cremation or burial?

[lute]

when your dog(s) die are you going to cremation or bury them?

i HATE thinking about my babies passing on, but it will happen sometime and i want to be prepared. i'm going to cremate Gracie so she can be with me forever.

[BOBS DAD]

Bury. I have always buried our pets somewhere in our yard(s). Somewhere where they used to roam. Sad, but they are dead. And you are only burying the body - and not the memories.

[Chilli]

I'm seriously thinking about cremating my boys after its their turn to pass on.... I'm unsure why, though.... hopefully I'll have plenty of more years to decide.

[Jessika]

I will probably cremate my pups. I have had BAD experiences with burying pets.. especially in your yard...

[BOBS DAD]

I will probably cremate my pups. I have had BAD experiences with burying pets.. especially in your yard...

Jessika, do you mean, "you end up seeing them again"???

[Glacier]

Unfortunately, I've already had to make this decision several times. All my bridge kids were cremated, the rest of them will be too when the time comes. I have shelf in my bedroom with all the urns along with pictures and other mementos. I wear a small portion of Hoodoo's ashes in a pendant pretty much every day. It is in my will that when my time comes, my pets' ashes are to be mixed with mine and scattered in a particular spot.

[Jessika]

Jessika, do you mean, "you end up seeing them again"???

Yes that is exactly what I am referring to lol

[buttercup132]

Cremation. I think by burring a pet some animal could come and dig them up....and well not nice experience..

[Tollers-n-Dobes]

I don't do anything like that. I'm not into cremating or burrying my dogs at all, I'd rather have the real dog or nothing at all but that's just me. IMO you don't even really know for sure who you are getting back when you cremate them, there could be some of your dog mixed in with a bunch of other pets...

[BOBS DAD]

I can appreciate your concerns. Everyone expects their final Goodbyes to be FINAL - at least in this life. I have never had a "bad experience" (aka Jessika) as described, but I do make sure that I dig deep (approx 4 feet) and then lay to rest with a wrapping of some sort (blanket they liked or something). I know this is rather morbid and all... but I find this final act to be less detached and more therapeutic.

[BOBS DAD]

I don't do anything like that. I'm not into cremating or burrying my dogs at all, I'd rather have the real dog or nothing at all but that's just me. IMO you don't even really know for sure who you are getting back when you cremate them, there could be some of your dog mixed in with a bunch of other pets...

OK Orangutango...

but you do/will have to do something. Cause when they die, unless you do something... they will just continue to hang around - in the same spot. The only resurrection I know of was Jesus Christ!!!
:D

[beeniesmom]

Actually.... niether.
I read somewhere that, for a substantial sum, you can have your dog or cat remains turned into a precious gem. It's similar to cremating and it is very expensive.

http://www.lifegem.com/secondary/whatisLG2006.aspx

[Kfamr]

Cremate.
If I burried one of my pets here, they will be stuck here forever.. what if we moved?

I have different places where I want to spread the ashes, and different ideas of how I want to keep them.

[caseysmom]

My husband and I buried our RB kitty about a year ago. I got a nice headstone for her and its nice knowing she is there. We plan on being in this house for a long time.

It was very hard burying her though, not sure I could do it again, especially with a larger animal. I also had nightmares the first week that she crawled out covered in dirt...sorry to be so graphic but they were disturbing dreams.

[animal_rescue]

All of my pets so far have been buried, but with Maggie she'll be cremated. I want to have her with me always.

[BOBS DAD]

Wow...
Casey's Mom... that IS Disturbing. I buried our cat of 21 years last month and YES, it was hard. I don't know if it is getting harder because I am getting older myself or what. I thought about her there for a week or so too, and it made me feel sad. Don't know if incinerating her would have been any easier though?

[k9krazee]

We have buried our cats and guinea pigs in our backyard but I wouldn't want to bury a larger animal like a dog. :( So they will most likely be cremated.

[caseysmom]

Yes the idea of giving her to someone to burn is why I buried her. Either way is pretty hard I guess.

[My Peanuts]

Angie is buried in our yard. I thought it would be hard, but I like having her there. She's home and that's where she'd want to be.

[boscibo]

I had Bandit cremated. I paid extra for single (ashes not mixed with other pets) cremation, and bought a nice picture urn from Petsmart to store his ashes in. I also put a tuft of his fur and his collar in the urn. I can take that with wherever I may move, as I highly doubt I will stay in my current location forever.

