In the United States, there are no federal laws around pet burials. Each state’s or locality’s law dictates whether or not pets can be buried in their owners’ backyard. States like Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico and Colorado require meeting burial depth requirements and a safe distance from water bodies.
How to bury your cat, dog, or other pet after they’ve passed
Losing a pet is never easy and can be challenging to handle. Making decisions about your pet’s afterlife care can be extremely stressful for both you and the pet’s family. For this reason, if you decide to bury your pet close to your house, you can use this article as a resource. Here are a few things to think about if you wish to bury your pet in your backyard.
1. Potential Resurfacing by Animals
Your pet may be dug up by wild animals or other neighborhood pets if you bury them in your backyard. As pets decompose, they emit gases other animals can smell. Certain hunting dogs have received specialized training to locate and discuss objects beneath the surface of the earth. Animals such as foxes and dogs will attempt to unearth a pet that has been buried.
Resurfacing becomes a particular issue if the pet had a contagious disease or received euthanasia. Euthanasia generally involves a concentrated anesthetic drug, pentobarbital, that can linger in a deceased pet’s body for up to a year. If another animal digs up your pet and comes into contact with the drug, it could become sick or die. And if your pet died of a contagious illness like parvovirus, that illness could infect other animals and spread through the neighborhood pet community.
Getting a pet casket
A pet casket or burial container can be a wonderful way to bury your pet if you do decide to do so yourself. For your pet’s grave, you might also want to think about purchasing a headstone or memorial marker. The following are some guidelines for selecting a pet coffin or burial container:
Verify that non-toxic materials and sustainable wood products were used in the product’s manufacturing. Examine the ingredients listed on the product’s packaging. If formaldehyde, polyurethane, or other potentially harmful chemicals are present, it is best to avoid buying the product because they could contaminate groundwater supplies and seep into the soil.
Look for certification from the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) or the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI). These organizations certify wood products that come from sustainable sources; they also require that their member companies do not use any illegally harvested wood products. The FSC and SFI both have websites where you can search for certified wood products.
A wonderful way to bury your pet is with pet pods. They are made of environmentally friendly, sustainable materials that are both able to hold your pet’s cremated remains and kind to the environment. They even include a card of sympathy for you and the family of your pet.
FAQ
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