This article presents two options for putting our pets at rest and sending them to pet heaven — pet burial or cremation.
Nothing is more difficult than saying goodbye to your darling for good. We all know how hard it is because of our very special emotional relationship with our fur babies.
We have compiled the most important questions and answers for you to help you through this difficult time.
What is Allowed?
To bury your beloved pet with dignity is a very special task. Not everyone wants or can afford to cremate and bury their dog.
Many would like to keep their pet close to them even after death. Therefore, either the urn for the dog or a burial in your own garden is suitable.
Pet Burial
It is allowed to bury your pet in your own garden as long as your pet has not died of a notifiable disease. If he did, you should be careful. Otherwise, the pathogen could spread and endanger other living animals or even people.
A garden burial would also not be allowed if the property is located in a nature or water conservation area.
When you dig the grave, make sure that it is at least half a meter deep, so that no other predators will dig up your darling again. Please also make sure that you leave enough distance (1-2m) from public ways.
Pet Cremation
Professional animal funeral homes now offer a complete program for you. Your pet can be picked up directly from home or the veterinarian and brought to the crematorium.
Depending on the price you are willing to pay, the cremation will then take place in an individual or collective cremation. The single cremation is usually chosen if you want to take care of the scattering of the ashes or the burial yourself.
There are no special legal regulations as to what you have to do with your dog’s ashes. So you can decide whether you want an urn in your home or scatter the ashes in the sea.
In the case of collective cremation, however, your dog’s ashes are usually buried in a communal grave or scattered at a predetermined location.
How much does Pet Cremation or Pet Burial cost?
That depends on which option you choose in the end. While a funeral at home is of course free of charge, the prices for a cremation vary considerably.
So, how much does it cost to cremate a dog? This depends primarily on whether you want to cremate your pet alone or with other animals and also on how heavy your pet was.
Sample pricing
For example, in Germany, at Anubis, you pay between 30 Euros for the collective cremation of a dog under 0.9 kg and 310 Euros for the individual cremation of a dog over 60 kg body weight.
At the Rosengarten animal burial, you pay between 45€ for a basic cremation (<1kg) up to 315€ (45,1-100kg) for an individual cremation.
Depending on the provider, there may be additional costs for additional services such as collection and transport, a paw print, or the particularly fast cremation.
Is it Better to Bury or Cremate a Pet?
It depends on you and the circumstances. Considering the factors mentioned above, each option has its own advantages.
Fortunately, there are now enough possibilities to express your sadness. Nobody has to have his animal picked up and used by a knacker anymore if he does not want it.
Hard as it is, it is time to allow our furry friend to traverse the rainbow to dog heaven.
We wish you a lot of strength!