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I do think it's important to plan for your pets - even outliving you.
Should something happen to us - ours will go to family members.
But we just got our newest pup - now a 4 month old corgi - knowing that his life span will be about 13 years. And in 13 years I willl be 76. Unless I have a bout of amnesia - this will be our last puppy.
Our golden, Jessie, is 3 and a half now. She's still a puppy - they are for a very long time. Goldens have a high rate of cancer so we need to be prepared. Jessie is a study dog in the Morris Foundation Golden Retriever Health Study -looking at causes for the rapid increase of CA in the breed.
... But then I moved to another state so I dug him up ...
When we buried our dog we just took her body and put it in the ground. I wanted her to decompose as quickly as possible. (I wanted her cremated--but husband did not.) If I had cremated her I would have just buried her ashes.
I wish there was a pet cemetery here. That would be a good solution. So what do you do?
When our dog died many years ago, we buried him at the top of a mountain on my friend's property. He is near a number of other pets. It overlooks an entire valley...
My 18 year old beloved cat died and we buried her in an out of the way spot along the fringes of my backyard. We had a little ceremony, dug a place, buried her and placed a large stone over the place to secure it.
I feel good about each place. I do not think it's necessary to spend a great deal of money to have a respectful burial for a pet.
This is what we do with our dogs (we have them euthanized at home, but take their bodies in to the vet for group cremation). I don't even much like the pet paw print in clay that one mobile vet did - I threw it away. It's just dead and sad-looking to me. I do keep their collars, and I have also kept the dog dish of one dog who carried hers around lovingly for half an hour after every meal (so it's all chewed up) - seeing her dish makes me remember how much she adored living and especially eating, and it makes me smile.
I have buried horses and I do not like moving away from the area where they are buried, especially if they are buried at a farm where I boarded them, but that I have no other connection with (so, will never visit).
I also have buried one hen. We had chickens for many years and when they would die, we would take them to the municipal animal shelter for cremation. But my sweetest little red hen, Ruby, got a burial. (She had turned into a pet - she'd tolerate letting me hold and stroke her on my lap while singing, "Ruby... don't take your love to town!")
Awww! My best pet was a little red Banty hen that lived in the house with us. At 14, she died in her sleep and is buried on our 5 acres with a pet tombstone. I hated to leave it but not too logical to take a headstone overseas to a condo. I have many pictures and memories of her to cherish. We even took her to Vegas with us.
When my horse got hit by a car in CA, I had to leave her on the street. Couldn't bear waiting for the city vehicle to come and tow her to who knows where. Talk about no closure (and a hefty city bill). Happened on 9-11, no less.
I'm touched that people keep their pets' ashes. It didn't even occur to us to keep our parents'. We scattered their ashes on their property, then it was sold.
Check your city ordinances. Many locales prohibit burying animals in your yard. I always cremate and they will be scattered with me (will sleep with the fishes ).
I've heard lots of stories that when you get your pet's cremated remains it may not be your cat/dog but because they cremate many animals at the same time and you may get Rover + Fluffy + Max etc...
They do mass cremations unless you pay for the single option. It's a few hundred more but I know mine was legit bc you can see your dog go in alone.
They do mass cremations unless you pay for the single option. It's a few hundred more but I know mine was legit bc you can see your dog go in alone.
I was surprised at the cost of animal cremation. I was leary about it because I know how much it is for a human. They charge by weight here. Patches should have been $150 because of her weight but they only charged me $100 and listed her at "15#", which was too low. I know she was at least 25#. I was grateful they lowered it for me. The beautiful hardwood dark box was included in the cost.
When I went to pick up Patches ashes the guy told me that one of his cats had died suddenly and unexpectedly too, just two days after Patches. In a way I wish I'd had an autopsy done but I'm pretty sure I'm right about 'cause of death'.
I was surprised at the cost of animal cremation. I was leary about it because I know how much it is for a human. They charge by weight here. Patches should have been $150 because of her weight but they only charged me $100 and listed her at "15#", which was too low. I know she was at least 25#. I was grateful they lowered it for me. The beautiful hardwood dark box was included in the cost.
When I went to pick up Patches ashes the guy told me that one of his cats had died suddenly and unexpectedly too, just two days after Patches. In a way I wish I'd had an autopsy done but I'm pretty sure I'm right about 'cause of death'.
My lab was 71 lbs and the whole thing including putting to sleep and individual cremation was $500. I thought it was a lot but it's New York and my vet is too expensive to begin with.
My lab was 71 lbs and the whole thing including putting to sleep and individual cremation was $500. I thought it was a lot but it's New York and my vet is too expensive to begin with.
Wow, $500 IS a lot! I don't remember what they charged for larger animals, except that it DID go up for the poundage. I suppose it would have been a lot more if I'd had to have Patches put to sleep, etc.. I'm glad I didn't have to go through that but having her just suddenly GO was such a huge shock too.
Wow, $500 IS a lot! I don't remember what they charged for larger animals, except that it DID go up for the poundage. I suppose it would have been a lot more if I'd had to have Patches put to sleep, etc.. I'm glad I didn't have to go through that but having her just suddenly GO was such a huge shock too.
They didn't even mention that the weight made a difference in price. The vets around here are rip off artists. I've never gotten out of there for less than $200. There's a low cost clinic that only does vaccines and spay/neuter. That helps.
My dad was going to get his dog fixed and the vet wanted $435 but the clinic had a grant for pit bulls so it was $75. The vet was trying to shame him for going there! It's not even worth finding another vet cuz they are all overpriced.
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