Pet Cremation vs. Burial - Which One Do We Choose?
Unfortunately, pets have a much shorter lifespan then us. The grief experienced after the loss of a pet, a beloved member of the family, can be overwhelming. After a pet passes, some important decisions need to be made by the family, including what to do with the body and how they want to memorialize their pet Some families will choose to bury their pet, however, others will cremate their beloved pet and choose a special memorial with their pet's ashes.
Pet Cremation vs. Burial
This is simply a preference of the family and there’s no right or wrong choice. Over ninety percent of pets are cremated and less than ten percent are buried. This cremation rate is significantly higher than the cremation rate of people - about half of people are cremated. Many factors are typically taken into account in making a decision to ether cremate or bury a pet, including cremation cost, available memorial options, and availability of pet cemeteries or yard space to bury a pet.
If I choose cremation for my pet, when will I get the ashes back? If your pet passes or is euthanized at a veterinary clinic and you decide to let them handle the cremation process, you can typically receive your pets ashes within a week. Alternatively, if you go to a pet crematorium directly, you can typically receive your pets cremains back either on the same day or next day.
If I choose burial for my pet, how soon can I do this? It is recommended that you bury your pet as soon as possible after passing. Some pet cemeteries offer pickup services to transport pets to the cemetery for burial. If you decide to bury your pet yourself, or if it’s the weekend or a holiday and your local pet cemetery is not open, many veterinary offices are able to keep pets in refrigeration for a few days until you’re able to bury.
What do I do right after my pet passes? Since the passing of a pet isn't something that happens to often, many people are at a loss with what to do right after a pet passes. Here is a comprehensive guide that provides step-by-step information.
Pet Memorial Options
There are many memorial options available for pets, especially for families who choose cremation. One option, in particular, that’s gaining in popularity is The Living Urn for Pets. It’s a biodegradable tree urn for pets that gives a family the ability to grow a memory tree, plant, or flowers from a proprietary bio urn containing a pet’s cremated remains.
Mark Brewer, President and Co-Founder of The Living Urn, commented, “We’re seeing a surge in interest from families for our Living Urn pet cremation urn for their beloved pets. This jump in demand can attributed to many factors, including our recent partnerships with some of the leading veterinary clinics who are now providing The Living Urn for Pets to their customers and people who are becoming aware of our unique option through the recent media attention we’ve received.”
Brewer continues, “Pets are loving members of the family and should be memorialized in a meaningful and respectful way. We believe that The Living Urn for Pets is an uplifting option for families and a way to create a beautiful living memorial to keep their beloved pets present in their life.”
There are also many great scattering, burial and traditional urn options for pets. Here's an article that describes 10 great memorial options to honor a pet with their ashes. Below we highlight some of the more popular options.
To provide a more detailed illustration of the various options you have for the ashes of a beloved pet who's passed and has been cremated, we've also included an infographic below.