Plus, in some cities it is illegal to bury animals in your yard.

[Crazy-Cat-Lover]

I will cremate my pets. It is illegal to bury pets in your backyard here. There is a HUGE fine if you're caught. Besides, I would like to have my pets ashes with me for life.

[Miss Z]

Buried. All of my past pets are buried in the garden with spring flowers just sprouting on their graves:(

[chocolatepuppy]

We buried our last dog in our yard. I have regretted it ever since. Even though we plan to live here forever, you never know. I do believe it is also against the law to bury an animal here. I am very torn between burying and cremation. I don't like the thought of my pet being burned up and I can't stand the thought of someone taking my pets body away. :( If a person died they would take their body away, so I don't know why that bothers me so much.
I know it's just a body and my pets spirit and memories will be with me forever. I just don't know what I'll do when faced with this decision. :(

[sammy101]

Cremated for sure.My RB muggins was buried at our old house in canada,but my other 2 RV girls whom we lost in Texas were both cremated.Like Kay said,if we move they'll be with us,which we do move alot.

[BC_MoM]

Umm.. I honestly don't know. I don't know why, but I don't like the idea of having Mickey's OR Molly's ashes sitting on a shelf.. I don't think I would bury them either... but maybe in a pet cemetery?

And anyway.. your pet isn't there anymore. So what's the point of keeping the body or ashes? He/she's finished with it's body.. his soul is no longer with it. It's with you and God.

What do vets do with bodies when you don't ask for a cremation or burial? We left Wolfie's body with the vet and my aunt left our old dog (who we gave to her) at the vet as well..

[anna_66]

We've actually done both.

Keisha's was such a sudden death we never really had any time to think of what to do for her. When she died at the vets I had them put her in the back seat of my car and I drove her home. We burried her in her favorite place in the back yard (where she used to lay on my flowers). I hated the thought of burrying her, but at the time it was the only thing we thought of.
Now I feel we can't move because I don't know if I could bear the thought of leaving her.

With Angus we were prepared. I had bought an urn and a necklace for some of his ashes so I'd always have him with me. The only time I don't have him around my neck is when I take a shower. And his urn stays in our bedroom, where he spent most of his last days. There are also other momentos with it.
I didn't like the idea of having him cremated and it bothered me for quite a while after we got his ashes back. But now I wouldn't have it any other way.

[BOBS DAD]

Remember... ashes to ashes, dust to dust. Even if you bury your pet (as I have), they will be nothing but dust in a few years. If your pet is buried in a flower bed and has been for 5-10 years, you likely couldn't find them if you tried.

Of course, this is all based on what I think... and not really on any scientific first hand knowledge. Does anyone know for sure how long the remains remain intact???

[lizbud]

I had a private cremation for my Buddy.I couldn't bear to leave him
at the Vets.I do know the bodies are collected by the city & disposed
of. It seemed disrespectful & sad to me to have that happen to Buddy.

I suppose I'll do the same for Smokey & Maggie. I've also made known
( an put in in my will) to have cremation for myself & my ashes spread
with theirs in a local state park.

[K9soul]

I had Willie and Cody cremated and in sealed wooden urns. I will always do something that enables me to keep part of them with me because I find it a comfort. I don't bury for some of the same reasons as has been mentioned.


And anyway.. your pet isn't there anymore. So what's the point of keeping the body or ashes? He/she's finished with it's body.. his soul is no longer with it. It's with you and God.

Everyone is different and what's "right" to one person may not be to another, and there's nothing wrong with that. There's no right or wrong way, and the point is that whatever you choose to do to memorialize your pet, it is a comfort to your soul and your way of respecting their remains, the same way you would a beloved family member who passed away. I don't think anyone here actually considers the ashes/remains to "be" their pet, we all know their soul has moved on.

[Vela]

Well I think it's very personal to people. I wouldn't leave my family member at the hospital to be disposed of by the hospital staff, so I wouldn't leave my dog to be disposed of by the vet staff. They are all part of my family. I haven't decided what I would do yet but I certainly won't leave their bodies to be gotten rid of by someone else. I want to do it in a way that is comforting to me. They may be gone but that doesn't mean I would want their bodies disposed of like trash, anymore than I would a human family members. That's just me though.

