# What do you do with your pets remains after they cross the bridge?



## Dennq (Jun 21, 2010)

I know this sounds kinda morbid but after loosing my GSD Nitro this past summer I have wondered if I really did the right thing by not bringing his ashes home.
Myself and my parents never ever brought home ashes or the body home for burial.

My reason was that if I ever wanted to move I would have just about sick to leave their remains behind.
So our Vet has a crematorium on site and he says that the ashes are taken out to the back of his very large property and scattered.
So take a poll. What do you do with your pet after they have crossed the bridge.


----------



## wolfstraum (May 2, 2003)

Cremated, in an urn and in my bookcase....

Lee


----------



## MrsWoodcock (Oct 21, 2010)

ive yet to be in that situation. (not since my pug died from cancer when i was like 9 yr's old and i dont remember what was done)

But i know for a fact ill be cremating them and putting their ashes in an URN. My husband thinks im weird for that.... maybe i am lol but whatever<3


----------



## Lin (Jul 3, 2007)

I wanted to have Logans remains cremated, but he passed suddenly and I didn't have the money. He died with me at work. I teach riding lessons, and the owner of the barn buried him on the property for me.


----------



## Whiteshepherds (Aug 21, 2010)

We own a piece of property that has been in my husband family for generations so our dogs are buried there. My husband digs the graves and has finally made headstones for all of them, including the cat. 

The funny thing is, I was kidding around one day and asked him if he was going to make a headstone for me when I died and he said: "Won't need one. I'm going to have you cremated and throw you in the river!" What's wrong with that picture??


----------



## elisabeth_00117 (May 17, 2009)

Beau is buried on my parents property under her favorite tree. The property has been in our family for many, many years and will remain that way so she will be with us forever.

Stark however, will be cremated and I will either spread his ashes in our favorite hiking spots or keep them with me. Not sure yet.


----------



## Dennq (Jun 21, 2010)

And I forgot to add that I lived next to my parents for 16 years and they lived in their home for 40 years so I basically have 35 years invested in between the two homes.
I did move after loosing both my folks a year apart. Just way too many memories there. 

I am soo glad I didn't have to leave my pets there.
That may have prevented me from moving and regaining some of my sanity.


----------



## selzer (May 7, 2005)

I believe that dogs have a spirit. And when they go, that spirit passes to what lies beyond. The shell is only a shell, you can see that the spirit is gone from them when you look in the eyes. it is sad. 

I made the decision that my house would be full of ashes if I kept every dog that I had that passes. So I decided to let the crematory keep the ashes from my first critter onward. I have a nice little memorial for each of them on my mantle piece.


----------



## Zarr (Feb 28, 2010)

I lost my girl 11 months and 2 weeks ago today. I still have her ashes in my living room. I know her spirit is not in that box, her spirit went free that day I said goodbye to her, so I do not hold onto them to be close to her, it's just.....I have never had the urge to scatter them anywhere...I just keep them. Oneday the time will come I guess, my point is, do what feels right for you, there is no right or wrong. Precious and special memories for me, are the most important keepsake, and they are in my heart and soul, always with me, her ashes will remain with me also, for now.


----------



## kelso (Jan 22, 2007)

Meeka is buried on our property.

I always think how hard it is going to be to move from our house, leaving her here. Her spirit will always be with us, though.


----------



## vat (Jul 23, 2010)

I answered ashes in the home. However I only have done that with one dog. Rio had to be PTS at 14 months and he was a very special pup. He sits on a shelf along with his paw print. Our Kaycee we did not bring home. I can not say what my choice will be with my current dogs until that time comes.


----------



## FG167 (Sep 22, 2010)

I haven't had to do this yet for my own dogs. But, I like the idea of THIS and I also like THIS idea...


----------



## Good_Karma (Jun 28, 2009)

We had kept meaning to bury the box of ashes from our cat Eve, but have not been able to part with them yet. So she sits on a bookshelf. I don't know what we'll do the next time. Now that we own land, we will probably consider burial.


