Thoughts on pet cremation/ashes, etc.

kds10
kds10 Posts: 452 Member
in Chit-Chat
For those that have lost a pet have you kept the ashes or did the paw print tribute, etc.? I ask because when our cat passed away 4 years ago I did not get any of that done.

I mentioned it to someone and they seemed surprised that we did not keep the ashes so then I felt kind of guilty..

Thoughts on this...apparently you can spend a ton of money on urns, etc. It seems like more and more people are doing this. I have a friend that just spent about 1K on an urn for her deceased pet.



Replies

  • conniemaxwell5
    conniemaxwell5 Posts: 943 Member
    It's your personal preference and you should not feel guilty for making your own choice in the matter. I have had 2 dogs, a cat, and a hamster cremated and have kept none of the ashes. I did the paw tribute and that was enough for me. There is no life or memory in the ashes. I have beautiful photos of the life we gave our pets, and would rather look at them for memories than to look at an urn.
  • kds10
    kds10 Posts: 452 Member
    Yeah I like the paw tribute better than the ashes. Plus I will always have a pet in my life so all these urns around with ashes in them??

    Every pet I have owned had a good life and was well taken care of. I think though that people think that if you really loved the pet you would want to keep the ashes around.

  • Wolfsbayne225
    Wolfsbayne225 Posts: 31 Member
    My dogs are buried in the back yard along with a hamster and Chinese water dragon. I've gotten a paw print necklace for my daughter and a memorial pillow for my husband.
  • cee134
    cee134 Posts: 33,711 Member
    I've never done anything. I have my pictures and memories and that's good enough for me.
  • 4legsRbetterthan2
    4legsRbetterthan2 Posts: 19,590 MFP Moderator
    I usually do the paw print. I wouldn't personally keep ashes, but I can appreciate the idea of spreading them somewhere special.

    Now that I can, I think I would bring home and bury as well. That has not been an option in the past.
  • caco_ethes
    caco_ethes Posts: 11,962 Member
    Tenebrous_D wrote: »
    They taste horrible

    Youuu 😂
  • kds10
    kds10 Posts: 452 Member
    km8907 wrote: »
    My cat will be 20 years old next week so I've had a lot of time to think about this. I don't want to bury him because I hate the thought of leaving him there when I move. He'll be cremated. The urn I'm thinking of costs about $75. His ashes will be mixed with mine when I die and be released at the beach. May seem over the top but I've literally grown up with this cat. He's my baby.

    Don't let anyone let you feel bad about your decision for your pets or loved ones.

    Awesome...and wow 20...mine was 15 when she passed and I thought that was good! I think for my pup who is now 10, I will do the paw print tribute and not ashes.

  • Machafin
    Machafin Posts: 2,988 Member
    No thanks, my family always buried them in the back of our property, and we would make a small memorial. It was always nice to go see it.
  • Unknown
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  • Xerogs
    Xerogs Posts: 328 Member
    edited August 2018
    When our Beagle had to be put down for a spleen tumor that was bleeding we had him cremated with a paw print and kept the ashes. We have 3 more senior dogs and I think once they pass we will have a small memorial for them all and spread their ashes together since they were a well bonded pack. I ended up burying my cat of 16 years in the back yard back in 2011 so we might spread the dog's ashes there as well. It's a personal choice though don't feel bad about not keeping their ashes everything eventually gets recycled in this Universe (that is the way I look at it)
  • 2kellymike
    2kellymike Posts: 75 Member
    We've had 4 dogs cremated and there will likely be more (we'll always have a pair of beagles in our lives!) Their ashes are in small wood boxes with their names and dates on them, stored away in the attic. When my husband dies they will go with his ashes to be spread at the Bodie Island Lighthouse.
  • 81Katz
    81Katz Posts: 7,074 Member
    I have 2 fur kids creamated and in urns. It was good for me to still have them with me. ❤️
  • jjpptt2
    jjpptt2 Posts: 5,650 Member
    I did and still have both the ashes and the paw print from my previous 2 dogs. For me, it was part of the grieving process. I don't need/want either anymore (I'm good with the framed picture and collar I have), but my wife still values them.
  • Motorsheen
    Motorsheen Posts: 20,508 Member
    my dog ?

    spend money on an expensive urn?

    no.


