A pet parent does not have to grieve in silence when his or her beloved companion dies. Besides family and friends, organizations and businesses are eager to help a pet parent cope with the loss and pay tribute. There are many options online. For example, a pet parent can create a virtual tribute to share stories and pictures with family and friends. Here are the top three free online memorial sites for pets (in random order):

DoggyHeaven.com is a memorial website for dogs only. According to the terms of use on the website, "DoggyHeaven.com is a cyber-cemetery (website) for sharing your dog memories and photos with other dog lovers." In addition to memories and photos, a registered pet parent may share his or her dog's favorite toy, treat, game and pastime, as well as special skills. To create a memorial page, he or she needs to complete only one page. Visitors who wish to pay tribute may leave messages and "Tokens of Affection," which include steak, heart, daisy, bone, donut, and bacon strip. Finally, a memorial page may be e-mailed to family and friends.

PerfectTribute.com is a memorial website where a pet parent can create a public or private tribute to a cat, dog, or even a person, in three simple steps. Before confirmation, the pet parent provides tribute details and select tribute settings. Family and friends may share photos, sign guestbook, and share the tribute with others. First, they must sign up and request access to contribute. A cool feature on PerfectTribute.com is the "caring visitors" counter. A pet parent can track how many people visited the tribute to his or her beloved companion.

GoneTooSoon.org is more inclusive than DoggyHeaven.com and PerfectTribute.com. A memorial page can be created for any pet, from ant to zebra, or even a person in four simple steps. Once a pet parent signs up, he or she provides details about a pet, provides a eulogy (or obituary), and adds photos and music. Registered visitors may add a gift, tribute, and photo, as well as light a candle. Unlike the other features on GoneTooSoon.org, gifts are not free. However, they are ideal for celebrating special occasions like birthdays and anniversaries. Earnings from gifts cover administrative costs, along with sponsors, to help keep memorial pages free of charge. Sponsors are given more features, in exchange for their financial support. It is also worth mentioning that a memorial page may be shared on social networking and bookmarking sites, such as Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace.

In conclusion, the memorial websites mentioned above are excellent for pet tributes. The fact that they are free is a big bonus. Now, a pet parent can share the memories of his or her beloved companion with lots of people who truly care.