Candles have long symbolized the light of hope, of love, of healing and of connection with our loved ones in Spirit. These candles were created to honor the souls of animals who have left the earth, and to comfort the hearts of all those who love and grieve them. Lighting candles can provide a focus of solace and comfort for us, to support our hearts' vigil for the animals we love and have lost.

Tall and elegant at 8 in. high by 3 3/16 in. in diameter, the candles are a substantial size that burn for 150 hours. They are made in the US with animal and earth friendly RSPO Certified Sustainable Palm Oil that burns cleanly. The candles are scent free so that those who are sensitive to oils or fragrance can enjoy their beauty without allergic reaction.

A small card is included with each candle which reads:

May the lighting of this candle lovingly connect you with the Spirit of your animal loved one, and may the grief in your heart be blessed with gentle healing.

When sent as a gift, a complimentary card personalized with your message is included.

You may also wish to have it sent with the beautiful organza gift bag which can serve as a lovely gift presentation, and also as a keepsake bag for tags, collars, fur and sympathy cards.

When the candle is completely burned, the glass can be easily washed and used as a vase to hold flowers, perhaps to be placed next to a framed photo of your animal, or on an altar.

Dimensions: 8 inches high, 3 3/16 inches in diameter. Shipping Weight: 3 lbs, 2.5 oz. Please note that shipping charges for candles are higher than other items  due to heavy weight and need for special packaging for safe delivery.

For a limited time each candle order includes a free copy of the audio book Legacies of Love, A Gentle Guide to Healing from the Loss of Your Animal Loved One by Teresa Wagner.

This product is also available wholesale.

The Design
The design of the candle label originated from an oil painting commissioned for the cover of the audio book, Legacies of Love, A Gentle Guide to Healing from the Loss of Your Animal Loved One, by Teresa Wagner. The painting is titled Mattie and Katie, in memory of Matilda Marie Hoefler, The Best Dog in the Whole Wide World, and Katie Katrina Wagner, Teresa's deeply beloved cat for 17 blessed years. Matilda and Michaela were the animal models for the painting.

The Candles
These candles could be been produced at a fraction of the cost had glass and paraffin wax candles been purchased from China. Instead, our glass vases are purchased from a U.S. manufacturer, and are quality tested using ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials) industry standards.

Each individual candle is lovingly and carefully poured by Meg Shaw, proprietor of At Wicks End in California. Visit her site for more beautiful candles and hand made soaps. Meg is also a dog lover who understands our great love for animals and the pain of losing them. Her love for animals and her craft is part of every candle.

The Wax
The wax used for the candles is RSPO Sustainable Palm Oil Wax. Why this instead of paraffin? Animals in our Hearts wants these candles to be safe for the users and the environment. Paraffin candles contain toxins and carcinogens. Paraffin starts out as leftover sludge from petroleum production. It's then filtered, bleached and put into consumer products. Paraffin candles emit soot that can blacken your walls, ceilings and furniture, contaminate ventilation duct work in your home, and add carcinogens to the air you breathe. Palm wax is a healthy and environmentally friendly product.

Palm wax is a renewable resource and does not harm the environment

Palm wax is all natural - no toxins, no carcinogens

Palm candles burn cleaner and produce about 90% less soot than paraffin candles

Palm candles reduce the risk of allergy & asthma attacks

Palm candles burn more slowly than paraffin candles, lasting about 30% longer

What does RSPO Sustainable Palm Oil refer to?

Unfortunately there have been reports of rainforest being clear-cut to build palm plantations in Indonesia and Malaysia. Southeast Asia is home to some of the most bio-diverse ecosystems in the world. Losing these forests destroys the livelihood of native people and compromises the already sensitive orangutan, rhinoceros, and Sumatran tiger populations.

RSPO is the acronym for Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil, which was founded to develop and define best practices for sustainable palm cultivation, and then help member organizations to implement and verify the procedures. This organization was founded by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and heads of government and industries involved in palm cultivation. Using RSPO palm wax insures that the palm wax was harvested in a manner that does not contribute to the harm of forests, animals or their habitat, or people.

The Animals in our Hearts Memorial Candles are filled with palm oil wax from an RSPO supplier.

The palm kernel is grown on trees and picked rather than sown in a field and harvested. Its exceptional sustainability combined with clean burn, non-genetically modified, and beautiful, sparkly appearance makes it an excellent choice for candles.

Why palm wax versus soy? Because palm wax it is more versatile, burns longer and is more beautiful with its natural sparkles. Also, when soy wax is used in glass containers, it does not cling to the glass evenly, creating pockets of air which are both unsightly and cause the candle to burn unevenly.