Most pets don't live incredibly long lives. Since pets can be as close as family when they die, their owners might find it difficult to decide what to do with their remains. In some places I hear it's the carcasses to the vets, some cremate their pets while others simply shove the bodies into garbage bags and dump them somewhere . . . Where I live, should your pet die, then you have bury it yourself in a shallow grave. I'd like to know how the rest of you dispose of your dead pets or how you intend to because eventually, pets die.
In my area there are pet cemetaries where some people will select to bury their pets. I have never had a pet to pass away so it has not been a decission I have had to make. I do think if I had to would bury the pet in the back yard. The idea of putting the pet in a black bag and dumping it seems to say the pet had no value in the persons life. The cost of the cemetary seems unnecessary to me, so the back yard would be the final resting place for the pet.
The backyard definitely is a good resting place if you have the space. But supposing you want to extend the house, wouldn't digging up skeletons be rather disgusting? It happened to me once, only I didn't know that something had been buried close to the house. Whilst digging, up came the bones. I never can forget the stench . . . Just wondering if its OK to cremate a pet yourself at home.
I'd say go out into the country side, find a spot somewhere and bury your pet under a tree. I have buried all my pets in the backyard of the places where I lived, and always planted flowers or other plants on top of them. If you live in an apartment in the city, and can't take your dead pet anywhere, or it is forbidden to bury it, I would try to find out if there was a place where the carcass can be disposed of. But simply shoving my dead pet dog in garbage bag and throwing it in the bin seems a little harsh to me.
We have had all of our pets buried in our back yard, and I think it's the proper way to bury a pet, although some turn to taxidermy to preserve the memory of their pet, which most people frown upon. I think it's ok though to have your pet's body with you after they die. I wonder why some people think it's creepy.
Personally I think it depends on the pet. Cats and dogs, and maybe rabbits, it's probably best to get the vet to do a cremation. Small animals like fish or rodents, I would bury in the back yard. I know someone who had rats and took them and buried them in her parents' garden because she didn't have a garden, so that was quite nice too. I think it's very disrespectful just to throw the body away or flush a fish but I bet there are people who do that.
We had our dog cremated. We kept the ashes for a few weeks while we decided what to do with them. We decided to bury them in his favorite spot in the backyard. We have a tree in the backyard that gives very nice shade and, when he was out there exploring, he would lay under the shade for a little rest. I can't imagine simply stuffing a pet in a garbage bag and throwing it away.
