For all dog owners, over the years their pet becomes a full-fledged member of the family. However, unfortunately, sooner or later all owners have to deal with such a difficult event as the death of their pet. The big problem becomes the question of how to bury the dog. Many owners already understand at the moment of purchasing a puppy that the time will come when they will have to say goodbye to their beloved animal, because dogs live much shorter lives than people. Not everyone knows how to properly bury a dog, especially when the pet’s death occurs unexpectedly.
How long does a dog live?
The lifespan of each animal is a rather individual indicator. This is directly related to the breed, size, hereditary predisposition, health and quality of maintenance. Some puppies never become adult dogs, but die due to various diseases. Pets can also die at a fairly young age due to an accident or injury.
Depending on the breed and other characteristics, dogs that live a full life and die of old age can live from 6 to 20 years. It has been noted that the life expectancy of large purebred dogs, as a rule, is no more than 6-8 years. Smaller yard dogs can live much longer.
On average, dogs live about 13-16 years and already at 8 years of age they begin to show obvious signs of aging. During this period, the pet experiences a deterioration in health, and problems with the digestive tract, teeth, gray hair, and so on appear.
Loving owners can provide their pet with high-quality, proper care so that an elderly dog can live a full life as long as possible, even if it has completely lost teeth and has various diseases or age-related changes in the body. An old dog really needs a balanced diet. He should also feel that he is loved and cared for. However, even the best care cannot prevent the inevitable – the death of a dog.
The death of a pet often comes as a surprise and a severe blow. That is why few owners are able to calmly and calmly make decisions about burying their pet at such a moment. Therefore, many do not even understand where to bury the dog. Out of emotion, they may even ask their friends or relatives to do this for them, but later they may regret that they did not see off their beloved animal on its final journey.
Bury yourself or seek help
Of course, in such a difficult and painful time, it is very important to have someone nearby who is able to remain calm and can provide emotional and physical assistance to the animal breeder. Some pet owners cannot arrange a burial for their pet, so they turn to a person they trust and who knows the ins and outs of how to legally bury a dog. The assistance of people who can guarantee that the burial ceremony will take place in a dignified manner can ease the emotional trauma of the owner and be a good way out of the situation. So, it is rational to ask for help when you are sure that by the time of the burial you will not be able to muster the strength to organize the funeral at the proper level.
It is important to understand for yourself: do you need to know the burial place of your pet or will it be enough for you to understand that this procedure was performed in accordance with all the rules and went well? If you know where your dog is buried, you will be able to go there. However, it is worth considering: is this really necessary? Indeed, for some, the presence of such a place is just additional pain. Driving past it or coming there, you can experience a special bitterness of loss and various difficult memories associated with the loss. Therefore, it is better to think through this moment well in advance and determine for yourself whether you will be able to carry the load of this information in the future. And this is a very important point, since all people have different psychological stability. And if one person returns to normal after a while, then the other will suffer for a long time because of what happened and remember everything in detail.
After the death of a pet, there will be no time to think and make decisions. On the contrary, everything will need to be done quickly and decisively. A very important point: don’t take too long to say goodbye to your animal. If the death occurred due to the dog’s illness or it happened in the summer, then it would be appropriate to make the farewell and burial process as expeditious as possible. This will be the best solution for both the animal and its owner.
Burial of a dog according to legal norms
Many people are interested in: is it possible to bury a pet in the city? According to Russian law, in most large populated areas, burying animals within the city is prohibited and is considered an administrative violation. This may result in a fine. In addition, the grave may be destroyed by other animals or vandals. Burial within the city without consequences or fines is permitted in a few localities. Public figures are trying to solve this problem by ensuring that cities have specially designated areas for the legal burial of pets. However, this situation remains unresolved for now.
How are dogs buried in winter?
For many, this issue is very difficult. It is impossible to answer this unequivocally, since much depends on the area and weather conditions in it. A thick layer of snow is not an option for burying the body of an animal, since after the snow cover melts, the remains will be on the surface, and they can be easily dug up by other animals. Unfortunately, such cases of burial are not uncommon. If it is not possible to bury the dog on your own, then it is better to seek help from a special institution. This will not only preserve the nervous system of the owners, but will also be humane in relation to the animal and nature.