----------



## JakodaCD OA (May 14, 2000)

I have mine on my fireplace mantle all under pics of each of them,,when I go they will go with me


----------



## koda00 (Apr 27, 2009)

Max, Kitty, Koda... i brought them all back home when they passed. They are all buried in my backyard all next to each other. Ive been at my home for 21yrs.


----------



## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

Clover was cremated and her ashes are in a box on a shelf in my bedroom. There is a nice pic of her on the box. 
Stomper was buried on my BIL's property(I should have had him cremated, too- he died at home suddenly of bloat, it wrecked me. 
I didn't vote in the poll.


----------



## Emoore (Oct 9, 2002)

We have Cash's ashes in an urn. This summer when we go to the lakehouse we're going to scatter them on an island that was his favorite place in the world.


----------



## Stosh (Jun 26, 2010)

I hadn't really planned to pick up Omy's ashes but my vet assumed I would want them. When they called and said they were ready to be picked up I just couldn't do it, so my best friend went and got the urn for me [my husband was out of town- seems he always is when bad things happen]. Now I'm glad I have them. The urn is on a hunt table behind the sofa with a picture of her and Joe, my two best friends.


----------



## Wolfiesmom (Apr 10, 2010)

When Chief died, I was away on vacation. I left him in the care of my 19 year old son. One morning, my son played with him as usual, then put him outside while he went in to take a shower. When he came out of the shower, he saw that Chief had died outside. He called us, and asked me what to do. I told him to take him to the vet. I have to laugh now, when I think of what my son said to me next. He said " Mom, I don't think the vet can help Chief anymore" I had to explain to him that the vet will take care of Chief's body. My son asked if he could bury Chief in the yard instead. I told him yes. He called back 10 minutes later, said he just couldn't do it, and took Chief to the vet ( the vet is right across the street from us). He asked if we wanted the ashes, but I said no. My son was traumatized enough by the whole thing, and I didn't want to make him go get the ashes. Chief will always be with me in spirit.


----------



## DJEtzel (Feb 11, 2010)

We brought my beagle's body home and buried her in my parent's yard, put up a fence, and made (or are going to make when the ground thaws) a garden on top of it. We have always brought all of our animals home; my parents are not ever going to move, so we're not worried about that.


----------



## krystyne73 (Oct 13, 2010)

My 2 dogs, Aussie and GSD that were mine as a kid, have passed away of old age at my parents house. They had them cremated and keep the ashes at home(though there has been some dispute over whose dogs they were. LOL)

None of my current pets have passed away yet. But I did call the crematory to check how much it would be for my Great Dane. The lady said "Oh I am sorry for your loss" and I said "he isn't dead yet but I am just planning ahead" LOL

Max is 9 years old and I am trying to mentally prepare for his passing.


----------



## Castlemaid (Jun 29, 2006)

William, my spaniel mix, is buried on my property (five acres). I felt that bringing him home one last time and burying him myself was good closure for me (It turned out to be good for the cats too, to see him laid to rest - they sniffed him over, and one of my cats sat with me while I dug the grave - very unusual behaviour - and the next day saw the same cat just sitting and looking at the mound of dirt - again, it was strange behaviour, but I think this cat was mourning the passing of William also). I wondered how I would deal with moving, but it has been a few years now, and I'm okay with it. It was his time, he was released to move on, and he freed himself from his eartly body, and so have I released his soul to move on. His remains are inconsequential, his soul lives on in my heart. 

I'm not sure what I will do with Keeta and Gryff yet - not sure I'll want to bury them on the property, because as I get older, and as time moves on, I may move too sometime in the future, and there may not have been enough time between burying them and me moving to find that closure - but we'll see. 

I used to think that keeping ashes at home to be somewhat morbid, but after being in people's homes who would tell me about their past dogs, and show me the pretty carved boxes or engraved urns, my reaction was: "Oh, how neat!", so that is what I might do too.


----------



## Smithie86 (Jan 9, 2001)

Drigon and Baer were cremated and are in the house.