[BC_MoM]

Everyone is different and what's "right" to one person may not be to another, and there's nothing wrong with that.

Exactly. And I didn't say everyone has to believe what I stated. lol I just didn't think I need to say "IMO". It's a little silly.


Well I think it's very personal to people. I wouldn't leave my family member at the hospital to be disposed of by the hospital staff, so I wouldn't leave my dog to be disposed of by the vet staff. They are all part of my family. I haven't decided what I would do yet but I certainly won't leave their bodies to be gotten rid of by someone else. I want to do it in a way that is comforting to me. They may be gone but that doesn't mean I would want their bodies disposed of like trash, anymore than I would a human family members. That's just me though.

I agree. But I was young at the time and was not as into dogs then as I am now. So, it's not my fault and I am allowing myself to use that excuse because it's the truth.

I don't know what I would do still.. I guess I would most likely bury in a pet cemetary.

[K9soul]

BCmom, you seem a bit defensive (or I could be misinterpreting). My intention wasn't to lecture or scold.. you asked what the point of cremation/burial/etc. is so I tried to explain how I see it, explain what the point to me is. There's nothing wrong with someone who doesn't wish to keep their pets' remains with them either, it's all individual. Just for me personally, it's important.

[Pembroke_Corgi]

I'm not sure what I will do. When my cat passed away last year, I buried her at my dad's house where she spent some of her time, since it is out in the country. She was buried on the same hill that our family dog was buried about 10 years ago.

You are not allowed to bury your pets in your yard in the city I live in, so I would probably need to cremate the pets if we still live here. Honestly though it's not that important to me because I feel they are gone, and my connection with them will just have to live in me. When Yogi (my cat) died, I was with her when she died and I knew she was no longer there, it was just her poor little body. We buried her right away, and I put together an album of her pictures. It's still hard to think about her being gone, and it's also very hard to think about my pets dying! :(

[Corinna]

We always buried on the farm , But I had Merlin creamated now awaiting the beautifull box Tim is making that I designed. They did a great paw print in clay.

[IRescue452]

I plan to get Autumn creamated and made into a lifegem

[Suki Wingy]

JUST my oppinion but... Actually, I see both a little pointless. When I think of cremating all I can think of if my pet being burned up and having to be turned over to burn the rest of the way. :eek: :( don't ask. I'd like to think of my pets as living with me, as a part of me and in the memories of the lives they touched. It kind of seems pointless to keep the burned up bits of their body. I heard that in one religion (forgot which) they leave thier bodies out for sacred jackals. That sounds like the most honorable way to go for ME. That way all my pets and the legacy they left will be "layed to rest" in an honorable way.


Actually.... niether.
I read somewhere that, for a substantial sum, you can have your dog or cat remains turned into a precious gem. It's similar to cremating and it is very expensive.

http://www.lifegem.com/secondary/whatisLG2006.aspx
I've actually seen that. I think they just speed up the process by thousands of years, and I think it involved compressing all of your molecules. I know that diamonds are exepionally hard.

jeez this is such a sad thread :(

[Tollers-n-Dobes]

OK Orangutango...

but you do/will have to do something. Cause when they die, unless you do something... they will just continue to hang around - in the same spot. The only resurrection I know of was Jesus Christ!!!
:D

All of my past dogs were put to sleep and left with the vet, if one happened to pass before having to be PTS then I'd take it to the vet. I just wouldn't go any further than that as far as burrying and cremating goes. Not sure why, I guess it's because that's how my parents did/do it and it's what I'm used to.

[dab_20]

I have only went through having one of my very special dogs passing on. we buried her at my dad's house. I like to go to her grave and think about all the memories we had together. I don't think I would cremate any of my dogs, though.

[chrissycat21]

Right now all of my RB pets are buried under a tree in the back corner of our yard. I'm sure Snowy would attempt to dig some of them up, so we keep a cement block ontop of their graves until she loses interest.

When we had a squirrel die in our yard and my dad buried it, Snowy would not leave the grave alone. When I buried Taffy, Snowy just layed next to his grave, never trying to dig him up.

Right now my family and I live in a big house, so someday when my sisters and I move out, I'm not sure if my parents will be here forever. That is one thing that bothers me, if my parents move I wouldn't 'have' my RB pets with me anymore.