Errors in choosing a burial site
Without much choice, many owners of deceased animals decide to bury their dog in various places. Among them may be:
- City Park. In this case, you need to choose the most remote and deserted place. The land on which the animal is buried does not need to be allocated in any way, much less a tombstone or plaque should be placed. It is best to organize the dog’s burial at night or in the late evening, so as not to attract the attention of others to the procedure and not cause a public outcry. Of course, the problem can be how to deliver the body of a dog, especially a large one, to a city park. It is also important to remember that this is not legal.
- Places where the dog had a good time during its lifetime. This could be a walking area or an area where the owners spent a lot of time with the dog. However, other animals also walk in these places and can dig up the grave of a pet. In this case, it is also impossible to improve the pet’s burial place.
- Forest belt within the city. This option is the most optimal in cases where there is no other way to bury the animal.
Is it possible to organize a burial in such areas? It is difficult to judge the correctness of the choice of such places, since no one has the right to judge another, and it is already difficult for the owner of a dead animal. There is a law that burying animal bodies in public places is prohibited. And there are a number of serious reasons for this:
- If an animal died due to various diseases caused by viruses, then its body, buried in a public place, can cause a massive spread of disease.
- It is very important to preserve the cleanliness of the earth. Although everyone understands that plastic, polyethylene and other garbage from people negatively affect the environment much more than the bodies of dead pets.
- Buried animal remains can cause groundwater contamination.
Most people do not comply with the laws on the burial of animals, because despair pushes them to do so.
Death and funeral of pets
Unfortunately, no one in this world is perfect. All living things are born and die. And if people have hope for eternal life after death, then with animals everything is completely different.
There is no clear opinion among theologians whether our pets will go to the Kingdom of Heaven. Humanity will have to find out this only after the Last Judgment.
And today you can see how beloved pets leave their owners after living for only about ten years. This is the average lifespan of most animals. Often, every person at least once in their life has experienced the loss of a pet, which was an integral member of the family. Children have a particularly difficult time with such events. And parents, trying to somehow relieve the child’s pain, hold a kind of funeral in their garden under a tree or in another place.
On a note! In developed countries of the world, special crematoriums or cemeteries for animals have long existed.
In post-Soviet countries, such crematoria occasionally appear in capitals and densely populated cities. All this is connected, first of all, with the religion and culture of these countries.
Where should you not bury your dog?
Under the influence of emotions, some owners bury their pets in their summer cottage, in the garden or in the courtyard of the house . On the one hand, this is logical, because on your territory no one has the right to prohibit you from burying your dog, but this choice has a significant disadvantage.
Having buried your pet near your home, you will come across the grave every day. In the first few days, no one attaches much importance to this; on the contrary, you can go and sit with a departed pet, but after a month and a year such closeness will become a test. Firstly, you don’t have to constantly remember that you suffered a loss, and secondly, you can visit your pet’s grave, even if it is far away.
There is a reason why people are buried in cemeteries. The human psyche is designed in such a way that an individual can fight pain. However, if the source of pain is always near you, winning is much more difficult. Having buried your pet at the dacha, you will experience a twinge of pain every time you visit . Even years later, this feeling will haunt you, it is similar to the feeling of emptiness, as if you have lost something important just recently.
From the point of view of the church, animals do not have souls, yes, it’s unpleasant, but religious people think so. Animals are food, they don’t die, they die, and it’s not a sin to kill them. We won’t talk about morality, but... don’t bury your pet in a human cemetery, no matter how you feel about the church. Show respect to those buried and their relatives.
Orthodoxy's attitude to animal burial
It is not customary for Orthodox Christians to use crematoria, since the body of the deceased, even an animal, must be given to the earth. Nevertheless, the Church prohibits burying an animal next to a person.
The attitude towards burial in Orthodoxy remains reverent and sacred. After all, this is the stage of a person’s transition from the earthly world to eternal life. People who are far from faith cannot understand the attitude of Christians towards death. For the Orthodox, such an event will be marked by a meeting with God and the Creator.
In the distant past, it was forbidden to bury robbers and murderers in the same cemetery as Christians, not to mention animals. There was no funeral service for suicides at all and they were not allowed to be buried in the cemetery. Even today the Church does not pray for such people.
As for today's customs, there is a clear relaxation and departure from the decrees of the Ecumenical Councils and the Church. Burying an animal near a person remains unacceptable. But there are other points of view. Some people wish to obtain a final earthly resting place near the grave of their pets.
The church allows the burial of animals in a specially designated place, like an animal cemetery. But it would be superfluous to install a cross on the grave of an animal. It is worth understanding that the cross is the victory of life over death, good over evil. An animal cannot have eternal life, and it did not sin, but was forced to follow man and suffer for his sins.
