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Man gets tattoo portrait of beloved dog using the pooch’s ashes

A man grieving the loss of his 17-year-old dog has got himself a tattoo of the Jack Russell terrier with his ashes mixed in with the ink. Sean Howe, 32, was crushed when he had to put his loyal dog Doddy to sleep in June. Sean had Doddy since he was just a puppy. Sadly, in the […]

A man grieving the loss of his 17-year-old dog has got himself a tattoo of the Jack Russell terrier with his ashes mixed in with the ink.

Sean Howe, 32, was crushed when he had to put his loyal dog Doddy to sleep in June.

Sean had Doddy since he was just a puppy. Sadly, in the dog’s later years, he fell deaf and started having violent outbursts, which is what ultimately led his owner to the heartbreaking decision to put him down.

After overhearing a conversation about special memorial tattoos, transport manager Sean, who lives in Westonzoyland, Somerset, decided he wanted to get one done in memory of Doddy, using the pooch’s own ashes.

Sean, who shares children, Daisy, five, and Millie, three with his wife, Katy, a 36-year-old admin assistant, said: ‘I’m into tattoos anyway, and I was always going to get his portrait done.


‘I overheard someone talking tattoos whilst in a pub, and they had mentioned you can get ashes put in the ink.

dog portrait tattoo
‘The tattoo is perfect’ (Picture: Sean Howe / SWNS)
dog portrait tattoo
RIP Doddy (Picture: Sean Howe / SWNS)

‘I contacted my tattoo artist, Aiden Buller, and he said he’d do it no problem.’

Sean paid £180 the tattoo of Doddy’s face to be done on his chest, ashes and all.

The piece sits on the right side of Sean’s chest thanks to Aiden, of the Gorilla Tattoo Studio in Williton, Somerset.


dog portrait tattoo
‘It’s like carrying my boy with me again’ (Picture: Sean Howe / SWNS)

Sean is thrilled with Aiden’s work, which took three hours in total and was done on Wednesday, 5 October.

He said: ‘The tattoo is perfect. I have a few tattoos from Aiden and a lot more booked in.