Graveside services for beloved pets across Eastern North Carolina
Gentle Shepherd Pet Memorials
When a faithful companion dies, the grief is real. Pastor Jody Harrison will come to your home or chosen resting place to lead a simple, Christ-centered service so your family can say goodbye with dignity and hope.
"Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted."
Matthew 5:4
Why this ministry
Pastor Jody is an Ordained Bishop in the Church of God, the denomination's highest ministerial rank. For several years, he has walked alongside church members through every kind of loss. Again and again he has watched families grieve the death of a dog, a cat, or a horse that shared their home and their days.
He knows that mourning a pet does not carry the same weight as losing a loved one, and he will never pretend that it does. But he also knows that grief is grief, and that Christ meets us in every sorrow, large or small.
Gentle Shepherd Pet Memorials exists to give families what they often go without: a moment to stop, give thanks, remember, and lay a faithful friend to rest in the company of Scripture and prayer.
What a service looks like
Most services last about fifteen minutes and are shaped around your family. Here is the usual order.
- 1
Welcome and prayer
Pastor Jody gathers the family, names your pet, and gives thanks to God for the gift of their life.
- 2
Scripture
Short readings on God's care for all He has made.
- 3
Remembering
Each family member, children first, is invited to share a favorite memory.
- 4
A word of hope
A brief message on the comfort Christ offers and the hope of a creation made new.
- 5
Laying to rest
Family members may place a flower, a favorite toy, or a handful of soil.
- 6
Blessing
A closing prayer for peace, ending with the blessing from Numbers 6:24-26.
Scripture for the grieving
The Bible does not answer every question we have about our animals. It does show a God who sees, keeps, and will one day restore all He has made.
"O LORD, thou preservest man and beast."
Psalm 36:6
"Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God?"
Luke 12:6
"The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid."
Isaiah 11:6
"The creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption."
Romans 8:21
Helping children say goodbye
For many children, losing a pet is their first experience of death. A pet who has been with the family for years may have been there their whole life. These ideas can help.
Use honest, simple words
Say that your pet "died." Phrases like "went to sleep" or "we lost him" can confuse or frighten young children.
Give them a part to play
Children can draw a picture, write a letter, choose a flower, or read a short verse at the service.
Make a memory box
A collar, a photo, and a tuft of fur in a small box gives children something to hold on hard days.
Let feelings take time
Sadness can return weeks later. If grief seems to linger or deepen, talk with your pastor, school counselor, or pediatrician.
Words from families
"Our dog Rex was older than our youngest. Pastor Jody let both kids share a memory, and it gave them a way to say goodbye we could not have given them ourselves."
"I felt silly at first for wanting a service for my cat. Pastor Jody never once made me feel that way. It was short, kind, and exactly right."
"He drove out to the farm and we laid our old mare to rest under the pecan tree. My husband, who rarely tears up, did that day."
Request a service
Tell us a little about your pet and where you would like the service held. Pastor Jody will call you back to talk through the details.
Service area
Tarboro and communities throughout Eastern North Carolina.
Cost
Each service is priced individually based on travel distance and the time needed. You will know the cost before anything is scheduled.
Prefer to call?
[PHONE NUMBER]
[EMAIL ADDRESS]
Request sent
Thank you. Pastor Jody will reach out soon to talk with you. We are sorry for your loss.