----------



## Lilie (Feb 3, 2010)

We have a special place on our property, under a big oak tree...that we bury our pets. I have three horses out here that are buried in different places out in the pasture. I want to make sure I never make the mistake of attempting to bury one where someone else is buried.


----------



## Catu (Sep 6, 2007)

I put bury on the property because that is what i've done in the past with other pets (no dogs) and wouldn't have a problem with doing it again, even if I move. In Diabla's case I'd prefer to cremate her if possible, I really don't know if there is a place to cremate pets on Valdivia nor how expensive it is, and throw her on the river, because to swim is her favorite activity in the world.


----------



## 1sttimeforgsd (Jul 29, 2010)

We have owned our property for 45 years, all family pets that have passed on are buried on our property. :angel:


----------



## ChancetheGSD (Dec 19, 2007)

All my animals have been buried. HOWEVER, I've yet to loose a "large" pet (ie. dog) and when my dogs do pass, they will be cremated and I will take the ashes home. I couldn't imagine anything else. I wouldn't even be able to bury my dogs since I'd eventually have to leave them if I ever moved. It would be very hard for me to do. Maybe I'm crazy but honestly I kept a pet RAT in the freezer for 2 months until the ground was thawed enough to bury him because I couldn't stand the idea of throwing him in the trash and couldn't afford to cremate him. So it's pretty obvious I wouldn't do any less for my dogs.

I have joked with my brother that I'm going to have Zoey stuffed and have wheels put into her feet so we can "walk" her. LOL!!! We're both Scrubs fans btw, for those who don't know, 2 of the characters own a stuffed Labrador named Rowdy and they do stupid stuff with him.


----------



## Dogaroo (Mar 4, 2003)

Gunnar and Kaija are planted behind my house, near the woods they loved. As for Emma.... Well, I'll just copy & paste what I wrote after she died, by way of explanation....
---
*Why I opted out of private cremation for Emma
* 
Emma had two favourite activities, things she loved to do that would send her into a state of pure ecstasy: Digging (DEEP holes!!), and rolling in stinky stuff (the more malodorous, the longer dead, the better). It was always a battle to keep dead and rotting things away from her. She often caught mice and moles in the yard and would hide them away to roll in after they had properly aged. I tried to confiscate such doggy contraband before she could hide it, but I wasn't always successful.

At one point I managed to keep dead vermin and rotten garbage away from Emma for over two weeks, then went into the living room one afternoon to find her balanced on the back of her neck, all four feet and her whole back half in the air, wriggling and writhing and gyrating like a break dancer. Upon closer inspection, I discovered that she had found a dead fly. Apparently after two long weeks of abstaining from rolling in stinky stuff, that dead fly smelled awfully good to her. She wasn't about to let a perfectly good dead fly go to waste!

On one of her more productive days Emma dug a tunnel under the fence, escaped from the yard, and found a deer carcass that was in an advanced stage of putrefaction. Of course she couldn't pass up an opportunity to roll in something so lusciously necrotic. When she returned, she was covered in coagulated blood and bits of rotting flesh. She had a huge doggy grin on her face and was panting heavily-- right in my face. That's when I realized that Emma, not content to merely roll in the carcass, had EATEN a bit of this delectable treat. Bathing her was one of the hardest things I've ever done. I have a very strong stomach, but I puked at least three times before Emma was clean again.

If private arrangements aren't made for euthanized pets, their cremated remains usually end up in a landfill along with the remains of discarded animals from area shelters. A landfill.... How perfect for Emma! That would be her idea of paradise: Acres and acres of stinky stuff to dig up and roll in. What better place to send her remains??

I did keep Emma's collar and a clipping of her long tail hair, as well as nine years' worth of photos and memories of her.


----------



## EchoGSD (Mar 12, 2010)

My Shiloh was cremated with the intention at the time being to bury in her garden spot in the yard. It took several weeks to find the right treasure box to put her ashes in (my hubby actually ended up making one for her- complete with photo insert on the inside and a brass name plate on the outside). Once I put her in the treasure box, I still couldn't bring myself to bury her. She now rests on the bottom shelf of my bookcase, next to my bed, where she slept every night before she crossed.


