It is always difficult to cope with the loss of a beloved pet, but one way owners can deal with their grief is by memorializing their passed furry, finned or feathered family member. Channeling that grief is the focus of a new website created by the Helen Woodward Animal Center, a nonprofit rescue organization based in Rancho Santa Fe, Calif.

IRememberYou.org allows visitors to honor passed pets with virtual candles, personalized photos and shared memories. The candles are available for purchase for various lengths of time — from 1 week to a lifetime — with 100 percent of the proceeds going to support life-changing programs for animals and people in need.

Friends and family members can also contribute to extend the life of the candle.

“I know from my own experiences how painful the loss of a pet can be,” says Mike Arms, president and chief executive officer of the Helen Woodward Animal Center. “I lit a virtual candle for my own dog Trouble. I think about him every day, and it’s comforting to have a place to go, look at his face and know his legacy is being honored.”

When their candle is purchased, owners of these honored pets receive an instant email notification with a link to see their pet’s candle, followed by a mailed copy of the original “I Remember You” keepsake poem card penned by Arms.

To light a candle in honor of a beloved pet, visit IRememberYou.org.

Top Photo: Cat on couch, via Shutterstock.