Cremation Guide: How To Say Goodbye To Your Departed Pet

Reviewed By Tom •  Updated: 06/05/21 •  5 min read
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The proper handling of remains could be the last thing on a fur parent’s mind once a beloved pet dies. But as a pet owner, you must realize death is not the end of the love and care you could give to your deceased pet. Perhaps the best way is to arrange a pet cremation service as part of honoring your pet. 

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Cremation is a common way of sending off loved ones who have passed on by incinerating their bodies. With pet cremation, you get to keep the remains of your pet in perhaps the safest and cleanest way possible. And while the death of your pet could be challenging to face, there are ways you could cope when it’s finally time to say farewell to a beloved companion.   

Give Yourself Time To Reflect 

People cope differently after suffering a loss, and it’s the same with pet owners. Try to give yourself a chance to remember the good and fun times you had shared with your pet. It’s better to face how you feel, even if it comes as a shock. The process of emotional healing must start with you.  

Instead of holding on to the sadness you may feel, think about your pet’s unique quirks, the tricks you’ve taught it, and the times you’d spent with your pet. You could go back to all these happy memories, and in time you’d feel the acceptance within you. 

Talk To Your Vet About Pet Cremation 

For all the times it made you smile and gave you comfort, arranging for cremation services for pets could be one of the best ways to honor your pet and those memories. Just like with humans, cremation is an acceptable way to say farewell to your beloved pet. You can have family and friends over, and it doesn’t have to be a fussy event.  

There are two kinds of cremation. You can make it a private one, where your pet’s remains get incinerated alone and you can have the ashes back already in an urn. Or you can choose a communal type, wherein your pet is cremated with other animal remains. However, the ashes wouldn’t be returned to you.  

Collect Mementos Of Your Beloved Pet 

If you’ve chosen a private cremation and have the ashes back, you could set the urn on a particular place somewhere in your home where it wouldn’t be disturbed. If you have photographs of your pet on your mobile device, you could have them printed to create an album or choose one to frame and set beside the urn. There’s no right or wrong way to do this.  

If you bury the urn in the backyard instead, make sure the plot is elevated so there’d be no risk of contamination, or flooding, if you live near a body of water. For example, if you had a dog that was prone to disease or had suffered an illness, you wouldn’t want your pet’s remains to mix with a natural water source. It’d be dangerous for other animals living in that body of water as well.    

Grow A Tree In Honor Of Your Pet 

Immortalizing the memory of your pet could go beyond burials and cremations. You could plant a tree in its name, whether you have chosen to bury your pet’s remains in your backyard or not. 

One that’s been growing in popularity is growing a tree memorial, wherein you could place the cremated ashes inside an organic or bio urn with a plant or seed. There are online specialty stores dedicated to bio urns, and they include instructions on how to carry on the memorial. It’s a beautiful way to remember a pet—by giving it a chance to be a part of nature once again in another life form.  

Take Comfort In Human Support 

Remember that family and friends surround you, and you could always turn to them for comfort. There may also be people you could talk to within your community for emotional support if no family or friend is around. Remember there are people who would understand how you feel as a pet owner because you’re not alone.

But while it could be difficult for you, chances are it could be a heavier subject for your child or children. When the family pet dies, it’s also an excellent opportunity to explain to the child about life and death. It would help them cope with death and may ease their sadness a bit. 

In Conclusion 

Saying goodbye to a beloved pet may bring grief, but it may be a little relieving to know that your pet is now at peace. The things mentioned above are just a few of the many ways you as a pet owner could cope with the loss of a beloved pet. But the important thing is that your pet’s cremated remains are secure and safe in your keeping. 

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Tom

Tom has always loved to write since he was little - he wanted to be either a writer or a veterinary doctor, but he ended up being a professional writer while most of his works are based on animals. He was born in San Francisco but later moved to Texas to continue his job as a writer. He graduated from the University of San Francisco where he studied biotechnology. He is happily married and a soon to be father!

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