cremation or burial?

[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.

[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.

[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.

[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.

[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.

[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.