There is a ritualized mourning process when death comes to humans, and as pets get more integrated into our families, how do we honor their time with us as they pass on? Pet urns, pet keepsakes and other memorial items are available to serve as physical reminders of their presence but it's a shocking decision to make in times of grief. I know because my cat passed away recently after 19.5 years of loyal companionship.
So what do you do when your pet dies? My cat passed away at home and in the middle of winter; burying her in the frozen backyard was not an option. Furthermore, it was against city bylaws so check your local area guidelines on pet burial.
I placed my cat's body in a cardboard box and drove her to the vet. There, I asked for her to be cremated. Since I wanted her ashes back, I specifically asked how cremation works. Would her cremation remains (cremains) be mixed with other pets? Would I need to get individual cremation services? From what I was told, in communal cremation, 2-6 bodies are placed in the cremation chamber and are placed widely enough apart that there is no cross contamination. There's a chute underneath the bodies to collect the ashes when the cremation process is done.
I was satisfied with this explanation, so I opted for communal cremation. However, for those who want to be sure, by all means, get individual cremation. There is also something called witness cremation services where you are allowed to witness the cremation process for personal closure. Be sure to ask your veterinary clinic if these options are available.
You are charged with the cremation process and again for the return of the cremains. My clinic provided a standard urn but I wanted an upgrade. They showed me a catalog but I was unsure. It was just a jumble of emotions and I couldn't decide. However, I knew I wanted to get a pet urn that was befitting of the personality of my cat. I asked if they could hold the body for me while I decided and they said to take the time I needed and that they would keep the body safe. In my head, I took that to mean a week as a reasonable time to decide.
I went home and searched the Internet for an appropriate cat urn. After deliberating for a couple of days, I finally decided on a crouching brass calico cat urn that I liked which reminded me of her basking in the sun of the window sill. I thought she would have liked it.
I ordered the urn and phoned the clinic to inform them of my decision. Along the way, I asked them to make paw prints of my cat, since that was something that I had read up on but it didn't occur to me at the time to ask. Surprise, surprise, they had already burned the body! They had taken her body to be cremated the following day after I had dropped her off at night. So much for taking my time to make the decision. Luckily, even before I took the body to the vet, I had taken a lock of my cat's hair as a keepsake.
Also, write down your pet's proper name. You get a cremation certificate when your urn is returned to you. And unfortunately, they wrote the name of my cat wrong.
In times of stress and grief, these details will be lost on most individuals and that is why it is important to have the support of friends and family with us to handle these rough times. Prepare as much as possible if you know that time is winding down for your pet. In the end, you just want to make the process of goodbye bearable and honor a loyal companion.
Biz Blogger is an animal lover who recently dealt with the loss of a pet. The grieving process encompassed what to do when a pet dies and the steps to go through when finding an appropriate memorial keepsake.
For more information, please visit: <a href="http://belovedpeturns.com">Beloved Pet Urns</a>
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