Is it normal to keep your deceased dog’s fur?

I told someone that I have this in a drawer at my house and he was shocked and didn’t believe me. Is it normal to keep your deceased dog’s fur? It is something the family I grew up in did and I guess it never occurred to me that it was not normal. It is only a few ziploc bags of dog fur from different dogs. Only one bag per dog. I’m in my 30s and this goes back over 20 years. My mom used to give us the fur from our family dogs, so it is just something I always did. Months/years go by without looking at it, but I do kind of like that I have it to remember the dogs by if I want to. Is it normal?

Voting Results
71% Normal
Based on 45 votes (32 yes)
Help us keep this site organized and clean. Thanks!
[ Report Post ]
Comments ( 16 )
  • SwickDinging

    I don't know how common this is in general but I have met quite a few people who do this.

    When my cat eventually passes away I will keep a bit of her fur in a locket. It's just a memento of someone special, I think it's normal.

    Comment Hidden ( show )
  • charli.m

    Collars, clothes, blankets and photos are more usual.

    Comment Hidden ( show )
  • Boojum

    Whatever. If it helps you deal with the loss of a loved pet, why not?

    Personally, I draw the line at people who take dead pets to taxidermists to have them skinned and their pelts mounted on a plastic form.

    http://www.jhtsupplies.co.uk/domestic-cat-form-fdc1/p00000784

    Comment Hidden ( show )
  • drat

    I thought it was weird as hell when my cat died the crematorium asking if i wanted fur, paw prints and shit like that. I said no and they did it anyway. Gross as hell to think they took my dead pet and pluck fur of his dead body, forced his dead feet into a piece of a clay and gave it to me. fuck that, I dont get why people would want that. I kept whiskers that fell out on their own while he was alive, though.

    Comment Hidden ( show )
      -
    • Boojum

      I agree: that's some peculiar shit.

      Sort of like a mortician who handles the burial of a family member giving you a tasteful little box after the service which contains a hank of hair, an inked palm-print, and a postmortem photo.

      Comment Hidden ( show )
        -
      • charli.m

        I can kind of understand that for a stillborn baby. I don't think I'd want that, personally, but I can understand why they'd want something to remind them when they have been left with nothing. For anyone else, it's creepy.

        My aunt wants my grandmother left at home until she can travel from Melbourne to Sydney (takes her 2 days with 2 kids she intends on bringing with her) to see her at home instead of at a funeral home.

        Intellectually, I can see where she's coming from, but it's caused some rifts.

        Comment Hidden ( show )
  • Dreadful_Dayz

    If it's only a small patch of fur from each animal no harm IMO, if you're keeping huge zip lock bags full that could be a bad thing. It's normal to keep things that were once owned by loved ones/pets.

    Comment Hidden ( show )
  • MrsEdGein

    When my dog Muffy died of old age in 2005 I cut a chunk of her fur off and keep it tied up with a ribbon. I'm going to do the same with my current dog when she dies and it's sad to see her in her twilight years, I wish she could live forever but she won't :(

    Comment Hidden ( show )
  • Yes, it's normal. I've kept the feathers of my chickens that have died.

    Comment Hidden ( show )
  • Servian

    Was it the fur of it when it was alive or dead?

    Comment Hidden ( show )
  • CozmoWank

    I don't know how normal or common it is but I don't thing there's anything wrong with it.

    (Unless the fur is still attached to skin. Then it's getting weird.)

    Comment Hidden ( show )
  • curious-bunny

    I have my old cats blanket, I absoloutly refuse to ever get rid of it.

    Comment Hidden ( show )
  • Vvaas

    normal, i keep feathers from all my pet birds

    Comment Hidden ( show )
  • Cuntsiclestick

    Meh, I have a jar full of my old dog Blackie's nail clippings.

    Comment Hidden ( show )
      -
    • Dreadful_Dayz

      Now that's just grodey af

      Comment Hidden ( show )
  • brutus

    Yes normal.

    Comment Hidden ( show )