In August 2010, I lost my beloved dog and best friend, Daisy Mae.

At the time, I couldn’t afford private cremation, and I couldn’t get a basic clay paw impression without private cremation. The veterinary hospital didn’t offer an ink impression either.

I went home with her leash and collar — that’s all I had left.

I loved Daisy deeply, and losing her was devastating. Even years later, it still hurts knowing that I didn’t get anything with her paw, nothing tangible to remember the best companion she was.

I know what it’s like to wish you had something to hold onto.

Years later, I lost my emotional support cat, Nelliel. She was there with me through so much, she’d always have her paw touching me, letting me know she was right there for me.

This time, I was able to preserve pieces of her.

I had her paw impression.

I had her nose impression.

I was able to receiver her ashes back.

And because I had those things, I was able to create keepsakes from her — pieces that I can hold, look at, and keep close.

Those keepsakes didn’t take away the grief.

But they gave my grief somewhere to go.

They gave me something tangible to hold onto when I miss her.

That experience changed the way I look at memorial keepsakes forever.

I understood in a very personal way how much these little pieces of our pets can mean.

My last veterinary role was as a veterinary technician supervisor in a great general practice hospital. Unfortunately, that chapter was cut short after a serious automobile accident.

As difficult as that change was, because I love what I do, it eventually opened the door to something I had been carrying in my heart for a really long time.

Lasting Paw Impressions Studios was born.

LPIstudios allows me to bring together the things I have spent my life doing:

Caring for animals.

Supporting their families.

Understanding the difficult moments.

And creating something meaningful with my hands.

Each piece I make is personal to me because I understand the trust involved when someone places their pet’s memory in my hands.

I don’t want LPIstudios to be only about memorializing a pet after they’ve passed.

I want to help families capture them while they’re still here, too.

Those little paws that follow you around the house.

The puppy who hasn’t grown into those paws yet.

The cat who has spent years curled up beside you.

The best friend you aren’t ready to imagine living without.

A little impression made today can become something incredibly precious years from now.

Over my 25+ years in veterinary medicine, I’ve had the honor of walking alongside countless families through illness, emergency, end-of-life decisions, and loss.

I’ve seen people cry; and I’ve cried alongside many families.

I’ve watched them hold their animals one last time.

I’ve heard the stories about the pets who changed their lives.

And I’ve learned that no two losses are exactly alike — because no two relationships are exactly alike.

That’s why I don’t believe in making every keepsake look the same.

Your pet was one of a kind. Their keepsake should be, too.

I create each piece by hand and work with families to create something that feels right for their pet, their story, and their memories.

I created Lasting Paw Impressions Studios because I know what it feels like to leave the veterinary hospital without a keepsake.

I also know what it feels like to have one.

And I want to help give families the opportunity I wish I had with Daisy. Whether you’re welcoming a new family member, celebrating the pet who has been beside you for years, or trying to find something meaningful to hold onto after a heartbreaking goodbye, I’m here to help you preserve a little piece of the love you shared.

When you trust me with your pet’s impression, ashes, fur, feathers, or memories, I don’t take that responsibility lightly.

I treat every keepsake as though I were making it my own.

Because I understand. I’ve been there. And I know how much these little pieces can mean.

If you chose LPIstudios, I want to thank you for letting me be a part of your pet’s story.

Whether I meet you before their goodbye or after, it is an honor to create something that helps you remember the love, the personality, and the life you shared with your fur baby.

Because their time with us may be too short, but the love they leave behind lasts forever.

Blessings,

Christina Harris

Owner & Artist, Lasting Paw Impressions Studios (LPIstudios)