I still have many more years with Snowy, so I don't want to think about her spot under our tree just yet.

[Ginger's Mom]

As has been mentioned several times, this is a very personal decision. And one that is not taken lightly by most of us animal lovers. Peaches was very ill for a while before I had her put to sleep, and I had lots of time to think about it. I don't have a backyard so the only decision to be made was whether I wanted her ashes back or not. I decided that I did not want her ashes back. I have never regreted that decision. I thought it would be much to hard for me having my dead dogs ashes. I wanted to only to remember her as she was when she was alive and the very special bond that we had, and not be constantly reminded of her death. Prior to her being PTS the vet tech made a clay imprint of her paw, which was Peaches' last present to me. I will treasure it always; although, I have not done it yet, I plan to put it in a display case along with my favorite picture of her and perhaps a copy of The Rainbow Bridge.

[Alysser]

I would cremate her. I always thought that maybe I could throw Sassys ashes into the ocean. It sounds very peacful to me. I just don't know and I really hate to think about it. :(

[cyber-sibes]

We've done both. When Rosie was killed by a car, it was so unexpected, I didn't know then that you could have animals cremated. My husband took her body to the vets the next day, and when he came back home, he told me he was having her cremated as a present to me. I was very touched by his thoughtfulness, I had a terrible time accepting her death. It just tore me up. Having her ashes has been a comfort. We had a little ceremony and put some of her ashes in the ground when we planted a blue spruce in our yard, I like that. When my 18-yr.olf cat died last fall, we buried him under the pines where he loved to sit. I'm ok with that, too. He was small and burying him didn't seem like a big deal. We would have had quite a hole if we had buried Rosie, she was 70 lbs. I'd prefer to cremate my dogs when the time comes.

[pnance]

I've also done both. I had a rabbit when I was younger. We buried him under a rose bush in my moms backyard. We'd let him wander around the backyard during the day and he'd been digging in that spot for a couple of days and had a huge hole (my mom wasn't happy). As bad as this sounds I think he knew it was his time and was showing us where he wanted to be buried. Sandy my RB terrier I paid for a private cremation. His ashes were returned to me in a beautiful pine box and the vet also gave me a clay paw print she'd made. I don't regret either one. In the future, I'll probably get them cremated, I've worked at a vet before and will never get the picture of the dead dogs or cats laying in the loading dock area waiting to be picked up by the humane society for mass cremation, so I definately would either bury or privately cremate.

[K9karen]

Growing up, we always had parakeets, so all got their own little handmade wooden caskets, with all their toys. It was hard leaving them after we moved. I got a notorized certificate from my vet and the crematorium, that Cody had the seperate cremation I paid for. I've told all my relatives and friends were the ashes are and that I want to be buried with all my dogs' ashes. We didn't bury Cody because we have somany critters, I just didn't want him to be a main meal. (sorry). It is a sad subject, but part of the circle of life.

[.sarah]

We buried Retread the day he died, when I was 9 years old. I remember asking my mom about a week later, if we moved, would we be able to take him with us? When she said no I started crying. My mom told me a few years later that she didn't know cremation was available with pets. Needless to say, when Buttons died we had him cremated. He is in our cabinet where all our special things go, which we don't have much of. To me it's comforting that I always have him with me. I still have his collars and stuff like that, which are more important to me because I can still hold them, and until a few months ago they still smelled like him, but I guess his ashes provide a sense of closure.

[anna_66]

You know as sad as this thread can be I really like hearing each of your thoughts about it and why you'd like to have it done a certain way.
It definitely is a personal thing.

[lv4dogs]

Actually.... niether.
I read somewhere that, for a substantial sum, you can have your dog or cat remains turned into a precious gem. It's similar to cremating and it is very expensive.

http://www.lifegem.com/secondary/whatisLG2006.aspx

Carmen, are you getting Beenie & Frankie turned into gems?
I saw that before & it really is beautiful, I'd love to get something like that done but I can not afford it.

My dogs will all be cremated. This way I can keep their ashes & dispose of them when the proper place & time comes along.
Actually I'd prefer to bury them, but only if I had the land and a permenent house that I knew I would live in forever but I don't see that happening in the near future.

