Considerations when your pet passes away
When your pet passes away, there’s a lot to manage, especially if it happens unexpectedly, requiring you to make significant decisions on short notice. In this article, we discuss five points to contemplate, possibly aiding you to be better prepared when the moment arrives.
1. What options do I have after my pet’s passing?
After your pet’s passing, you have three options:
- Having your pet cremated;
- Burying your pet;
- Leaving your pet with the veterinarian.
2. When is the right time to contact the pet crematorium after my pet’s passing?
There are two different scenarios when your pet passes away: planned and unexpected. If your pet’s passing is unexpected, it’s advisable to contact the pet crematorium as soon as possible. Most unexpected pet passings occur at home. To ensure you can manage the process according to your wishes, it’s prudent not to wait until the last moment to reach out.
If your pet’s passing is planned for instance, at the veterinarian’s practice or when the vet visits your home, it’s advisable to contact the pet crematorium after you’ve scheduled the appointment with the vet. This way, you can orchestrate the entire process as you desire. You can opt to head directly from the vet’s to the crematorium, or you can spend a few hours saying goodbye to your pet at home before proceeding to the pet crematorium.
3. How long can I spend saying goodbye to my deceased pet at home?
Bidding farewell to your pet is essential, and the approach varies for each individual. Often, you might prefer to say goodbye in the comfort of your own home, surrounded by family members and any other pets. The duration you can keep your pet at home depends on various factors. Temperature is a crucial factor, cooler indoor temperatures are better. Depending on the season, it’s not advisable to keep your pet at home for over a day; during summer, we recommend not keeping your pet at home for more than a few hours. Additionally, placing something plastic under your pet is wise, as they might release some bodily fluids after passing away.
4. What would I like to keep or have cremated along with my pet?
When your pet passes away, numerous decisions and emotions come your way. These circumstances might lead you to make different choices than you would if you had time to reflect. For example, consider what you’d like to keep from your pet, such as a lock of fur or a paw print, which are common choices. You might also want your pet’s favorite toy to be cremated alongside them. These choices can be overlooked amidst the chaos, so it’s certainly wise to ponder them beforehand.
5. What are the possibilities with my pet’s ashes?
After your pet has been cremated, various options are available for their ashes. It’s also prudent to consider these options in advance. There are three possibilities for your pet’s ashes:
- Keeping the ashes in an urn;
- Storing the ashes in an ash cache, which serves as a temporary solution if you’re undecided about what to do with the ashes. You can scatter or bury part of the ashes, incorporate part of them into a memorial piece, or even create a custom urn;
- Scattering the ashes, if you don’t wish to keep the ashes, we can scatter them for you. This is done with the utmost respect by one of our staff members.
If you’d like more information or have found an error, please let us know; we value your input.
