CREDIT: JESSICA WRIGHT
Getting a tattoo for a loved one is common, but sometimes people get one for a beloved pet.

There are many reasons to get a tattoo. A common reason is to honour a loved one, be it a friend, significant other or a family member. Some people may even get a tattoo done for their furry friends.

A local tattoo shop is giving tattoo and animal lovers alike a chance to help cats with a special tattoo.

Londoners will be inked with a paw print with a heart in the centre during Legacy Tattoo and Piercing’s Tats for Cats fundraiser. For each tattoo, the shop will donate half of the proceeds to Cats R Us. The local not-for-profit organization rescues feral, stray and abandoned kittens and cats.

Veronica Zager, owner of Legacy, said Cats R Us asked them to do the event.

“We’ve had a pretty good response. There’s a lot of cat lovers in London,” she said.

Legacy’s owner added this is the first time a not-for-profit has asked them to do a fundraising event.

“It was a pleasant surprise, we like to give back to the community,” she said, “I’m certainly open to doing more events for other causes. Everyone here is an animal lover.”

People with pet tattoos

She said she’s seen customers request a tattoo in honour of their pet, either “pet memorials or people wanting to have their dog, cat, bird or whatever on them as a reminder, whether they’ve passed or are still around.”

Some Fanshawe College students have ink dedicated to their furry friends. Ashley Duvall, a former Human Services Foundation student at Fanshawe College, has a paw print on her foot. She explained she got it done for her two dogs that died. “My dogs were my everything and I couldn’t imagine a different way to remember them than by permanently putting them on my body,” she said.

Likewise, Child and Youth Worker student Erika Fruhner got a tattoo for her dog of 13 years, Dallas.

“The years between six and 18 are very impressionable and he had a large impact on my life as emotional support,” she said.

Jessica Wright, a Photography student, said she couldn’t wait to get her tattoo for her cat, Ginger. “It might sound weird to some people, but he is my best friend and has got me through a lot of tough times in life,” she said. “I have no clue how long I’m going to have to wait for him to pass, hopefully many more years.”

Wright added the two-print tattoo is unique, because of her cat’s own paws. One of them has six toes, and the other has seven.

Although she runs Legacy tattoo and piercing shops in London and St. Thomas, Zager doesn’t have a tattoo for any of her pets yet, but she is planning to get an illustrative one for her mastiff, Cooper. “It’s my first own dog,” she explained, adding all of her other family dogs were for her children.

“He’s kind of special to me. All of my dogs are, but I’d like to have him on me forever.”

Is a tattoo a purr-fect idea?

Like any tattoo, those who want to get one have to consider how much they want it. Duvall recommended thinking a tattoo decision through.

“There’s no bond like the bond you have between you and your pets,” she said. “I feel as if it holds the exact same meaning as losing a family member or a friend because that’s what your pet is.”

On the other hand, Fruhner said people should have a good reason before getting inked. She said her dog was the biggest influence in her life, and that she will continue to have pets regardless of how long they live for.

“My body should not be an animal graveyard and, in my opinion, neither should anyone else’s.”

Wright said people should ensure their tattoo idea is one of a kind, rather than a standard paw print. “Make sure it represents your pet,” she said.

However, Zager said that the Tats for Cats paw print tattoos will be the same for each customer during the event.

“If anyone wants to add anything to it later, they can book an appointment,” she said, “We’re just trying to keep the thing running smoothly and quickly.”

Zager has a few tips for anyone interested in getting a tattoo. She recommended researching tattoo artists before getting the tattoo done.

“Look at their artwork. Maybe look at the reviews of the studio.” Zager added to book a consultation appointment after doing research.

“I don’t think that you should be concerned about the price, I think you should be concerned about the quality of your work. It’s on you for life. If you want it removed because it’s a bad tattoo, it will have to be a process with laser tattoo removal and that isn’t quick.”

While Zager said getting a tattoo is common “it’s an expression of your own art, and you get something from an artist that you carry with you forever. It’s not like something that you leave on a wall or print or something. It’s something that’s personal.”

Legacy will host Tats for Cats on Nov. 28 from 11 p.m. to 4 p.m. at their London location on 748 Richmond Street. However, Zager said they will adjust the time to accommodate as many appointments as possible.