[beeniesmom]

Sue, I'd love to do something like that but do not know if I can afford it either.
HOPEFULLY, it will be a VERY long time from now. Beenie is 2 yrs old and Frankie is 10 months.

[zoomer]

I want to cremate my Georgia Girl, we'll probubly bury Buddy, and we will most definetly cremate Alaska. I hate thinking about them passing away though :(

[Dixieland Dancer]

I have three of my past loved ones buried in the woods behind our house. I even have crosses on the head of their graves. The summer before last I had problems with neighborhood kids making ATV trails all over the woods. They didn't run over the graves but they made a loop around them. It disturbed me to the point that I went down and asked them to either move their trail away from the graves or I would post the property private so they couldn't use our woods anymore. :( Fortunately they moved the trail away from the graves without a major hassle.

All this got me thinking though. I may not always be there to preserve their final resting spot. While I know it is just their carcass and that their spirit is in heaven (yes I believe dogs have a spirit), it is still a sacred spot!

My present and future dogs will all be cremated and so will I. My will requests we all be scattered in various spots we loved along lifes journey together. It means a lot to me to know that our ashes will always be united as well as our spirits in the end. I also think it will be a meaningful journey for the loved ones I leave behind (humans) to revisit my favorite places on earth while they fulfill my request of places to be scattered. I guess in summary.... In ashes or spirit I never want to be seperated for eternity from my fur kids!

[labmomma]

What are your plans when your time is up? If you want to be cremated you could have your pet ashes blended with yours and then buried. That way you'd all be together for all of eternity.

[Suki Wingy]

What are your plans when your time is up?
I don't know, like I said though, being left out for "sacred" jackals or something seems like the most honorable way to be exposed of.

[ParNone]

As much as I'd like to bury mine, it would be really hard here. We don't have dirt, we've got clay and when there's been little rain that clay is more like rock. To dig down 4 feet or more, I'd have to hire somebody and since it's not legal to bury a pet in your backyard, that rules out that option.

So when Maddie passed away, I had her cremated. She's in an urn, sitting on the fireplace mantel. I have a plan to spread her ashes over the bluebonnets in the spring, but so far I haven't felt ready to do it yet. Maybe this year or maybe I'll wait until it's Murph's time and they can be reunited in the bluebonnets together.

Par...

[elizabethann]

I always hoped that I ever had a house in the country, I would have a little pet cemetary and bury all my pets there. No house in the country so I had my 2 cats cremated (about 15 years ago - ashes are at my Mom's house) and would probably do that for my current 2 cats and my dog.

My Mom & I have a deal that who ever dies first, we will have the current cremated cats buried with one of us.

I think if Fenway were to die though and I had him cremated, I would take his ashes all over NH (to his favorite hiking spots) and spread them there.

[elizabethann]

P.S. This may sound weird but did you ever see the movie Poltergiest? Remember when the little girl's bird died (I think it was a bird - can't remember). Well they buried it in a box and she put a picture of the family in the box and said "this is for when he's lonely", she put some food in the box and said "this is for when he's hungry" and then she put a little blanket in the box and said "this if for when he' cold". That's always stayed with me to this day and I thought if I were to bury my pets, I would do the same thing.

[lute]

You know as sad as this thread can be I really like hearing each of your thoughts about it and why you'd like to have it done a certain way.
It definitely is a personal thing.

agreed! i'm happy to see that no one is arguing. :)



when other pets such as cats, birds, rodents, etc die i bury them in the back corner of the yard. unfortinatly when i was younger i didn't know about cremation. my family's favorite dog, Porkie, died a few years ago when we lived in Terre Haute, IN. he's buried in the backyard at our old house. :( i wish i could go back and get him cremated. he was such a great dog.

i LOVE that turning your dog into a gem thing. not sure if i'd be able to afford it, but it would be VERY nice to have. i would love to have Gracie losest to my heart.

[Sophist]

Burying, and likely planting something over the top of them. It seems the most 'natural' reasonable method to me, and I would feel like the plant had a little bit of their spirit in it, and would look at it as a living memorial.

[Pam]

I decided that I did not want her ashes back. I have never regreted that decision. I thought it would be much to hard for me having my dead dogs ashes. I wanted to only to remember her as she was when she was alive and the very special bond that we had, and not be constantly reminded of her death.

