Question for those that have had pets pass...

What did you do with the body or ashes? The reason I'm asking is I
have a dog that's terminally ill and I want to prepare ahead of time so
that I have a plan. She's still hanging on (and doing ok), but the vet
expected her to pass months ago. I'm thinking about putting her in
our back yard, but if we sell the house, she'll be left behind. I'm
also thinking about sprinkling her ashes on her favorite beach, but
that's a place she only went a few times over the last few years - not
really representative of her life, if you know what I mean. How did
you make the decision of what to do with the body?
TIA for any help,
-L.

"-L." wrote in message
ups.com...
What did you do with the body or ashes? The reason I'm asking is I
have a dog that's terminally ill and I want to prepare ahead of time so
that I have a plan. She's still hanging on (and doing ok), but the vet
expected her to pass months ago. I'm thinking about putting her in
our back yard, but if we sell the house, she'll be left behind. I'm
also thinking about sprinkling her ashes on her favorite beach, but
that's a place she only went a few times over the last few years - not
really representative of her life, if you know what I mean. How did
you make the decision of what to do with the body?
TIA for any help,
-L.


When Dash was PTS, we had her cremated and kept her ashes. I kept them in
our house for a while, and then next time I went back home to MD, took them
with me and we buried her outside what used to be my bedroom window. That
was where she sat every morning and chirped at the birds.
We live in a condo, so I was kind of forced into cremation since I have no
yard to bury her in, but I think I would have done the same thing.

--
-Kelly
kelly at farringtons dot net
"Wake up, and smell the cat food" -TMBG

"-L." wrote in message
ups.com...
What did you do with the body or ashes? ... How did
you make the decision of what to do with the body?
TIA for any help,
-L.
We were in a rental house when Mac died. We had him cremated and bought a
concrete lawn ornament of a little tiger. (Mac was a tabby.) My husband
bought a special drill bit and drilled a hole in the bottom of the lawn
ornament and filled it with Mac's ashes.
We took him with us when we moved to our new home.
Annie

On Fri, 07 Jan 2005 16:45:28 -0800, -L. wrote:

What did you do with the body or ashes? The reason I'm asking is I
have a dog that's terminally ill and I want to prepare ahead of time so
that I have a plan. She's still hanging on (and doing ok), but the vet
expected her to pass months ago. I'm thinking about putting her in
our back yard, but if we sell the house, she'll be left behind. I'm
also thinking about sprinkling her ashes on her favorite beach, but
that's a place she only went a few times over the last few years - not
really representative of her life, if you know what I mean. How did
you make the decision of what to do with the body?
TIA for any help,
-L.


FYI When my Siamese (RB 16) died, I had her cremated. I kept her ashes
in a lovely urn on my dresser for five years. I eventually decided to
bury her ashes in the yard and plant a small spruce tree in that spot.
Whenever I go out and see the tree, I think of her. MLB

"-L." wrote in message
ups.com...
What did you do with the body or ashes? The reason I'm asking is I
have a dog that's terminally ill and I want to prepare ahead of time so
that I have a plan. She's still hanging on (and doing ok), but the vet
expected her to pass months ago. I'm thinking about putting her in
our back yard, but if we sell the house, she'll be left behind. I'm
also thinking about sprinkling her ashes on her favorite beach, but
that's a place she only went a few times over the last few years - not
really representative of her life, if you know what I mean. How did
you make the decision of what to do with the body?
TIA for any help,
-L.

I was *going* to bury the body of my first cat, Sabina, in the perennial
garden. But stones & rocks always work their way up in the soil here, due
to freezes & thaws each winter, so... I decided that I didn't want to deal
with the possibility of finding her bones in the top several inches of soil
some day, while working in the garden, after they worked their way up
through the soil. Instead, I had her cremated, & later buried her ashes
underneath a brick walkway that's in the backyard, next to the garden (&
near the screened porch where she spent quite a lot of time), when I laid
the walk.

My second cat, Debbie, was also cremated. But her ashes are still in the
container they came back in, in a secretary in my living room. Whenever I
open that desk's lid, I say "Hi" to her. ;-) It's been over 3 years since
she died, & I have no plans to bury her ashes, scatter them, or whatever. I
think they'll just remain in the house.

The whole thing's a very individual choice.

Cathy

"-L." wrote in message
ups.com...
What did you do with the body or ashes? The reason I'm asking is I
have a dog that's terminally ill and I want to prepare ahead of time so
that I have a plan. She's still hanging on (and doing ok), but the vet
expected her to pass months ago. I'm thinking about putting her in
our back yard, but if we sell the house, she'll be left behind. I'm
also thinking about sprinkling her ashes on her favorite beach, but
that's a place she only went a few times over the last few years - not
really representative of her life, if you know what I mean. How did
you make the decision of what to do with the body?
TIA for any help,
-L.

***L,

I went through what your going through just recently when Blue passed away
Nov.20th-04. I have a huge backyard and Blue always loved* being outside in
the backyard. However, I couldn't imagine for some reason (I guess becuase
he was litterally like my beloved baby child) buring him in the backyard and
having his body outside in the cold, dark ground. It somehow seemed so
impersoral to me. Also, like you, I thought if I sold my house then he would
still be in the backyard and not with me.. So, I had him cremated and put in
a beautiful blue urn, which I now placed in my china hutch. This was the
only pet that I've done this with. But there was none like Blue, ever. It
gives me some comfort to know that his remains are with me, inside, where
Blue was and stayed mostly.

I'd call your vet tomorrow and ask if they cremate, and find out the
details which is what I did about 2 weeks before Blue passed on. If they
don't they can recommend a vet who does.

