Burying a Pet
For you pet parents who are considering burying a pet, there are several options as well as pros and cons that need to be considered before proceeding. The following will help your decision between a backyard pet burial and a formal pet cemetery. Read on to learn how to bury a pet at home and what other options are available.
How to Bury a Pet at Home
There has been a long tradition of laying your pet to rest in the backyard. Many of us have childhood memories of “services” held for the hamster, goldfish, and possibly even the cat or dog. Burying the hamster in a shoebox seemed so normal.
However, a pet burial requires more than just the shoebox and shovel. It requires a check with your local municipality to determine if it is legal to bury. You may need a permit to bury your pet. Also, there may be directions on how to bury a pet at home, such as how deep and where the grave can be dug. Remember, many utilities could be buried in your yard as well. Check before you start digging for your backyard pet burial.
Also, when considering burying a pet in the backyard, ask yourself a couple of questions. First, will you be in this home for a long time? Second, are you comfortable leaving your buried pet behind if you move?
A backyard burial does not have to be permanent. Some pet parents have unearthed their pet before a family moves. The body, along with the soil, is cremated so the family can keep the beloved pet in an urn.
Backyard Burial Tip: When exploring how to bury a pet at home, remember that a shallow grave should never be used. Be sure to have at least two feet of soil on top of the body. You want the grave deep enough so other animals cannot smell the pet’s scent. Other animals are the primary concern with a backyard pet burial — It is natural for other animals to dig into the grave if the scent is strong.
How to Bury at a Pet Cemetery
As an alternative to a backyard pet burial, many choose to bury in a pet cemetery in the community. Feel free to check with your local veterinarian, crematory or cemetery for more information about burying a pet in a cemetery. Be sure to ask some questions like:
- What is the cost of burial?
- Are there annual fees or dues?
- Can you visit conveniently and openly?
- What are the costs of the grave space, opening and closing costs?
- Are you responsible for maintenance fees, etc.?
- Is it acceptable to decorate the grave?
For those exploring how to bury a pet at home or at a pet cemetery, a bit of forethought can go a long way. However, if you feel a backyard pet burial or a pet cemetery burial doesn’t fit your needs, other options are also available.
When to Use Let Your Love Grow
We all want to memorialize our beloved pets in one way or another — and if burying a pet doesn’t feel like the right option for you, you may want to consider cremating. Once you have the ashes back, you can either keep them with you in an urn or return them to nature in your own way.
Let Your Love Grow’s soil mixture balances the natural acidity of cremation ashes. Through this neutralization, we ensure that you can bury ashes, scatter ashes or grow memorial plants without harming the environment. Explore our organic soil blends to find the product that’s best for you.