Important! Even though animals have souls, there is no point in praying for their peace. After all, the animal dies along with the body and does not inherit eternal life. One can only thank God that he sent earthly consolation in the form of such a sweet creature.
Source
Signs at the cemetery - what you can do
There are many superstitions associated with this place. All rules of conduct must be followed. You cannot come empty-handed - bring sweets, bread and other treats, leave them at the grave.
Alcohol at a funeral
It is prohibited to go to the resting place of thousands of people while intoxicated. It is also unacceptable to drink alcohol at a funeral.
Moreover, alcohol loosens the tongue, and in a cemetery it is better to watch your words so as not to offend the deceased. You will drink to the repose of your soul at the wake.
What should I say
There is such a sign:
Whatever good you say on the grave will remain on it.
You can share your experiences and joys with deceased relatives, but you should not arouse envy or excessive pity in them. Because in both cases they will want to take the speaker to themselves. A phrase like “I live so badly, it’s better to die” can become fatal. The spirits will regard this as a call to action and “come to the aid” of the sufferer who is so eager to get to the other world.
We must remember that you can only allow yourself to be open with a relative whom you trusted during your lifetime and with whom you were close. If you talk loudly and brag about your victories at someone else’s grave, then all the good things will go to the relatives of its occupant.
Refrain from showdowns and swearing among the graves. The sign says that whoever comes to the cemetery to quarrel will live in eternal squabbles.
Is it possible to take things from a grave?
Of course not. Remember this rule yourself and explain it to your children: the house is the territory of the living, and everything that is in the cemetery belongs to this place. Taking anything from there is a very bad omen.
Bringing cemetery soil is the same as recognizing your home as part of a cemetery. For spirits, it will be "marked" as their sphere of influence. It will take the help of a very powerful magician to clear the home of the grave seal.
To pick something up from a grave means to take that thing away from a dead person. And the deceased are very jealous of what belongs to them.
Is it possible to count money in a cemetery?
There is another well-known sign: if you count the money on the grave, you will part with it forever. Banknotes fall out - don’t touch them. Even a large amount should remain there.
If you raise money from cemetery land, because of your carelessness and greed, you can create problems and illnesses and spend much more money on solving them than you could have saved. I had to get my wallet from the cemetery - leave the coins on the grave
Better at the tombstone of a relative or at least namesake
I had to get my wallet from the cemetery - leave the coins on the grave. It’s better at the tombstone of a relative or at least namesake.
Is it possible to take pictures at a cemetery?
Most signs say that it is impossible, since this is a place where negative energy accumulates. There is a well-known mystical connection between a person and his image in a photo - the picture will bear the imprint of all the negativity of that place.
If you imprint yourself in the kingdom of the dead, you will either attract them to you, or you yourself will soon go there.
It is especially reckless to take a photo near the coffin of a deceased person, as well as on graves less than forty days old. It has long been known that this period is not accidental; that is how long the negative energy that was released during a person’s death is preserved. The soul of the deceased is among the living, finding no peace. The consequences of such a photo can be disastrous - even leading to the appearance of serious illnesses.
It is believed that memories of this belief have been preserved since ancient times in the word “term”. “The deadline has passed” means forty days have passed.
By photographing, you can disturb the souls of people buried in the graves that are captured in the frame. They will return to their home or visit the person who took the photo. In this case, it is quite possible to encounter a “drummer” - a poltergeist.
The cemetery is used not only for burying the dead. This is one of the main places for black rituals. Here they call the devil, ask demons for help, and here witches cause damage. It is imbued with powerful negative information that will remain in the picture.
It doesn't matter whether the photo is paper or electronic. The second option is even worse, because digital photographs are easily copied. Don't post them on the Internet.
Storing “dead” images is fraught with deterioration of the atmosphere in the home, illness of household members and the emergence of problems in relationships, money matters and other aspects. Children especially suffer from such sources of negativity - they are more susceptible to magical attacks than adults.
If there are already similar photos in the house, and you have no desire to part with them, despite the bad omens, store them face down, so that the image is not visible. You can pack the source of the negative in a thick envelope.
How long does a dog live?
An indicator such as a dog’s life expectancy is quite individual. It may depend on the breed and size of the dog, on its hereditary predisposition and level of health. Some puppies do not even have time to grow to adulthood; they die from viruses or serious diseases. Pets can die at a young age, even as a result of an accident.