ML

Slimpickins wrote:
"-L." wrote in message
ups.com...
What did you do with the body or ashes? The reason I'm asking is I
have a dog that's terminally ill and I want to prepare ahead of
time so
that I have a plan. She's still hanging on (and doing ok), but the
vet
expected her to pass months ago. I'm thinking about putting her
in
our back yard, but if we sell the house, she'll be left behind.
I'm
also thinking about sprinkling her ashes on her favorite beach, but
that's a place she only went a few times over the last few years -
not
really representative of her life, if you know what I mean. How
did
you make the decision of what to do with the body?
TIA for any help,
-L.

***L,

I went through what your going through just recently when Blue passed
away
Nov.20th-04. I have a huge backyard and Blue always loved* being
outside in
the backyard. However, I couldn't imagine for some reason (I guess
becuase
he was litterally like my beloved baby child) buring him in the
backyard and
having his body outside in the cold, dark ground. It somehow seemed
so
impersoral to me. Also, like you, I thought if I sold my house then
he would
still be in the backyard and not with me.. So, I had him cremated and
put in
a beautiful blue urn, which I now placed in my china hutch. This was
the
only pet that I've done this with. But there was none like Blue,
ever. It
gives me some comfort to know that his remains are with me, inside,
where
Blue was and stayed mostly.

I'd call your vet tomorrow and ask if they cremate, and find out the
details which is what I did about 2 weeks before Blue passed on. If
they
don't they can recommend a vet who does.

ML


Thanks to everyone for your responses. I have thought about keeping
her ashes in a little keepsake box with a frame on top - the kind they
make to store photos. But then a part of me wants some sort of closure
- some final resting spot for her. I'm afraid if I keep her ashes
around the house, they will only bring me sorrow. When we lost my
snake Delilah last year, we took her out to a state park and buried her
in a place she would have loved to live. Now I can go there for
picnics and find happiness there - seeing her in the wildflowers, etc.
I hate to think about this stuff so much, but I have to have a *plan*
because I will be a mess when the time comes. I'm going through a lot
of anticipatory grief. Luckily we have vets that do home euths and a
mobile cremation service that will pick up from your house as well. I
will definitely have her cremated, but not sure how to make the
decision on what to do next. I appreciate the input.

-L.

In article . com,
"-L." wrote:

- What did you do with the body or ashes? The reason I'm asking is I
- have a dog that's terminally ill and I want to prepare ahead of time so
- that I have a plan. She's still hanging on (and doing ok), but the vet
- expected her to pass months ago. I'm thinking about putting her in
- our back yard, but if we sell the house, she'll be left behind. I'm
- also thinking about sprinkling her ashes on her favorite beach, but
- that's a place she only went a few times over the last few years - not
- really representative of her life, if you know what I mean. How did
- you make the decision of what to do with the body?
- TIA for any help,
- -L.


I've had three cats die in the past few years. I had all of them
cremated. Their ashes are in "urns" on my fireplace mantel. When
it's my turn, I want them (and any other pets that have passed
between now and then) buried with me in my coffin.
--
8^)~~~ Sue (remove the x to e-mail)
~~~~~~
"I reserve the absolute right to be smarter
today than I was yesterday." -Adlai Stevenson

http://www.suzanne-eckhardt.com/
***Revelation 22:12*** ICQ: 349878998
http://www.intergnat.com/malebashing/

"-L." wrote in message
ups.com...
What did you do with the body or ashes? The reason I'm asking is I
have a dog that's terminally ill and I want to prepare ahead of time so
that I have a plan. She's still hanging on (and doing ok), but the vet
expected her to pass months ago. I'm thinking about putting her in
our back yard, but if we sell the house, she'll be left behind. I'm
also thinking about sprinkling her ashes on her favorite beach, but
that's a place she only went a few times over the last few years - not
really representative of her life, if you know what I mean. How did
you make the decision of what to do with the body?
TIA for any help,
-L.


With each of mine, I buried them in the back yard (even though that meant
leaving the burial place behind when I moved). I marked the location by
planting a tree beside it. I always looked at the tree planting as a
symbolic act (the continuation of life), and the tree also served as a
reference point. In the future, I may order a small stone with my pet's
name on it.

MaryL

"-L." wrote in message
oups.com...
: Thanks to everyone for your responses. I have thought about keeping
: her ashes in a little keepsake box with a frame on top - the kind they
: make to store photos. But then a part of me wants some sort of
closure
: - some final resting spot for her. I'm afraid if I keep her ashes
: around the house, they will only bring me sorrow. When we lost my
: snake Delilah last year, we took her out to a state park and buried
her
: in a place she would have loved to live. Now I can go there for
: picnics and find happiness there - seeing her in the wildflowers, etc.
: I hate to think about this stuff so much, but I have to have a *plan*
: because I will be a mess when the time comes. I'm going through a lot
: of anticipatory grief. Luckily we have vets that do home euths and a
: mobile cremation service that will pick up from your house as well. I
: will definitely have her cremated, but not sure how to make the
: decision on what to do next. I appreciate the input.
:
: -L.
:

I found a lovely woman online who makes glass beads and she will
incorporate your cats ashes into a bead. A friend of mine just had this
done for 4 cats she's had euthanized over the years... and she loves the
bead. The picture of the bead she had made for her is the blue heart at
this page.... the bubble on the front of the beads holds the ashes.
http://snipurl.com/buz9

At $40 a bead, which includes a 16 or 18 inch Sterling Silver snake
chain that comes with it, I think this is a very reasonable price to
memoralize your pets. You get to choose the colors of glass and the
shape of the glass - either a heart or an oval, or a custom vessel. The
wonderful woman who makes these beads gives all proceeds to her local
*no kill only* shelter (CAPP) and you can read her artists statement at
this link... http://snipurl.com/9ma5

--
Linda