sound between the music. If that feels like too much right now, leave it out and make a version with sound later.
What the title cards can say
- Name, birthday or the day they came home, the day they left.
- Nicknames, favourite food, the thing they were most afraid of.
- One short line you want to say to them.
You can also start while they are still here
Some owners begin when a pet is getting old or has fallen ill. Film on purpose: phone sideways, down at their height, ten seconds a shot, their sounds and your voice talking to them. These will be the scenes you want most later. Keep backups; see backing up video footage.
When you hand it to us
Upload the photos and clips to a cloud folder and tell us their name, the mood and length you'd like, any words to include, and where the video will be used (with the date, if there is one). See how to provide footage, and making a video from photos for how photos are arranged.
FAQ
The photos are old and blurry. Can they be used?
Yes. In a memorial video the content matters, not the resolution.
Most of the clips are vertical. Is that a problem?
No. The video can be vertical, which suits a phone; on a TV, soft backgrounds fill the sides.
Can we use the song they always heard at home?
For private viewing, yes. If it will be posted publicly, a copyrighted song may be muted by the platform.