Dogs that live their lives to the end leave our world at the age of 6-20 years. This difference depends on the breed; large dogs live about 8 years, but only some types of mongrels can live 20 years. The average lifespan of dogs is 12-15 years. Already at the age of 7 years the animal can be considered elderly. At this time, the pet begins to age, teeth deteriorate, gray hair appears and digestive problems appear. If you provide your pet with proper care, he can live for quite some time even without teeth. Such an old man should eat a balanced diet, receive a portion of affection and care. But, unfortunately, such methods of care will not save you from the inevitable.
The death of a dog is a heavy blow for the whole family. There are few who can think sensibly and calmly at this moment. For this reason, many pet owners do not know where to bury their dog, they ask their friends to do it, and after a while they begin to regret what they did, since they were the ones who had to see their pet off on its final journey.
Recommendations on what to do if an animal passes away
And how difficult this can be is known only to those who have gone through the bitterness of losing a pet. It is especially difficult for children and those for whom a dog was almost their only friend to survive the death of a pet: lonely and elderly people, childless couples.
How can you soften the pain of experiences?
If the dog lived in a family, let its members support each other. You can arrange an evening of happy memories of your pet. Let each of those who knew the pet be able to speak out. Only positive memories should be shared. Dishes, toys, harness, muzzle, leftover food and bedding - everything that can remind you of the pet should be sent to the pantry. You can store all these things, but don't let them remain in plain sight. Keep a pet photo album. You probably have a lot of random photos with your dog. Make signatures, put your stories with him in the album, and let the emotional background of these stories be positive. Don't blame yourself for your pet's death! Don't blame yourself for not noticing changes in your dog's behavior in the last weeks of his life. Most likely, there weren’t any, and you did everything right. Don’t repeat to yourself “Everything could have been different!” This kind of self-flagellation can lead to insomnia and provoke the development of neurosis. It’s better to think about the fact that all dogs, one way or another, die before their owners. Only because their life expectancy is several times shorter than that of a human! Remember what you were ever seriously interested in and try to return to this activity. Perhaps you once danced. Sign up for a class in a new type of dance. It is necessary to fill the time freed up after the death of a pet so that there is no time left for difficult memories. If you can't go back to your old ways, find a new hobby. Perhaps you have always dreamed of learning how to cook properly? Try taking a cooking class. If you are a good cook yourself, shoot and post videos of your gastronomic masterpieces on You Tube
It's important to be truly passionate about something. - And take a break!
Psychologists advise getting a new pet over time
It’s important not to rush yourself with this. – Adopting an animal after the loss of a pet is a responsible matter.
You yourself will understand when you are ready for this responsibility.
But going to a shelter for homeless animals is possible and even recommended! A kind of patronage over someone “ownerless” will be very useful for the owner in this situation!
If you decide to adopt a new animal after the death of the first one, remember:
- You should not look for a departed four-legged friend in the “new guy”.
- You should get a new animal only when the pain of losing your first dog has dulled.
Recommendations from psychologists for those whose dogs are healthy are as follows. – Let your family have not one, but two pets – the eldest and the youngest. Moreover, it is recommended to take a kitten as a pair to an adult dog. If a cat was the first to appear in your house, then when it reaches mature cat age, get a puppy. When the cat is gone, the maturing puppy will support you. This advice may seem overly rational, but believe me, it is a common sense approach.
Bury yourself or with help
It is important to say that asking for help is still necessary. If you are confident in the person you asked for help that he will conduct the burial ceremony properly, then this will greatly ease your state of mind. You need to ask for help if you are sure that by the time of the burial you will not pull yourself together and will not be able to organize the funeral.
Clarify for yourself whether it is important for you to know the burial place of your dog or will the fact that it was buried according to all the rules be sufficient for you? If you know the burial place, you will be able to visit it, but think about whether you need it? Every time you visit or drive through a burial site, you will suffer from memories, so think carefully. You shouldn’t think that such a detail is not important, people’s psyches are different, if one person quickly comes to terms with the loss, then the other will suffer from what happened for a long time.
When your pet dies, there will be no time to think. One thing remains correct, do not make goodbye to your dog too long. If the dog passed away due to illness or it happened during the hot season, then carry out the burial ceremony as quickly as possible, it will be better for both the animal and you.
Funeral of a dog without breaking the law
It is important to know that in most large cities, burying animals on city territory is considered an administrative offense. This will end in a fine for you, and most importantly, the dog’s grave will be rudely destroyed. Only in some cities is burial on its territory permitted and will not incur any consequences. Social activists are trying to solve this problem and carve out territory for the legal burial of pets, but so far the attempts remain in vain.
