What will you do with your pet when he or she dies?

[pumpster]

Unpleasant to think about but i'm wondering what the options are and what might sense re: burial or alternatives.

[~flower~]

Cremation.   

  I do know people who bury them on their property, I plan on moving hopefully in a couple years so wouldn't do that.  Plus it takes a back hoe to bury a Great Dane.

  Cremation then an urn.  I have one for the ferrets already, has 2 little containers in it, Jasper and Simon, in a wooden box with a ferret sculpture on top.  Tino will be put in there when he passes.

  Probably get the dogs separate ones, maybe with a place for a picture on it, you can find all kinds of stuff on the web.

   I just could never relinquish their bodies for mass burial. 

   I made my mother put my hamsters in the freezer if they died in the winter and we buried them when ground thawed.  We had whole hamster burial ground!

[knny187]

When I was a kid growing up....I lived in the country so all the animals were buried out back.

The last dog my parents had that died was cremated.  That was almost 2 1/2 yrs ago.  When my mother passed...my father had them buried together with the dogs name & paw print underneath both of their names.

[chaos]

private cremation and a pine box

[~flower~]

The last dog my parents had that died was cremated.  That was almost 2 1/2 yrs ago.  When my mother passed...my father had them buried together with the dogs name & paw print underneath both of their names.

  That's what I have said knny I want.  When I die take all the urns and bury em with me.  But I think I might like to be cremated so maybe then they could mix all the ashes together? 

  I bet your mom would/is be happy that your dad did that.      

   

[pumpster]

I like the idea of burying creatures with their "parents", after reading of finding animal remains close to the uncovered remains of prominent Egyptians from ancient times.

Also for anyone who has had this experience, is there a typical scenario in which the lovable one is found in the morning, lifeless. Or other times of the day..

[Princess L]

Also for anyone who has had this experience, is there a typical scenario in which the lovable one is found in the morning, lifeless. Or other times of the day..

Can you clarify your question 

[Deadpool]

I had to bury a kitten that got hit by a car (not me) it was sad 

[pumpster]

Can you clarify your question 

Trying to envision what the day will be like when a beloved creature is gone; for anyone who has already gone through this, is a deceased creature usually found in the morning, lifeless? Trying to imagine how it will happen and the inevitable shock.

Not to be too melancholy, i saw the movie Midnight Express again recently. The scene where the guy cradled his dead cat was moving and hard to forget.

[Princess L]

Trying to envision what the day will be like when a beloved creature is gone; for anyone who has already gone through this, is a deceased creature usually found in the morning, lifeless? Trying to imagine how it will happen and the inevitable shock.

Not to be too melancholy, i saw the movie Midnight Express again recently. The scene where the guy cradled his dead cat was moving and hard to forget.

Well,  chances are it won't happen that way. 

Back when Keesha was getting up in her years, I asked this very question on Public Radio to the guest (a vet and professor of veterinary medicine).  She stated that very few (dogs) pass quietly and peacefully in their sleep.  She also indicated that most people "will know when it's time" and do what is best for the pet.  Many vets will perform the service in your home if you ask.

[pumpster]

That would be better, if it's gradual, but what would "knowing" entail..

[Princess L]

That would be better, if it's gradual, but what would "knowing" entail..

Call it intuition, instinct or whatever, but I believe that any of us who have been with a pet for a long time will "know".  I'm not sure I would've believed that prior to that night, but as difficult and painful as it was, I knew we did the right thing.
http://www.getbig.com/boards/index.php?topic=154605.msg2161519#msg2161519

[~flower~]

Also for anyone who has had this experience, is there a typical scenario in which the lovable one is found in the morning, lifeless. Or other times of the day..

 Like Princess said, that is not as common, but yes it can happen.  A heart condition or general old age, or a cancer that has metastasized to other organs causing their failure.  I have a ferret with lymphoma and adrenal disease, but it will probably be organ failure from the spread lymphoma that is his cause of death. There are many times I go in to check on him and feed him and I wonder, if it is his time.   

I have thought about the dogs passing at home because of their size I wouldn't be able to move them myself so I would have to call people to help me.  Same if one became unable to walk.   If any passed at home I would take their bodies to the vet to be picked up for cremation, and if it happened on the weekend I am sure the emergency vet must have similar arrangements with the pet crematory so I would take them there. 

[~flower~]

That would be better, if it's gradual, but what would "knowing" entail..

Are you asking how you would know it was time?  Well if the pet has been ill or is suffering from a disease you might "know" when their quality of life is very poor.  My ferret who I helped to pass in April had been up and down for over a year.  Finally the ups became shorter and the downs came faster.  His last week after hand feeding him for a few days (this has always turned him around in the past and he would start eating on his own for awhile till the next "down" period), and he still had no desire to eat and was being very stubborn about it, I knew he had had enough.  I had been having to help him express his bladder 2x a day as well, but he did pretty good for a few weeks, then went off his food again.  I knew I could probably keep him around longer, but that would of purely been for me, and not for him. He was ready.  He put up with me allowing me to get some food in him and keeping him cleaned and his bladder empty, but he was tired. He was 9 years old, old for ferrets!  So I took him in and let him go peacefully. 

  That is always a very hard decision to make.  But that comes with loving our pets.  Sometimes that is the final gift you can give them. 

[gtbro1]

my parents had their dog put down last November.He was old and had severe arthritis and he couldn't even hold himself up to do his business.I loved that old dog. I was sorta upset with my dad because he just did it...I mean,we all knew it was coming,but that dog was part of our family for over 14 years,it would have been nice to say goodbye...I called my dad one night on my lunch break..I asked "How is Stormy doing today?" (like I said I knew the end was near) Then dad just said "well...I took him down today and had him put down...he's gone." He was about to cry telling me...and I have never ever seen my father cry. He buried him in the back ...still had his collar and leash on...said he didn't want to have to look at it.

