How to Bury a Pet at Home

When you lose a beloved pet, you have lost a member of your family. There are many options for disposing of the body of your pet. These options include cremation, pet cemeteries, rendering or burying your beautiful animal at home. If you want to know how to bury a pet at home continue reading.

Things You'll Need

• Heavy Duty Plastic Bag
• Wood/Metal Box

Instructions

1. 

   CHECK THE LEGALITY OF HOME PET BURIAL - You will need to begin by calling your city and checking that home pet burial is legal. If it is legal, continue to the next step.

   If it is not legal, you have several options. You may consider getting your pet cremated and burying the ashes, putting up a pet burial marker, having a service and planting a special plant or garden in memory of your pet. You may also consider getting your pet buried at an official pet cemetery.

2. 

   ENCASE THE BODY - Before burying your pet, it is important to put his/her body in a heavy duty plastic bag and then a wood/metal box, coffin or receptacle.

   You may consider buying a special container for your pet's body or making one yourself. Consider carving or inscribing it with your pet's name and date of birth/death.

3. 

   BURY YOUR PET - You will need to bury your pet at least three feet deep so that other animals will not disturb the area.

   Consider choosing a special place to bury your pet or planting a special plant next to them to remember them by. You may also want to place a pet burial marker or gravestone next to the burial place.

4. 

   HAVE A MEMORIAL SERVICE - When burying your pet it is important to say a final goodbye. He/she has made an impact on you and your families' life and having each family member say a few words or recite a poem can be extremely cathartic.

Tips & Warnings

• Use this as an opportunity to talk to your family about mortality, use this experience to teach children how to mourn as healthy as possible and how to keep someone's memory alive.