----------



## CainGSD (Nov 15, 2003)

I have all of my previous Shar Pei kids ashes here with me. I also have my Cain boy with me and all of them will go with me wherever I go. When it is my time, I plan to have all of our ashes together and buried in the family plot in New Hampshire. I know there could be issues with animal remains being buried with people so we will all just be a together and what others don't know won't hurt them


----------



## lhczth (Apr 5, 2000)

Most are buried here on the farm, but Treue was cremated and sits on top of my desk.


----------



## Syaoransbear (Sep 25, 2008)

ChancetheGSD said:


> I have joked with my brother that I'm going to have Zoey stuffed and have wheels put into her feet so we can "walk" her. LOL!!! We're both Scrubs fans btw, for those who don't know, 2 of the characters own a stuffed Labrador named Rowdy and they do stupid stuff with him.


I love scrubs! Every time there's an episode with Rowdy I seriously contemplate getting Chrono stuffed when he passes away. Rowdy is just so cute :wub:!

So far, the only pets of mine that have died(that weren't fish) have been birds, and I've had them all cremated and put in an urn.


----------



## pache11 (Dec 20, 2010)

I bury them and then plant a tree. Even if I move I can go back and visit. It has been a lasting tribute to my friends.


----------



## Anja1Blue (Feb 27, 2008)

It is illegal to bury animals on your property within the City limits. Plus, if we move, I want them to go with us. So they are cremated and in urns.
____________________________________________
Susan

Anja SchH3 GSD
Conor GSD
Blue BH WH T1 GSD - waiting at the Bridge :angel:


----------



## beaderdog (Dec 23, 2010)

I always bring home the ashes. What happens then varies. Some are or will be buried in the perenial garden. Heathcliff (my heart beagle & soulmate) will be buried with me when I go.


----------



## Chowgal (Dec 21, 2009)

My first chow and my first pomeranian are the only 2 dogs I've lost in my lifetime, so far, and they were both buried at our old house, and it killed me to leave that house with them buried there. But that wasn't my choice, my parents made those choices. I KNOW when Tippsy, passes, I'm having her cremated and bringing her ashes home and I'll probably do the same with Jasper and Dixie. And I'll probably do it with ONE of my cats, Lyric.


----------



## ChancetheGSD (Dec 19, 2007)

Syaoransbear said:


> I love scrubs! Every time there's an episode with Rowdy I seriously contemplate getting Chrono stuffed when he passes away. Rowdy is just so cute :wub:!


He can guard your shoes!!


----------



## JayB1127 (Feb 11, 2011)

I have and will always bury them and plant a willow tree on top of them. As said earlier, I can always go back and visit them. When I lost my first dog, a golden retreiver, my when my dad buried him he planted a tree. I was very little bout 8 and while crying and asking questions, "why plant a tree, and why this tree a willow" And he said. The tree is a memorial to him, and the branches of the willow are there to give protection to him when he visits from heaven." Its just an age old family tradition. 

Also....Ive heard to many stories of when you get your dog cremated, you dont get "their" ashes back that they all get mixed. I dont know if this is true, I assume if it is, there are quality places that do it right and with dignity, but the thought leaves a bad taste in my mouth.


----------



## frillint1 (Sep 2, 2010)

I have yet to do this, but since my dog is 15 I have to start thinking about it. I will have him cremated and put in a special urn. I have looked them up online and found a very very sweet one that I think will be prefect and say everything I want to say. I will also keep a lock of his fur and have a clay paw print made. How much is cremation?


----------



## Chicagocanine (Aug 7, 2008)

For my two previous dogs, I have their ashes but I have not decided yet what to do with them... The boxes and their collars are in my living room right now.

I was thinking about getting one of these double memorial boxes for them with a picture of the dogs painted on it:
Double Pet Memorial Box Oak by hrt2hand on Etsy


----------



## Jessiewessie99 (Mar 6, 2009)

Max & Simba are buried in our backyard. I wish I could have cremated them because I was so close to them.