[~flower~]

He probably had to "just do it" or he would never of done it.     I am sorry that you did not get to say goodbye though. 

  I still have the hard plastic bone that my very first dog had. (He's the beagle basset hound in the infamous "flower learns to rollerskate" video).  My parents told us they "gave him to someone who had a farm".  I never did believe them, but I did ask them a about year ago if they really had done that or did something else happen to him, but my mom swears they really did place him.  That was about 30 years ago and I still have his bone with his teeth marks on it.     Once I got my house I got a dog, finally no one could tell me that I couldn't have one! 

[Max_Rep]

my parents had their dog put down last November.He was old and had severe arthritis and he couldn't even hold himself up to do his business.I loved that old dog. I was sorta upset with my dad because he just did it...I mean,we all knew it was coming,but that dog was part of our family for over 14 years,it would have been nice to say goodbye...I called my dad one night on my lunch break..I asked "How is Stormy doing today?" (like I said I knew the end was near) Then dad just said "well...I took him down today and had him put down...he's gone." He was about to cry telling me...and I have never ever seen my father cry. He buried him in the back ...still had his collar and leash on...said he didn't want to have to look at it.

When I was in Rochester over the holidays I had to go to my old house and clear the last things out. (When my Mom was walking and hit by a car - lady driving was on a cell phone and not paying attention - we moved her into an Independent Living Facility).

I found my black lab's collar in my old dresser and I just "lost it". That was my dog when I was a kid until I was a sophomore in HS. He went everywhere with me. I'll always remember the night we had to put him down. We all said goodbye. I can't imagine not being able to say goodbye. 

We had a large yard so all of our dogs were buried out back. Now I'd go the cremation route.

*Side note* Mom is having the time of her life at 89. I put Harley handlebar decorations on her walker. She zooms around the hallways like she's running a race. Now THAT woman is a true animal lover if there ever was one.   

[knny187]

When I was in Rochester over the holidays I had to go to my old house and clear the last things out. (When my Mom was walking and hit by a car - lady driving was on a cell phone and not paying attention - we moved her into an Independent Living Facility).

I found my black lab's collar in my old dresser and I just "lost it". That was my dog when I was a kid until I was a sophomore in HS. He went everywhere with me. I'll always remember the night we had to put him down. We all said goodbye. I can't imagine not being able to say goodbye. 

We had a large yard so all of our dogs were buried out back. Now I'd go the cremation route.

*Side note* Mom is having the time of her life at 89. I put Harley handlebar decorations on her walker. She zooms around the hallways like she's running a race. Now THAT woman is a true animal lover if there ever was one.   

I still have my Chocolate Labs collar when I was a kid.  I know it's sad...but I have it put away.  I cant take it out & leave it out somewhere.

I was her 'world' when I was growing up.

[PhoenixBuff]

Private/Individual Cremation is the way to go for us.  I have a nice urn from my cat that I had to let go 3 years ago.  I hope to have Moguwai back by this weekend and I'll add her ashes to this urn as well.

[Princess L]

Keesha was supposed to be an individual cremation after her necropsy.  When we called to inquire about picking up the ashes, they told us she was in a mass cremation and disposed of    Whoever wrote up the paperwork did so incorrectly, but then turned the blame on us  as if we knew what we were signing minutes after her death.

[gtbro1]

Keesha was supposed to be an individual cremation after her necropsy.  When we called to inquire about picking up the ashes, they told us she was in a mass cremation and disposed of    Whoever wrote up the paperwork did so incorrectly, but then turned the blame on us 

As horrible as it may sound...if I were them,I would have just given you some of the ashes and not told you.You would never have known,and in your heart and mind,those ashes would have been Keesha.It is bad that it happened,but if they had just given you some of the ashes,at least you wouldn't have had to deal with the sorrow of losing your pet twice,so to speak.

[~flower~]

Keesha was supposed to be an individual cremation after her necropsy.  When we called to inquire about picking up the ashes, they told us she was in a mass cremation and disposed of    Whoever wrote up the paperwork did so incorrectly, but then turned the blame on us  as if we knew what we were signing minutes after her death.

  That is terrible!!!!  

[pumpster]

Keesha was supposed to be an individual cremation after her necropsy.  When we called to inquire about picking up the ashes, they told us she was in a mass cremation and disposed of    Whoever wrote up the paperwork did so incorrectly, but then turned the blame on us  as if we knew what we were signing minutes after her death.

The person responsible should have been fired. That's not acceptable.

[Princess L]

My husband and I never discussed (prior to) what we would do with her when she passed.  I guess I always assumed we'd bury her here.  When she was "put to sleep" at the emergency vet clinic, we each concluded we couldn't go thru with that long drive back home with her and then the burial process.  At that point, we decided to have her "put on ice" so to speak, until the next day when I was able to talk to her vet.  I wanted to give Dr. Amy the opportunity to learn from Keesha (her oldest patient), by performing a necropsy.  Not only would that confirm we did the right thing, it also gave Dr. Amy the opportunity to look at all her other organs, which were in perfect condition in spite of her age.  Keehsa was being treated for Cushings for about 10 years, however, she never exhibited the tell-tale signs of the disease.  Her condition baffled the veterinary community, so we thought the necropsy would help educate.

Apparently, the back & forth of her body confused the staff at the emergency clinic.  At the time I didn’t get too terribly upset.  Grieving her loss was difficult.  Getting her back might have made it even harder, so I let it go.  Of course we kept her collar, tags and leash. Scout uses her food and water dish.

[Al-Gebra]

A creepy, elderly person I know had her german shepherd stuffed . . .