Caring for the remains of your pet after death is likely the furthest thing from your mind while you are handling your grief. The sorrow and shock felt by the loss of a pet is difficult enough to bear without the burden of making difficult decisions. Yet, following the death of your pet, you must make a few key decisions straight away with regards to the after care of your pet. The term "after care" refers to the manner in which your pet's remains are handled.
While a difficult subject, it is nonetheless a requirement. If your pet passes while at the veterinarian's office, the vet may be willing to hold on to the body for a day or two, allowing you some time to make your decision. However, in other cases, there is no way to properly store the remains thus requiring a decision be made immediately. After you have handled your pet's remains, you may also want to hold a small memorial service to say your last goodbyes.
One of the most commons after care options is pet cremation.
Pet cremation is the incineration of your pet's body in a small furnace specifically designed for the pet cremation. The size of the furnace reduces the remains to a small pile of ashes and bone fragments. Many veterinarian offices maintain professional relationships with local crematories and can aid you in making these arrangements.
A private cremation returns your pet's ashes to you when all is said and done. You can be present in some cases to view the cremation which, for some, offers peace of mind that the pet is cremated alone and not with a handful of other pets. The cost of the pet cremation varies based on the size of the animal.
You can choose from a selection of urns, figurines, or ornamental boxes in which the remains can be returned to you. After the pet cremation, you can select a variety of beautiful mementos with which to memorialize your family friend. You can have some of the remains infused in a glass charm or piece of artwork, making it personal memento.Personalized markers can be used to mark a deceased pet's favorite area in the yard or a special saying to which they responded positively. A memorial stone can be used to mark a grave or serve as a memento of a lost pet. They are a particularly nice way to memorialize a pet for which burial was not feasible.
