*warning* Cremation After Burial

[Jessca]

I put a warning in the title incase some people find this distressing.

We don't plan on staying in the house we are at forever and have two of our dogs buried in the backyard. We plan on getting them cremated.

What I would like to know is roughly how long do you need to wait after buring them?

As one of our dogs only passed June last year. Would this be to soon?

Thank you kindly.

[WreckitWhippet]

Not a horrible question and I have a dog buried too, that I'm afraid of disturbing before there's nothing but bones.

[julzjc]

Interested in the answer to this too, I couldn't move and leave my dogs at the risk of someone else removing them.

[Nekhbet]

give the cremation places a call I'm sure they also do exhumation + cremation.

I have a dog that needs this too but its been 2 years just about now.

[Jessca]

That's a good idea nekhbet! Thank you.

I work at a vet clinic so will give a couple of our pet crem people a call. Thanks!!

[WreckitWhippet]

Any chance you could let me know the answer please. My girl has been buried for 4 and a half years.

[julzjc]

Any chance you could let me know the answer please. My girl has been buried for 4 and a half years.

A google search said that even a body buried deep, inside a coffin should be only bones by the one year mark RSG. This link might help, warning it goes into decomposition details.

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070804095320AAabFgu

[Bullbreedlover]

The cremation place we used for our boy also does exhuming. They charge more of course but yes it is done.

My parents backyard is a huge pet cemetary from all the dogs we have lost over many years and although we know where they all are, we dont bury any pets that have died now, but we get them cremated.

The place I used for cremating my Bullmastiff here in Qld was extremely professional and caring.

[casowner]

We had a pony that died about 5 months ago and recently foxes dug him up and he had minimal fur on his head but the rest was mainly skeleton

Edited August 23, 2011 by casowner

[sterlingsilver]

Without thinking, I buried one of mine in the plastic body bag, but I did rip the bag down one side to pat her before we buried her. However, the shrubs I planted over the site,have never done well.

We buried her down deep, but I worry sometimes that the plastic has caused an issue for the roots of the plant.

I have toyed with the idea of having the spot dug up [by some one else of course] but feel awful disturbing the body.

It was back in 1991, but I dont think I would ever be able to face the prospect of having this done.

I think too about leaving the property and them behind if I ever move.

Of recent times I have had my pets cremated.

[tdierikx]

I have one dog buried up in the back corner of my yard - quite a few years now. I won't dig her up if I move, and she's deep enough that any new owner won't disturb her if they want to make a garden over the top of her - although they may wonder why there is a large piece of fencing mesh buried about 12 inches down... *grin* (it was to deter our other dogs from any urge to dig there actually)

Personally I don't go in for the cremation thing - I prefer to keep all of my furkids in my heart and memories instead - and each of them has their very own special memories that I can recall at any time.

T.

[flux]

I would guess the rate of decomposition would depend on the type of soil and how many microbes n' stuff were living in it and helping to break all the organic matter down. I would have thought, if you wanted to hurry the process, to build a compost heap on top of the site (No disrespect intended here) and without digging about simply add on a few layers and worms. You could even put some sides up around it, make it neat and respectable. The compost should turn to rich soil, and would probably encourage the decomposition going on undernieth it. I know that the Australian Museum occasionally buries dead whales in the sand, and the entire corpse is stripped in about a year (!!) - but this is due to the little crabby critters and sea-licey things working hard at it. Again, I would say the better quality the soil, the faster the process.

I thought though, contacting someone like Pets at Peace is a really good idea, they might have some answers and practical suggestions for you.

[Robbi]

With humans if a body has to be removed from a grave it is called an exhumation for the first ten years after interment and a certificate must be acquired from the states health department. After ten years bodies are sometimes removed from their graves and a process called "lift and deepen" is done so another person can be placed in the same plot the grave digs are paid according to number of years of interment! I once prepared bones for an osary box and they had been in the ground for twelve years, all that was left was bones and hair and a small amount of connective tissue.

I think that as long as dogs have not been wrapped in a non biodegradable material they should be well on the way to being just bones.

As an alternative to cremation have you considered placing the bones in a nice osary box? They are really nice and have a very medievel feel about them.....

[lovemymutts]

If I had to make the decision again, I would go for cremation & then spread the ashes, even if they aren't all my dogs ashes.

My old boy who passed in January is buried on my fathers block of land. I was quite angry because I had asked my dad to dig a hole for him (my back is too painful to do it myself) and when I returned after having him pts my father had dug this puny shallow hole I tried to make it deeper myself but couldn't so had to bury him in that. I placed rocks over it but since then foxes have tried to dig it up twice. I know it's just his body but I still feel anger towards my dad, Kaspa was my first dog & gave us almost 13yrs of love & loyalty & for my dad to do a half hearted job of something so important just upsets me.

But I would say if I was to dig him up now I wouldn't find anything other than some fur & bones...

[Little Gifts]

A new dog dug up the remains of an old buried dog at my current house. The deceased pet had been buried for just on a year. All that the new dog retrieved was dirt covered jaw bone. We do live in a tropical area so perhaps that sped up the decomp process? I was personally surprised that there was nothing left of my old boy but bone. Not even remnants of the blanket, beach towel, calico or heavy duty plastic he was wrapped in. I wasn't upset that he'd been disturbed because the ne dog didn't know it was him and I believe in the cycle of life - he was still with me in spirit and his outer shell was re-energising the earth.

Edited August 24, 2011 by Puppy_Sniffer

[rastus_froggy]

I do some work for Pets at Peace Central West and we do exhume dogs and then cremate them. The rate of decomposition depends on a lot of things, what you buried them in, the soil temperature, the depth you buried them (the deeper they are buried the longer it takes them to decompose as there is less activity deeper down in the soil) and of course how long they have been there.

I will do not have the stomach to do any that have been buried for between a few days and 4 months - I always make my boss handle those.

RSG if you want your girl exhumed but you don't want to be the one to actually have to do it give Shane a call, he will do it for you.

[Maxiewolf]

When it was a very real possibility that my parents where going to sell the family home after seperation, I made my dad (I was alot younger than I am now of course.) Dig up my first dog, a mini dachi, there was not much left she had been in the ground for about 12 months... she was buried in a cane basket with a pillow case over the top. So the only way to find her after being dug up was to find the basket and the case there was very little left but bones.

He put those remains in a plastic bag and Pets at Peace picked up the bag and cremated them at a reduced charge. Still paid the same for the urn etc. I know what it feels like to not want to leave a dog behind like that. I have all my dogs cremated now (Ive got 4 urns so far in my room... when i have enough ashes im getting them made into a carbon based diamond least then they will all be with me one day when im a crazy old dog lady and my kids are fighting over the diamond least i know they will always be with me or my family ;) )

Though after several years I woudlnt like to try and find the remains to be exhumed.

Edit: I would like to add that only 3 of those urns are mine. 1 old age, 1 accident, 1 illness and 1 inherited dead dog, yes.. I was left my grandads dachshunds ashes. In case someone was thinking i'm like a serial dog killer or something like that >_>

Edited August 24, 2011 by Maxiewolf