After my Blue was killed by a car (driving instructor between appointments!), I took him deep into our favourite woods, where he'd been really happy, and buried him there.

It was really tough, but I think it's best to let go.

My golden Max past away last November at the age of 14.
We got him cremated and or intention was to buried him on his favourite spot in the Garden
But when the time came my son was crying because he didn't wanted Max to stay there alone on the dark so to this day he is still at home with us on his little urn and first thing in the morning and Las thing at. night i give the urn a little tap so still feels like he is here

i buried my penny in my garden and my dad made her a beutiful wooden coffin which we laid her into with her favourite toys and and blanket and we chisled her name into it

My first dog was buried in my parents' garden and a rose planted over him (I had no garden of my own when he died);  my Lab girl was buried in their garden (mine at that time was 6 inches of topsoil over miles of chalk), but they moved seven years later so I had to move her to my own garden (bones in a raised bed in clay).  Couldn't get my first boy though, which is a great pity.  My late Mum's cavvie's ashes and my latest boy's ashes are in my house now, and I have left instructions in my will that they are to go into my grave in a woodland burial - I hope I'll have my Lab's bones in a 'coffin' in time for her to be with us, too. Oh to have a 'family home' which would last for generations and have a special area for non-human loved ones!

> Oh to have a 'family home' which would last for generations

The modern likelihood of family moving not only around the country but around the world means we have opted to have no permanent graves ourselves.

I opt for straight disposal for the dogs. I prefer to remember them as they were and have lots of photos etc of them when alive.  I do hang photos with their dates on one wall.

My friend and neighbour has now got over half a dozen little wooden coffins of her dogs remains and wishes she had never started this as feels now she has to do it for each.

In my under 25 years of dog ownership I have already lost 4, and have five living here now, with another likely to be added every 2 - 4 years.

I would agree, but the first dog died in his sleep at home many years ago before canine cremation was around, and burial in one's own garden was the only option (well, maybe an alternative was the dustbin, but who'd do that?).  My Lab was pts at home by a vet who resented having to make a home visit on a weekend, so he left me with my dead dog and his bill but no advice or concern as to what to do with her!  Also some years ago now and cremation not widely available for pets. 

Now that cremation is an option for dogs the last two were cremated.

My circumstances have only allowed me to be a serial dog owner, I'd have loved to have had more, and multi-dogs too, but it was not possible.  I still have lots of photos, and a portrait in pastels, too! 

This is an old topic and my post might sound daft, but... I've wondered why there are no proper funeral services for pets (a kind of Funeral Director for our furry family members).  Most of the time we just go to the vet and leave our beloved animals with them, sometimes to be privately cremated and returned to us, but often not.  Otherwise, they die at home and we have to make all of the hard decisions and 'arrangements' ourselves.  It can be heart breaking and we'd never ever consider putting ourselves through the same torment with our human family members.

Why are there no services (that I know of) that provide the same sort of respectful dignity that we humans receive from Funeral Directors?  Maybe it seems too much of a niche business venture, but speaking for myself, I'd pay the price.

Hi Patrick

Our local pet cemetery do that sort of service.

When we lost our first girl Mars we had her PTS at home but we were insistent that we would drive her to the pet cemetery to be cremated. It was a very distressing journey and worst still as when we got her out the car at the end of the journey she has expelled her stomach contents all over her blanket she was wrapped in ( we have been told it sometimes happens) but is was the last thing we expected. We had to sell the car in the end as poor Mike kept thinking he could see her in the back looking out of the window and it really upset him.

When it came to letting Min to we asked Stuart our vet about what else we could do and he advised us that he cemetery had a service to come and pick a dog up from the home. So they organised it all for us and Stuart came out mid morning then a couple of your later ( to give us time with her) they came out. They were so nice and very respectful and had a bed with a lovely blanket for her and carried her out and she was placed on the back seat and they drove her away.

It was a calm and very dignified way to go ( says me now sitting here blubbing !)

Aww, don't cry Lucy.  That was a really lovely thing to do and just how it should be.

