Cremating a pet? Picking out an urn?

[ReneeM]

I know it's morbid to think about, and I hate thinking about it. But I have to be realistic about how sick my baby girl is. I don't know if what is wrong with her is treatable.

I have been thinking about what to do if she does pass. She is almost 30 pounds, to big to bury in the yard. I am not willing to let the vet dispose of my girl in a mass cremation. I will probably have her cremated, but I want her remains back. Do they do individual cremations so you know it's your own pets remains?

I have been looking at urns as well. I found one I really like:

It doesn't look like an urn, so I don't think people will know. Technically it is a Samoyed shaped urn, but it looks so much like my baby:

It's pricey at about $90, but I have yet to find anything else I like.

Is it creepy to want to put her in an urn? I could bury her ashes out in the yard, like all of my past pets that have passed since I was a child. The toy poodle I was raised with is in our back yard.

I just hate the idea of leaving her behind when my life changes. I used to find the idea of keeping a dead pet in an rub creepy, but Im not sure I can bare to do anything else with my girl.

 

[Snickers]

I too, have been thinking about cremating our American Eskimo that we rescued back in 1998 from the animal shelter. He is still healthy getting around just deaf. I am going to have him cremated and putting his ashes in an urn. My sister had one of her Shar Pei cremated it cost her $300.00.

 

[Peep_erz]

I have the same fears of burying a pet in the yard and then leaving them behind if my life changes.

The 3 vets I have gone to offer individual cremations. With the rescues I have them cremated in the group cremation. With my own pets I get them cremated and put in an urn or box. Whatever they offer for a fair price. I don't think it is creepy at all. Then again I grew up with urns of my ancestors in some of our relatives houses. We would go to their room, bow three times and pay our respects ever time we visited.

 

[addictedtochins]

I love that urn Renee!

 

[Kalandra]

Renee, you should be able to find someone that will do a private cremation. I have had every hedgehog I've said good bye to privately cremated. All but the first three have come to me in keepsake urns. The first 3 were returned to me in boxes big enough for cats.

Ask your vet if they have a place that does private cremations, if they do not, look in the phone book for pet crematories in your area. I'm sure you will find someone to do it.

Its not creepy... or if it is, I'm very creepy then as I have a little shelf in an antique cabinet with urns of hedgehog ashes.

 

[Sesame]

For my family, each beloved pet has been cremated and returned in a box. We buried each box under the various fruits trees in our backyard. In a way, their spirit is through the fruit trees when they blossom each year and bear fruit. I guess it's a concern if my family ever moved, but most likely we would bring the trees with us.

It should be possible to find a private service for cremation, however, just might be pricier. In the case of our dog, she was ill and quite large. We were able to find a service that came to our house and privately cremate her.

I don't think this is a very creepy topic. Sadly, this happens and we must be able to make the best decision for our beloved ones. Especially, in unfortunate cases were there's illness, you have more time to prepare compared for this.

If you do opt for that urn, I have to say, it's a very lovely urn.

 

[Dreamlite]

Most vets do offer individual cremation. Given its not cheep, but ask your vet. At my vet we offer it and the ashes come back in a nice wooden box.

 

[Sandi]

My vet charged $120 for an individual small animal cremation. That price is pretty good for where I live. I don't know how big (amount) of ashes there would be for a dog but for a chinchilla I purchased a memory box for an urn and a mini angel chin from Allison (alli713 on the forum) of Camphor Chins. It was her idea for the memory box and she painted it the color I wanted as well made the CJ angel chin. I love it and my CJ and Whiskers keep me company every night as I hang out in my living room most nights.

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[jess32247]

I don't think it's creepy at all. We still have our Golden Retrievers ashes in a decorated wood urn from many years ago, at least 10 years. Nobody has the heart to bury him yet.

I agree about the private cremation, I think it would be the best to do.

The urn is beautiful, Renee! I'm sorry you have to be thinking about this, it must be hard to think about. I'm getting teary now, on the verge of sobbing. It reminds me a lot of our dog now, I would hate to have to think about cremation.

 

[ChinnyMom]

every day since my cocker spaniel passed away in 2000, i wish i had been able to afford to have him privately cremated so i could keep him with me. Sparky was my first dog, and although he was a lil poop-head, lol, he was well loved and i miss him like crazy.

my chins will be cremated when it is their time (hopefully not for a long time though!), and i will have urns for them that are the same as their fur colours - grey marble with white in it for Rhino, and black onyx with grey in it for Guss.

not a creepy subject at all. just as with humans passing away and needing to make arrangements, we need to do the same for pets. human or pet, all are family )

 

[ReneeM]

I think my vet charges around $160, but it could be alot more. I have allowed them to do mass cremation before when I had two sick ratties put down. But in that case we has three feet of snow on the ground and my parents would not let me put a dead animal in there freezer.

I'm hoping whatever is wrong with my girl is treatable. I'm trying my hardest not to think about saying goodbye.

 

[perabalaofmystery]

i currently have my first cat in an urn but ive decided to eventualy spread him in the garden he loved to nap in . i dont think its reapy. and i think it can help with the greaving proccess

 

[ticklechin]

My vet uses a private firm, the ashes are returned in a nice engraved box in a velvet bag, its 160.00. I am sorry you are having to think about this...

 

[Stackie]

The clinic I work for offers cremation, and you can opt either to have just the ashes returned or to have them returned in an urn. It varies on how much the animal weighs, but with just ashes returned it's usually around $120ish.

I'm very sorry you have to think about this. Your puppy is gorgeous.

 

[ReneeM]

We went for the ultrasound today. Her liver and other organs are full of tumors. I'm going to wait a couple of days to say goodbye, and then find someone to go with me when it is time to put her down.