How to properly bury a cat?
The death of a four-legged friend is a difficult event. There are still many tears, worries and sadness ahead; you will have to go through pain. But the owner inevitably faces a pressing question: how to bury a cat? The last tribute of respect and love to the departed pet deserves special attention.
Even the ancient Egyptians knew how to properly bury a cat or other animal. Being profoundly ignorant by modern standards, they realized that the rotting remains posed a danger to people. Unfortunately, today many people are less responsible about the issue of disposal of remains, without thinking that their actions harm the environment.
Near Murmansk, in one of the copses, residents organized a pet cemetery. Everything is clean and civilized - fences, tombstones, even crosses can be seen here and there. On one of the monuments there is a touching inscription: “Joker, forgive us”... The entire local population knows where to bury a cat or dog. There are official pet cemeteries in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Vladivostok and other large cities.
But there are no more than two dozen such cemeteries throughout Russia. For people living far from places allocated for the burial of animals, the funeral of a cat becomes a real problem, because a loving owner would never take the remains of a pet to the nearest trash heap. Burying animals near populated areas is strictly prohibited at the legislative level. It’s good if there is a real forest near the city, then the question “where to bury the cat”, as a rule, does not arise. But parks, squares, and especially courtyards are absolutely not suitable for this purpose. It's hard to think about, but the carcasses of domestic animals decompose, poisoning the soil and groundwater. Many pets die from infectious diseases - a cat’s grave not far from home can cause an epidemic among animals or people.
Veterinarian M.V. Ilyin talks about how to properly bury a cat on your own:
“You can only organize a grave in a real forest, far from the city. To prevent the remains from being damaged by wild animals, a hole is dug one and a half to two meters deep. If desired, the remains are placed in a box or makeshift coffin. In my opinion, the best option is cremation of cats and dogs, but not everyone’s budget allows it, unfortunately. I know that many people bury animals in the family plot of the cemetery. This is a kind of consolation for them. The thought that one day they will be close to their loved ones helps them cope with grief. But when people ask me the question “how to bury a cat,” I rarely advise this, since it contradicts the religious canons and ethical considerations of most owners.”
Cremation is certainly one of the best ways to say goodbye to a pet. Today, most veterinary clinics provide this service. In municipal clinics, cat cremation is the joint disposal of the corpses of deceased animals by burning in an oven. The owner pays for the service, leaves the remains to the doctors and leaves - this is where the farewell ends. Doctors at private clinics provide the opportunity to cremate a cat in a slightly different way, on an individual basis. If desired, the owner can be present at all stages of cremation and pick up the pet’s ashes, placed in a special urn. If there is no opportunity or desire to observe the procedure, the owners are provided with a video recording as proof that the remains of their four-legged friend were indeed burned. Where to cremate a cat, in the crematorium of a private clinic or in a public oven, is, of course, up to the owner to decide. Both methods are more worthy of disposing of corpses by throwing them into the garbage chute...
We wish our readers many happy years in the company of their pets and inexhaustible spiritual strength at the moment of farewell.
Wrong choice of burial site
It is impossible to judge whether these places are correct, because the owner of the deceased dog obviously does not want to listen to lectures on this matter. There is a law that prohibits burying the bodies of animals in public places, and there are some arguments for this:
1. an animal that dies from viruses and is buried in the ground of a public place will cause the spread of the disease;
2. people should strive to preserve the ecology of the earth. This reason is greatly exaggerated, since polyethylene, plastic and other human waste harm our planet many times more than the buried bodies of dogs;
3. Buried bodies can spoil the quality of underground water bodies.
Most people break this law not because they are trying to earn a fine, but only because, unfortunately, they have no other choice. If there was a choice in burying pets, no one would have to break the laws.
What the law says about dogs
Federal Law No. 498-FZ dated December 27, 2018 “On the responsible treatment of animals and on amendments to certain legislative acts of the Russian Federation” in Article 13 provides general rules for walking pets:
4. Walking pets must be carried out under the condition of mandatory ensuring the safety of citizens, animals, and the safety of the property of individuals and legal entities. 5. When walking a pet, the following requirements must be observed: 1) exclude the possibility of free, uncontrolled movement of the animal
when crossing the roadway, in elevators and common areas of apartment buildings, in the courtyards of such buildings,
on children's and sports grounds
; 2) ensure the cleaning of animal waste products in public places and territories; 3) do not allow the animal to walk outside the places permitted by the decision of the local government for animal walking. 6. Walking a potentially dangerous dog without a muzzle and a leash, regardless of the place of walking, is prohibited, except in cases where the potentially dangerous dog is located in a fenced area owned by the owner of the potentially dangerous dog by right of ownership or other legal basis. A warning sign about the presence of this dog must be made at the entrance to this territory.
