Cremation vs. Burial - Pets

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Jacwhite22
Jacwhite22 Posts: 7,012 Member
in Chit-Chat
So serious question for pet owners/lovers......If you were to lose a pet you have had for a very long time.......a part of the family............how would you dispose of the body.......This is a decision I have to make very shortly and am having a very difficult time with it. If we choose burial it is a lot cheaper ($250-$550 for cremation + $$ for urn etc.). I could bury him in the yard but when we leave we would leave him behind. If we were to cremate we would have his ashes which we could take with us if we leave. I think my wife would prefer cremation and I am not sure.....I have not really thought about it. Part of me likes the idea of having the ashes of having him with us........Part of me feels like it is kind of morbid and he isn't really around anymore anyways......bury the body and move on and have him with us through pictures/memories.......What are your thoughts? How would you decide.
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Replies

  • Alex_is_Hawks
    Alex_is_Hawks Posts: 3,499 Member
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    My mom has all of her dogs in cremation ashes in little wooden boxes with gold nameplates around the house....they just look like bookends and work with the decor, it's very discreet and yet...her babies are with her....and move with her as she just recently downsized her house...

    so yeah...
  • ZombieChaser
    ZombieChaser Posts: 1,555 Member
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    If I had to decide, I would chose either cremation or bury my pet in a location only known to us - someplace special. I would mark it with a rose bush (or a hearty plant that will grow well in that area)
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
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    taxidermy
  • FightingforFit82
    FightingforFit82 Posts: 179
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    I would bury our pets. To me, I would not spend the money on cremation. We adore our pets but would not put that kind of $$$ towards their death.

    However, if you feel cremation will be best, do it. You don't want to be left feeling bad over that.
  • _Elemenopee_
    _Elemenopee_ Posts: 2,665 Member
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    You could always cremate and spread his ashes in the ocean or a favorite pond/lake that he liked to go to maybe. Or plant a tree or plant with his ashes mixed in that you could take with you?

    I was never given the option with any of my pets. The first we gave away when we moved to NY from Florida, my second ran away (or was stolen) and my third was again, given away after I moved. I would've loved to have been able to have had a choice.

    :heart:
  • chickfromsc
    chickfromsc Posts: 31
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    I just had to bury my sweet dog last week. My son made a "headstone" for her and it made him feel MUCH better that he was included in the process. I am with you...not sure that I could cremate my pet...but that's just me!
  • harleydall76
    harleydall76 Posts: 586 Member
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    I'm so sorry you're having to think about this now.

    This morning I had to put my cat down. Here is what and I how I decided - would I like to have had her buried, or cremated and kept the ashes? Yes. But I chose not to. I did the cremation and let them dispose of the body. The reasons I chose it is because I don't have a big place, and a place to keep an urn. I decided to let her memory live in my heart/mind. If I had a house or yard of my own, I'd have buried her.

    My vet does a nice thing though - after the cat has passed, they make an impression in clay of her paw prints with her name and give it to you. So I have that also.
  • Im_NotPerfect
    Im_NotPerfect Posts: 2,181 Member
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    We cremated our dog when he died a few years ago. And then we buried the ashes next to my childhood dog at my parents' house. Now we visit both of them a couple times a year and like to think they're running around together in doggie heaven....
  • spade117
    spade117 Posts: 2,466 Member
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    I've purposely not commented on your statuses regarding this because I don't like thinking about and we just went through it a little over a year ago. There was no way we could afford cremation and I don't think we even considered it. We are planning on moving so location of burial was important. My sister and brother-in-law bought a house a few years ago, and we expect them to be there for a long time. Their back yard backs up to a wooded area. That is where we chose, and every time I go over there, I make sure to go see her.

    And now, I am tearing up thinking about it...which is why I wasn't responding to your statuses.
  • EmilyOfTheSun
    EmilyOfTheSun Posts: 1,548 Member
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    Some people think I'm a freakin weird-o but fu*k them. I have gotten pets cremated in the past. The price you listed seems EXTREMELY high....shouldn't be more than $200 including urn. I would look around for other places if I were you. Google it, it's more common than you might think.

