How long can you wait to bury a dog? It is a good idea to wait 2-3 hours after death before burying your pet, to be sure of their demise. Once rigor mortis has set in you can go ahead with the burial. Sometimes the burial can't take place right away.
If your pet has had diseases such as the common and very highly contagious Parvovirus, the organisms can stay in the soil for up to nine years. Burying your pet in the backyard would pose a health risk for yourself, family members and other animals in the household when they get in contact with the ground.
Be sure to have at least two feet of soil on top of the body. You want the grave deep enough so that other animals cannot smell the pet's scent. It is natural for other animals to dig into the grave if the scent is strong.
You can choose to bury your pet at your property. This can be a meaningful and meditative process for home owners able to do so. You can also contact your local council's waste facility about possible disposal options at their site.
The first person you should call is your vet. If they don't have the facilities to handle your dog's body as you wish they will be able to direct you to someone who does. If there is a Pet cemetery in your area, they are also usually able to make collections. At times you may have to transport the body yourself.
Allowing your dog to die 'naturally' at home, in a familiar environment, may be less frightening for them. However, it may be hard for you to watch. Alternatively, a great number of veterinarians offer 'home visits' to perform euthanasia which avoids the need to travel to the vet's office.
Your dog should be buried in something that is breathable and biodegradable like a towel, blanket, wooden, wicker or cardboard coffin. Avoid making a casket out of anything plastic or that is sealed in an air-tight way. Do not bury your dog in a plastic bag or anything else that is non-breathable and non-biodegradable.
Environmental Contamination
A decomposing pet can cause bacterial contamination in the soil it touches. That contamination then seeps into the groundwater, which can spread it to other areas. If other humans or animals come into contact with the contaminated soil or water, they could become seriously ill.
How deep should the hole be? The rule of thumb is to have at least 3 feet of dirt covering the top of the body. For a large dog, a 4 foot deep hole should suffice. Too shallow a grave will allow animals to dig up the remains and these remains are toxic to them.
' ” Dogs are able to pick up a scent within minutes of the death or years later. In some studies, they have found 25-year-old skeletonized remains, buried in an area of 300 by 150 feet.
Specific Burial Guidelines:
The site where the animal is to be buried must be excavated to a depth that is large enough to contain the dead animal, as well as allow for a cover depth of 2-3 feet. Additionally, the burial site must be in an area that will not allow for feral or wild animals to dig up the buried animal.
The dog's keen sense of smell lets them locate a deceased person much quicker than any human or machine can. Because of this, it is not far-fetched that dogs can smell graves when they are near a cemetery and can even catch a whiff of their owner that has left this world before they did.
Yes, it is not unusual for dogs to remember exactly where they buried their items. Keep in mind that dogs have a very strong sense of smell, so even if they bury an item in the ground, they should be able to smell where they placed it and can retrieve the item later.
Remains. Many pet owners choose to have their pets cremated or buried after the pet is euthanized, and there are pet funeral homes that specialize in animal burial or cremation. Otherwise, the animal facility will often freeze the body and subsequently send it to the local landfill.
The dog must not be buried near a water source. They can only be buried in the grounds of the house in which they lived and you must own, not rent, the land. The body must be placed at a depth of at least two feet in heavy soils or three feet in lighter soils. The body must not be hazardous to human health.
Answer: Fortunately for us, dogs do not understand they are going to be put down and what happens after they are given the injection that puts them to sleep.
To find a pet cemetery, ask your vet. You can also look under "pet cemeteries" in your local area. Another option besides burial is cremation. Some vet hospitals have cremation services, while other times, the crematory is a stand alone service.
Deep burial is the preferred method of carcass disposal.
Your veterinarian will explain the options for burial (including a pet cemetery if there are safety issues with burying your pet at home) or cremation. Alternatively, they can recommend a pet memorial service.
Can I bury my pet in a cemetery? In Australia, Government cemeteries do not allow the joint burial of humans and animals. This is difficult to accept for those of us who consider our pets our family, and who would like nothing more than to be put to rest with our pet when our time comes.
Here are some examples of what not to say when a pet dies: "Don't cry." Crying is part of the grieving process for many people. "It's just a [dog/cat/etc.]." A comment like this that downplays the loss is mean and thoughtless. You don't know what the pet meant to that person.
When your pet passes away and you choose cremation for processing their remains, the microchip will remain in their bodies throughout the process and be incinerated during the cremation.
Contact Your Veterinarian
Alternatively, if it is during the middle of the night or a holiday, you can try to contact a 24 hour emergency office (if one exists nearby). They may also have a way of getting you in touch with someone who can pick up your pet's body (like a pet crematory or mobile vet service).