Most pet crematioriums will collect from a home.

I bury my dogs except one cremation. I always bury them in places they loved & I loved to watch them or spend time there with them.

In Sept I start to plant daffs close but I have them usually in ones or twos around the entire area location, miles in some places, snowdrops as well here & there, always a spring treasure, a lone Daff on the side of a field, in spring can be seen from a long, long way off, they last forever.

I think there has to be a minimum depth or it might be illegal, if so that's probably 6'.

I have my old cocker buried in my garden. When Lois died suddenly last Nov I wasn't able dig a hole so they came and collected her for cremation and I scattered the ashes on the grave of my cocker just outside the conservatory door so I pass by them frequently.

I wish that human disposal was as easy as it is with our animals, my other half and self neither want graves or to keep ashes or a funeral.

Even if you leave your body to science it seems you still have to deal with disposal of the bits they don't want.

I have never wanted any physical remains from my pets, and would prefer the same for myself.

The creamtorium I use will usually collect - mainly from vets but they do home collections too.  I take my dogs there myself - so long as someone can help me get them in the car at my end anyway.  With Soli I had Fran living here, with Tia the vet helped me put her in once she'd gone.

It's my preference but I certainly understand why you got so upset LJS.  {hug}

There is a local pet crem near us that collects from the Vets and delivers the remains back in lovely wooden boxes with brass name plates. 

I would think most vets will have a list of such service providers they and their clients deal with.

Quite a contrast to the nasty plastic sweet jar type container, with stuck on paper label that my MIL's remains are in.  OH still hasn't decided what to do with them 9 years later.

Have mine pts at home and we take them to the crem and wait so we can bring our much loved friends back home,very distressing to go through as we have to wait an hour or two,when my time comes my labs ashes will be buried with me.Leyland pet crem is very dignified as you enter ther is a lovely statue of Saint Francis and a very peaceful resting place for all animals.

Sheila

there are, Patrick H. I posted last year about an amazing green burial ground near Skipton that not only buries domestic pets but allows people to be buried next to their animals. That's what I call civilised.

Have mine pts at home and we take them to the crem and wait so we can bring our much loved friends back home,very distressing to go through as we have to wait an hour or two,when my time comes my labs ashes will be buried with me.Leyland pet crem is very dignified as you enter ther is a lovely statue of Saint Francis and a very peaceful resting place for all animals.

This is the Crem that I use. Beautifully dignified place. I usually go home for a couple of hours and go to collect them before they close. Can't bear them to be away from me for even one night. All my dogs will be buried with us when we go if we don't argue over who is going with who!

We have had all our pets cremated we have buried the little casket in the garden and planted a tree on top,we have a bench close b by and I sit and feel close to them.. silly I know... but over  the last few years I have thought deeply about wondering what would happen if we moved or when we have passed what would happen to them although they would probably have disinigrated into the ground by then... so I decided to keep the caskets from the pets  we have lost recently in the home in a private little secret space in our bedroom all together and I have let it be known to family that my wish is they are put in my coffin with me.

I use Dignity Pet Crem in Hampshire (found them through recommendation and have since had 4 of my pets
cared for by them over the years).
I feel there is no right or wrong way with how we each see fit to deal with our companion's
after they have gone.
Personally I chose to have mine cremated as I didn't know where I would be living and I didn't
want to leave my pets behind if ever I had to move.
They are kept in my bedroom with photo's of each pet next to their caskets.

I can't bring myself to spread the ashes, but I know others that can.
it doesn't mean to say either is wrong you have to do what's right for you and don't feel bullied
into doing something that doesn't feel right for you.

We all cope with grief and loss in different ways
But the common ground is we will always remember them in our hearts and memories now matter how long or short they passed away

so sorry for your loss,we buried my mums beloved westie in our garden under a shrub,and every year it blossed we got comfort knowing her baby was with us xx

I dont know how strong you are but make sure you have the right tools, fork, spade & shovell are pretty much essentials, especialy as you probably be emotionaly exhausted as well & that in itself takes a lot of energies away.
.