----------



## WarrantsWifey (Dec 18, 2010)

I haven't lost a dog yet. However we lost two cats. Buddy the vets dealt with his remains. We were too upset to really decide at the time. When we lost Binx, I knew I wanted his remains, to bury him in the property where he loved to spend all his time, however. I can't find myself to do it. Having his remains in this house, helps me, when I miss him. I have his collar ontop of the urn so I'll always have a piece of him with me....


----------



## Pattycakes (Sep 8, 2010)

I have Alexi's (GSD) ashes in an urn in my family room. And I will do the same when its Uschi's time as well. 

I'm not sure what my plans are for Alexi's ashes. She loved to play in the water no matter where it was. I have thought of taking her ashes to the last place my boyfriend and I took her before she wasn't able to travel anymore (she had DM). We had taken her with us to visit my boyfriend's family in Oregon. She loved it there. She got to run and play in Lake Wallowa and that is where I would spread her ashes if I decided to do that. Until I decide...she is with me at home.


----------



## Heagler870 (Jun 27, 2009)

selzer said:


> I believe that dogs have a spirit. And when they go, that spirit passes to what lies beyond. The shell is only a shell, you can see that the spirit is gone from them when you look in the eyes. it is sad.
> .


So true and I believe the same thing. When I was walking my first dog Marshall and he had a heart attack and passed on the look in his eyes right after he passed gave me utter disgust in my stomach. There was nothing there. 


Burying seems like the most logical answer to me. I love and have loved all my dogs like they are like my children but I could not keep their ashes. To me there is no reason to keep something that is just ash/dust/dirt. I can remember the memories without a constant reminder in a jar that that was my once living breathing dog.


----------



## hattifattener (Oct 7, 2011)

i have buried two GSDs on my property already... my best friends.

i guess,i will have a nice animal graveyard some years later...


----------



## Stella's Mom (Mar 8, 2011)

Rio passed last December. I took one of her younger pictures from her prime and had it framed in an 8x10 and put it on top of her ashes in my living room.


----------



## peturns (Mar 27, 2012)

I have only one GSD and my daughter loves him very much... we do not want to loose him...


----------



## mjbgsd (Jun 29, 2004)

On April 16th 2012 I put my sweet baby boy down, he would have been 9 on April 21....I still cry everyday.. He was my first dog, my soul dog, my heart.. I miss him so much.  I had him cremated in a private burial and he's on our mantel with his collar around it. I also had a neckless done with his ashes placed inside it and his name on it. 

All of my dogs will be cremated so they're with me forever.


----------



## sashadog (Sep 2, 2011)

I haven't been in this position with my dogs yet but when my cat died, we donated his body to our local teaching hospital. We took a little imprint of his paw to keep and have many years of pictures and memories but once their spirit is gone, I'd rather their body go to help others. I'll probably do the same with my dogs. Plus I would hate to bury them and then move


----------



## Meeko'smom (Apr 20, 2012)

My sweet Meeko was only 18 weeks old and died last Friday. She was creamated and her ashes spread on a mountain valley near our farm.


----------



## Anitsisqua (Mar 25, 2012)

We buried him in a nice shady spot between three trees in the pasture.


----------



## Pepper311 (Sep 11, 2011)

With small pets they are put in our pet grave yard on our property. When I lost my pepper she was too big to take home. I really wanted to but I ended leaving her at the vets. I did not take her home. 

But I will Never for get her and I kept her collar and tags. I put a few of her best photos in a frame as a little Memorial.


----------



## TimberGSD2 (Nov 8, 2011)

My cats have been buried on our property, my childhood dog, and horse as well. TJ was cremated and is on my dresser in his box with his collar and leash wrapped around it. I had thoughts of spreading his ashes but have not been able to let him go yet. Most likely he will be buried with me when I go.


----------



## marksteven (Aug 2, 2008)

My first, Buck is in a container on the fireplace Mantle. I did pay extra for the Place to cremate him individaully. I would have buried him in my fenced yard but the ground was frozen at the time. I try not to think about what i will do in the future.