    Sorry you're having to go through this, stay strong!
  • aloranger7708
    aloranger7708 Posts: 422 Member
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    For all of our cats, who we loved but it was a little too expensive to cremate their tiny bodies, we buried them in the yard. We marked their graves with a green bush or flowers, so now they're apart of the garden. And trust me, I cried when we moved and had to leave them there.

    We cremated our family dog that we had for 10 years. My dad still has his ashes and brought them with us when we moved. His girlfriend is trying to convince him to get rid of them, but he refuses. That dog was like our third child/sibling and we still miss him.
  • Fozzi43
    Fozzi43 Posts: 2,984 Member
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    I buried my dog in my garden..I won't be leaving this house so feel safe knowing she is still with me.

    Yes it's illegal to bury pets in garden in the UK but I don't care.
  • _skittybang
    _skittybang Posts: 970 Member
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    My husband's family had such a dog - big part of the family. They had her cremated and keep the box with her ashes and a big picture up on their mantel. It's sweet how they always talk about the crap she got into, how loving of a dog she was... whatever you do, I know you'll keep their memory alive for your kids.
  • DontStopB_Leakin
    DontStopB_Leakin Posts: 3,863 Member
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    When each of my dogs died as a child, we buried them at a friend's ranch (the ranch has been in my friend's family for years. They're never going to lose it or move.) Each of the dogs has their own little headstone, and I go out on their birthdays and put flowers on the graves. My friend always make sure the headstones remain intact. We also did this for our cats, and my friend (the owner of the ranch) does this with all of her beloved pets as well.


    Yes, some people might think it's a bit much to do for pets, but all of them were very dear to me and my family. We treated their deaths the same way we would treat the death of a human family member.


    The only reason we didn't do cremation, is because my mom and dad both thought it was a bit on the morbid side. Also, we had so many pets when I was growing up....the entire mantle would have been covered with urns.
  • Juliet_622
    Juliet_622 Posts: 165 Member
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    Personally, definitely cremation.

    But talk to your vet about what other options are available. I worked at a vet clinic, and the company we used to cremate or dispose of euthanized pets, had a whole brochure that had different creative ideas to remember your pet by. One idea was taking a clay paw print of your pet. You could do the paw print yourself probably as something to always remember him by, and then bury him rather than cremate if you're trying to save money.

    http://www.gatewaypetmemorial.com/products.php

    I'm sorry for your upcoming loss though. It's never easy to go through.
  • Captain_Tightpants
    Captain_Tightpants Posts: 2,215 Member
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    I think you just have to go with your gut on this one Jac. It all comes down to what will make you feel better.

    A potential middle ground would be to bury him in the yard in a biodegradable container and plant a sapling tree over him. His physical components would nourish the tree - new life from death. Then if you were to move home, you could dig up the sapling and take it with you to your new property.
  • mgmlap
    mgmlap Posts: 1,377 Member
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    I cremated my cat of 15 yrs...
  • perfectingpatti
    perfectingpatti Posts: 1,037 Member
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    I'd choose cremation and let the vet dispose of the ashes.
  • divemunkey
    divemunkey Posts: 288 Member
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    I always opt for cremation with ashes returned. I don't get an urn, though. I like knowing I have them with me, and when I feel it's time to let go, I spread the ashes in one of our favorite places. That place is unique to each pet, and then you don't have to worry about leaving him behind if you bury it in the yard.
  • MoreBean13
    MoreBean13 Posts: 8,701 Member
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    My mom has all of her dogs in cremation ashes in little wooden boxes with gold nameplates around the house....they just look like bookends and work with the decor, it's very discreet and yet...her babies are with her....and move with her as she just recently downsized her house...

    so yeah...

    Colleen? Are you my sister?

    I prefer cremation, but the burial is nice, too. It's a tough choice, but in the end whatever you decide will be the right decision. I'm so sorry you're going through this. *hugs*

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