- - Bad breakup? Name a cockroach after your ex & more for Valentine's Day

Julia Gomez, USA TODAYFebruary 7, 2026 at 7:01 AM

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Breakups bring on a special kind of pain, no matter the stage of life you're in, but some businesses and even zoos are hosting events that might help ease your broken heart this Valentine's Day.

From zoos offering to name feeder rats and cockroaches after your ex to companies willing to buy the things your ex left you to deal with, there are lots of places willing to give people a way to cope.

So if you're tempted to send a text to your ex on Valentine's Day, or maybe even a situationship gone awry, you should probably put down the phone and do this to (dis)honor your ex this Valentine's Day.

Name a cockroach after your ex

This hiss-terical Valentine's gift might not be for everyone.

The Bronx Zoo announced that it would once again bring back its Name-a-Roach campaign.

People can make a $15 donation to name a Madagascar Hissing Cockroach after someone they love or love to hate. Additional packages are available that include bonus perks, according to a press release from the zoo.

Would-be donors can purchase the following:

Digital certificate, $15: This certificate allows people to name a Bronx Zoo Madagascar hissing cockroach after someone you know and includes a digital certificate with a custom message.

Valentine's Virtual Encounter, $35: This package probably isn't one you want to give to an ex-Valentine. You can get as snug as a bug, have a virtual encounter with a cockroach and another surprise animal guest, and chat live with an expert. This package also includes a digital certificate.

Mystery Box, $70 (sold out): The mystery box includes "two mystery roach-tastic gifts," according to the zoo. Merchandise that might be included in the box are roach socks, roach beanie, roach crossbody bag, roach plush, or a roach tumbler. This package also includes a printed certificate with the roach's name on it and a virtual encounter. However, the box has since sold out.

Orders of the packages listed above can be placed on BronxZoo.com/Roach.

More news: Starbucks adds new matcha drinks, Valentine's Day menu items

Name a rat (or a roach)

Is your ex the human incarnation of a rat? Well, this might be more your style.

While the Bronx Zoo's Name-a-Roach campaign is a bit more wholesome, the San Antonio Zoo's fundraiser, Cry Me a Cockroach, is anything but that.

Broken hearts seeking vengeance can donate $5 to symbolically name a cockroach or vegetable, or $15 to name a rat, which will be fed to the zoo's animals.

"San Antonio Zoo is once again helping people everywhere turn heartbreak into conservation action with the return of its world-famous Cry Me a Cockroach Valentine’s Day fundraiser," the zoo stated on its website.

Donors, who must be 18 or older to participate in the fundraiser, will receive a downloadable virtual card that they can share with friends (or exes) and a video of the zoo's popular residents.

To participate, visit SAZoo.org/crymeacockroach.

Get rid of your ex's belongings and gifts

This coping mechanism is one for people of legal drinking age.

Angry Orchard Hard Cider is offering the opportunity to "ex-change your ex's abandoned sh*t for Angry Orchard," according to its announcement page.

Whether it's an old hoodie or a pair of shoes, you can package it and ship it to Angry Orchard in exchange for cash. The brewing company will then sort the items and donate them to the appropriate organization.

That way, "nothing goes to waste, except the relationship itself."

Get rid of the jewelry they gave you while you're at it

While you're on the way to sending your ex's grody old shoes to Angry Orchard, you can stop at JCPenney and get rid of the reminders of that love story turned horror after it comes to an end.

"The JCPenney Ex-Change," which will take place on Feb. 15, is a one-day event where people can exchange jewelry an ex gave them for something that fits who they are now, according to a press release published on JCPenney's website.

"Because we all have that piece," the press release stated. "The ring gathering dust in a drawer. The necklace that screams 'who was I?' every time you see it."

The first 100 customers to enter JCPenney’s flagship store in Garden City, New York, and the first 50 at other participating locations, will be able to trade in old jewelry with undesirable memories.

The jewelry traded in will be donated to Good360, a nonprofit organization that collects unwanted goods and keeps them out of landfills nationwide by donating them to families struggling financially.

To find a JCPenney location near you that will be participating in the "Ex-change," visit JCPExchange.com.

Break the news with a card from Walmart

If you're getting ready to break up but haven't done so yet, Walmart might have you covered. The retailer is selling giant breakup cards that have gone viral on social media.

"You don't have to be dead to be dead to me," the tombstone-shaped card states on the front. The front of the card features a skull and purple tulips at the bottom. It was "fun while it lasted," the card states on the inside.

The jumbo Grey Tombstone Break Up Card measures 13.5 inches wide and 20 inches tall and is "perfect for expressing love, romance, and heartfelt messages," according to Walmart's website.

Julia Gomez is a Trending reporter for USA TODAY and covers popular toys, scientific studies, natural disasters, holidays, and trending news. Connect with her on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, and TikTok: @juliamariegz, or email her at jgomez@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Companies unveil Valentine's Day offers to help you get over your ex

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