----------



## Geeheim (Jun 18, 2011)

All my pets (horses, cats, dogs, etc) are buried on my farm when they pass. I place stones on their resting places and also plant flowers around them. It's tough for me to bury them and say goodbye. Lots of tears are shed.


----------



## Bear GSD (Apr 12, 2012)

I lost my first German Shepherd, Elsa last year and after we had her cremated I put her ashes in a special box with her collar and a few of her special toys. I have her box in an armoire in my bedroom where she slept every night and every night before I go to bed I always say goodnight to her.


----------



## dogfaeries (Feb 22, 2010)

I've lost 4 dogs in the last 3 years, and I've struggled with the whole keeping their ashes thing. I already have my siamese kitty's ashes, and my mother's ashes, that I don't know what to do with. I have to draw the line somewhere, so no more ashes here for me.


----------



## mycobraracr (Dec 4, 2011)

The ones that were put down never came home. The ones that went at home, were buried at home.


----------



## Fade2Black (Apr 30, 2012)

I have the ashes of my last German Shepherd "Genesis" in a nice cedar wood urne. I also kept his choker collar, puppy tooth his papers and other things. When I die I want his ashes and the ashes of my current GSD Kaos and any other GSD I might get buried with me. I thought about burying him under a tree in my back yard. But couldn't stand the thought of him being there if I ever sold the house. A previous GSD Baron I had that died I still feel really bad not getting his ashes......

I even called up the place doing the cremation and wanted to be assured I was getting all Genesis ashes and not someone else. They told me a metal tag is placed with the dog to identify him and that I could watch. I didn't watch but just wanted to make sure.....


----------



## EchoGSD (Mar 12, 2010)

Cremated, in a treasure box on the bottom shelf of the bookcase near my bed. Her sleeping spot was on the rug beside my bed; this was as close as I could get.


----------



## idahospud49 (Jan 28, 2011)

Shana was buried at the house I lived in at the time. Amadeus is buried in the back pasture at my dad's house. I believe that their spirit, the essence of who they are, leaves when they are. Their body becomes just their body and so I can accept leaving it if and when I move.


----------



## dustymedic (May 31, 2012)

We have not kept the remains of any of our dogs. A tombstone somewhere, or an urn is not a good reminder to us. We have numerous pictures of all of them, and there are framed pictures of all of them in the den. We kept their collars with their last tags on them....


----------



## Gharrissc (May 19, 2012)

I bury my pets on my property in a separate garden. I also keep plenty of pictures as well as their collars.It helps me to think about the good memories.


----------



## Shade (Feb 20, 2012)

Alex is buried on my parents farm, they have a section just inside a group of pine trees that we use to bury our pets

If I didn't have that option I would cremate them and either keep the urn and scatter the ashes somewhere special


----------



## GregK (Sep 4, 2006)

I have several urns.


----------



## Midnight12 (Jan 6, 2012)

I planted a rose bush with my girls ashes, if I move I wil dig up bush and take it with me, think all the bonemeal will make it pretty just did this a couple of months ago. we spent alot of time in the garden together


----------



## WendyDsMom (Nov 18, 2011)

I cannot handle the emotional baggage of saving the remains. I have them cremated and the Vet center that does it has a memorial park where they spread the ashes. Nice, flat green grassy field surrounded by shade trees with benches under them for the parents to come and visit.

I have gone to visit Kayla once - still cried..... I am due again. I go there - cry, come home, and am back to normal. If her remains were to be around, I would cry all the time. I hate that she had to go, but I am grateful for having her company for as long as I did.


----------



## pyratemom (Jan 10, 2011)

I've lived in the same house for 35 years and we have a pet cemetary under the palm trees in the yard. We don't put permanent markers on the graves but always temporary ones at first then we plant a plant. Right now Pyrate's ashes are under my bed next to my chair on my side of the bed so he is close to me. I haven't gotten to the point where I can put him in the ground yet. I also keep their collars and last tags.


----------



## GregK (Sep 4, 2006)

pyratemom said:


> I also keep their collars and last tags.


Same here.


----------

