Since tattoos originated as tribal markings, there is a certain weird logic to pet tribute tattoos as our beloved family pets do indeed make up part of our modern “tribe” and animal symbols are extremely popular choices for tattoo artwork.
Pets are members of the family
With single households predominant, our pets are becoming more and more like our children. The Friends actress, who fits that demographic, chose to mark the passing of her beloved pet of 15 years with her very first tattoo – her dog’s name printed on the inside of her right foot.
Having starred alongside Owen Wilson in that famous canine tearjerker film Marley & Me, a loving story of the human and dog bond, the 43-year-old actress explained on the TV show Entertainment Tonight Canada, “That’s my dog, my baby, who just passed away. I never thought that would ever happen. It’s just my way to pay homage to him – forever.”
A nice, tame subject matter
Formerly the domain of sailors and soldiers, tattoos have become mainstream in Western culture since the 1990s, and few subjects– from flora and fauna to names and faces – are off limits.
Honoring pet relationships with a tattoo seems to be quite popular, and a much safer bet due to high divorce rates among humans. After all, tattoos are so – well, permanent. Remember Johnny Depp’s repair job “Wino Forever” after he and Winona Ryder broke up?
Of course, you will most likely outlive your dog, cat or bird, but unlike human relationships, the odds of them dumping you for another pet guardian are slim to none, making the pet tattoo a pretty safe choice.
Research your tattoo artist
As with any tattoo, it pays to do your research. The first step is crucial: find an artist worthy of capturing your precious pet for this specialized medium. Be forewarned, according to Dogster.com, drawing animals requires a high level of artistic skill, particularly if you’d prefer not to have some pet head floating ominously on your skin.
Of course, the Internet provides no shortage of ideas and images for your research. Just Google “pet tribute tattoo” and click on “images” and you’ll be amazed at the number of paw print tattoos that appear.
What type of tattoo would do justice to your pet?
A word to the wise: tattoo quality can vary from a clump of dark black spots that make you think “melanoma,” to tastefully etched paw prints that appeared almost three-dimensional on the skin; like a little kitty just tracked mud across your back, or your furkid brought home a plaster cast of their paw.
Pet portraits vary from a lone floating beagle head in a sepia-tint to soaring birds amidst colorful flowers. The most skillful artists provide some sort of foliage or flowers to help anchor their portrait.
Whether your pet is keeping you company as you read this, or has become a fond memory, the pet tattoo is here to stay. Your best bet is to choose an excellent tattoo artist and bring some good photos of your pet and let them be inspired to create a unique image for you.
Do you already have a pet tattoo? What type of tattoo could you imagine as a tribute to your beloved pet?