    instead:

    il_fullxfull.1377751689_dwr0.jpg


    (don't worry; she won't mind)
  • ilfaith
    ilfaith Posts: 16,769 Member
    Years ago a friend of mine home to visit her parents. The family's beloved dog Max had died a few weeks earlier. When my friend showed up at the house nobody was home, and she was feeling a bit chilled after her walk from the train station. She saw a decorative tin on the kitchen counter, and opened it to see what appeared to be hot chocolate powder. As she was getting a mug out of the cupboard to make herself a cup of cocoa, the phone rang. It was her mom, who said she was at the market and did she want anything special. My friend said she was just about to make some hot chocolate and asked what was with the fancy cocoa when they usually just had Swiss Miss. Her mom let out a scream and cried "that's not cocoa...it's Max!"
  • JeepHair77
    JeepHair77 Posts: 1,291 Member
    I do have the ashes of my dog, Lacy. She was my first dog as an "adult" and she was truly my best friend - she saw me through some of the best and worst times of my life. She passed away at 13 at at 24-hour vet, and probably, because of the emergency nature of that clinic, they were very prepared to let owners know of their options. I doubt that I'd have even thought about it otherwise. Maybe.

    I can't see keeping the ashes of all pets. Over the course of a human life, you could have the ashes of a LOT of animals. But I'm glad I have Lacy with me.

    For those who have pets buried in their yard, is that something that bothers you if you move away at some point? That Miranda Lambert song makes me cry, because the thought of a beloved pet being left behind and dug up down the road for someone's swimming pool or landscaping just kills me.
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,423 Member
    No ashes. We have buried pet's remains. We have made special stepping stones. We have photo albums to remember them.
    I probably would not keep ashes if we had them but would scatter them or put them in the ground anyway.
    I feel that bodies of pets or people are not really who they were so I don't feel anything by having ashes or a grave.
  • Panini911
    Panini911 Posts: 2,325 Member
    I have a friend that didn't take back the ashes (or body), she is fine with that decision.

    i had both my dogs cremated (group or semi private whatever the "cheapest" option was as I don't believe they have as much control as they think they do especially for the price difference) as well as paw print. With my first pup the ashes super creeped me out and i wasn't sure i'd keep them but I figured it was better to get them and then get rid of them VS not get them and regret it. I got over the creepiness and had my second dog creemated and returned in a box as well. They are upstairs.

    I did consider burying at my parents cottage, a place my lab loved. but as mentioned above, i know one day the cottage will be sold and not sure if I want to lose "him". though he would forever be in a happy place. meh i'd rather keep him closer.
  • anl90
    anl90 Posts: 928 Member
    Everyone is different. It is kind of the same with human loved ones - some want them buried, some want them cremated. I personally fully plan to have my sweet Cali cremated when she passes, because I just love her way too much (honestly I consider her an emotional support pet). And I am sure my husband will want our little Bowser cremated as well, because that is his buddy. So don't feel bad, there is nothing wrong with burying them.
  • KosmosKitten
    KosmosKitten Posts: 10,476 Member
    Past companions: Buried in a flower bed where we grow strawberries at my dad's house (he'll live in that house until he dies, so I don't have to worry about someone moving).

    Current pets: Uh.. honestly? They're 11 right now and burial isn't really an option because of how often we move. I had thought about an urn and keeping their ashes to be mixed with mine when I pass, but I don't know if I want to keep them around that long. I'm kinda leaning toward seeing if I can turn them into a fake diamond and set them in a nice jewelry piece or something else functional to be passed on at a later date.
  • ythannah
    ythannah Posts: 4,371 Member
    kds10 wrote: »
    Yeah I like the paw tribute better than the ashes. Plus I will always have a pet in my life so all these urns around with ashes in them??

    Every pet I have owned had a good life and was well taken care of. I think though that people think that if you really loved the pet you would want to keep the ashes around.

    This was my thought too. And I have two dogs at any given time so over the years I'd end up with quite a collection of urns, gathering dust on a shelf. I've never bothered. Last year I did get a tattoo done that expresses my feelings about the dogs that have shared my life.

    I would never bury the dogs in the yard because with my luck one of other ones would dig it up.

    A good friend of mine had her home broken into and one of the items stolen was the urn with her dog's ashes. I guess it looked like something fancy and pawnable. There was nothing on the urn to indicate that it was pet ashes, just the dog's name and age (8). I hope the thieves thought they stole a child's ashes and felt like *kitten*.

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