Joyce I guess my thoughts are more along the lines of yours. All of my dogs have been cremated and I don't have any of their ashes. Burying them, especially in my back yard, would be impossible. It is dense with trees so thick tree roots are under everything. I have even had trouble finding spots to dig to plant flower bulbs.

My thinking is that they are not there any more anyway. This is exactly how I feel about a human's passing. They are in a better place and I want to cherish their memories in pictures and thoughts of happier times. Of course this is only my opinion and I respect everyone else's thoughts on this too.

[Thandi]

Only one cat was buried in our garden, many many years ago. The rest of our animals have all been cremated and left at the vet. We remember them as they were and don't need their ashes as a reminder. That's the way I want to go as well, but not left at the vet :p My husband and brother-in-law went to cremate their mother, they found that a very moving experience, but I'm sure not many would go there!

[jackie]

I recently had to have my rabbit Hunny PTS, I chose to have him buried, the vets offered the service, and he went to a pet cemetary. My cat and step father´s dog are buried side by side in the garden, which is horrible considering they hated each other in real life.

The dogs will be cremated.

Oliver I am not too sure about. As horrible as this sounds, I am just not as attached to him as I am to the dogs, or my past cats. He is very aloof and likes to be close in the same room as me, but not too close.

[anna_66]

P.S. This may sound weird but did you ever see the movie Poltergiest? Remember when the little girl's bird died (I think it was a bird - can't remember). Well they buried it in a box and she put a picture of the family in the box and said "this is for when he's lonely", she put some food in the box and said "this is for when he's hungry" and then she put a little blanket in the box and said "this if for when he' cold". That's always stayed with me to this day and I thought if I were to bury my pets, I would do the same thing.
I kind of remember that, but that's exactly what we did when we buried Keisha. She was wrapped in her favorite blanket, and laid her down on her favorite rug. I put her leash in with her because she loved to go for walks, a treat because my girl loved her treats and then I put in the letter that I had wrote for her...her eulogy I guess you'd call it. I read it before I put it in with her.

[BOBS DAD]

That Is So Sweet Anna.

[sandragonfly]

very touchy one.

for me, dogs and cats - cremation and smaller animals - burial.

I just buried my latest rat, buttons in first new york yard I lived at, under a lilac tree so buttons can bloom soon and everyear. just there is more natural for me because he came to new york with me. and many more (fishes too) at mother's (california) yard. in my life, I've had my (three) cats cremated, their second favorite toy too into a small box. then that small box into photo urn/box and their first favorite toy are in other special (childhood) box with old harnesses, their first collar/tag(s), and a poem for each. I also have an old stonemade roundy-box (gift from italy) and I pick a flat-stone (from a cove) in honor after each, write their name on each of it with silver/white gel pen, all of them - all pets I've had in my life - about over 20 stones altogether now. all they travel with me, part of me forever! I'd feel distant and bad if I left one important thing somewhere.

now I'm getting better at smiling at their photo boxes, smiling recalls of good things and know they're still around close. :)

[lizbud]

I kind of remember that, but that's exactly what we did when we buried Keisha. She was wrapped in her favorite blanket, and laid her down on her favorite rug. I put her leash in with her because she loved to go for walks, a treat because my girl loved her treats and then I put in the letter that I had wrote for her...her eulogy I guess you'd call it. I read it before I put it in with her.


Anna, I think the ancient Egyptians believed in the afterlife and had
burial customs just like that too. :)

[dappledoxie]

Creamation. Like Kay said earlier, if I move, I want them to go with me. I cremated my cat Maximus, a single cremation meaning him only, no other pets, more expensive but worth it to have my guy back and only him. I plan to spread some of his ashes this year, in September, near his little butterfly bush where he would sit and watch the butterflies.

[Lori Jordan]

My mother actually had her cat of 20 years cremated and her wishes are too have him be placed with her when it is her time too pass i think it is a great idea for her ,but when i lost bandit i burried him in my back garden,when he was around he always went back there and ate all my flocks and that is were he is...best place for him he is with the flowers he loved!!!!

[binka_nugget]

It is in my will that when my time comes, my pets' ashes are to be mixed with mine and scattered in a particular spot.

That's exactly what I've decided to do! I know I'll have a lot of dogs through out my life though... that's A LOT of ashes! :eek: