cremation or burial?

**BOBS DAD** · 03-22-2006, 04:20 PM

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** · 03-22-2006, 04:21 PM

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** · 03-22-2006, 04:22 PM

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

**My Peanuts** · 03-22-2006, 04:30 PM

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** · 03-22-2006, 04:36 PM

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** · 03-22-2006, 04:42 PM

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** · 03-22-2006, 04:59 PM

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

**chocolatepuppy** · 03-22-2006, 05:18 PM

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** · 03-22-2006, 05:19 PM

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** · 03-22-2006, 05:21 PM

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** · 03-22-2006, 05:23 PM

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** · 03-22-2006, 05:39 PM

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** · 03-22-2006, 05:39 PM

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** · 03-22-2006, 06:02 PM

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.

Originally Posted by BC_MoM

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** · 03-22-2006, 06:17 PM

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.