All of the above requirements apply now, except the last one. The “potentially dangerous dogs” in the law were what were originally called “potentially dangerous dog breeds.” This requirement to walk such dogs only on the owner's private fenced property will come into force on January 1, 2021. You can see which dogs you shouldn’t walk with in public places in. This document is currently at the development stage and has not yet entered into force. The list was prepared by the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs and initially contained 69 breeds of dangerous dogs, as well as their hybrids and mestizos. Then it was adjusted and only 12 breeds and their mestizos were left. Here are the breeds currently on the List:
- Akbash,
- american bandog,
- ambuldog,
- brazilian bulldog,
- bully Kutta,
- Alapaha purebred bulldog (Otto),
- bandog,
- wolf-dog hybrids,
- wolfdog, wolf hybrid,
- ghoul dog,
- pitbullmastiff,
- North Caucasian dog,
- mestizos of these breeds.
So, federal law says that when you walk your dog, you must ensure the safety of the people and animals around you. Pet waste products must be removed. You must control your dog (keep it on a leash) when crossing the roadway, in common areas of the apartment building, in the yard, on playgrounds and sports grounds. But does this mean that, in principle, you can walk your dog on the playground while keeping it on a leash? No. Walking a dog on the playground is unacceptable. And the name “children’s” itself speaks for itself - the playground is intended for children, not for dogs.
Permitted burial sites
There is an exception. There are places officially approved for burying animal corpses. In large cities there are even specialized organizations that deal with pet funerals. Such companies have a plot of land in their property from which they build a real cemetery with tombstones. Such services cost a lot of money; their list includes burial at the permitted depth, purchasing the site itself, and arranging the burial ceremony.
Permitted pet cemeteries have significant advantages: you can be sure that the dog’s grave will remain intact and you will not be fined. A full grave will be built for your pet, which you can visit whenever you want. For some clients, this fact remains the most important. Now you don’t need to look for a burial place, think about what to bury your dog in and how to do it unnoticed. All these issues are taken care of by a specialized organization. A funeral can be arranged in the same way as a human funeral, all family members can be invited.
It is worth noting that such companies cremate the dog's body before burying it. Such conditions are prescribed by sanitary standards and must be observed unconditionally.
Is taxidermy ethical or barbaric?
Most people consider this way of honoring a deceased pet to be inhumane. However, there are quite a lot of owners who prefer to make a stuffed animal out of their dog. Taxidermists are always provided with work, which indicates the acceptability of this option.
Another way to use the remains of the deceased is to make accessories. For example, from the leather or wool of a deceased friend, you can order a keychain, bag, belt that will remind you of him. Not everyone accepts this option for disposing of a dog's body, but recent trends point to the increasing popularity of taxidermy.
Dog cremation
In cities, the only permitted option for disposing of animal bodies is cremation. This is due to rotting bodies and contamination of underwater toxins. Any pet burial service will first set them on fire and only then bury them. Many pet owners dispute this fact, saying that human bodies are just as poisonous.
Many cities offer a service such as general cremation. Before you use it, you need to understand what it is. The bodies of animals are subjected to heat treatment until they are completely burned. All animals are stored in refrigerators and when a large number of them are collected, they are burned together and the ashes are disposed of. This is done due to the fact that it is simply unprofitable to light a car for each animal separately, because it runs on fuel.
In developed countries, a fairly popular cremation procedure is not only the processing of animal bodies, but also people. This method has long been recognized as the most environmentally friendly in terms of processing and disposal of bodies. The choice is always yours, some consider scattering the ashes to be special and respectful, while others consider burying the body to the ground.
How to bury a cat: possible options
The question of burying a cat arises for all owners who are faced with a similar situation. There are several burial methods, each with specific features.
Urban or rural settings
People living in rural areas have it much easier than those living in the city. The choice of zone in rural areas is practically unlimited, however, the ritual itself is given less pomp. The cat can be buried in a forest belt, a small forest located nearby. It is not recommended to bury an animal near bodies of water, especially those that are quite popular among the local population.
In the countryside, it is possible to put your pet to rest even in your own country yard, having previously chosen a place where there is minimal traffic and nothing grows.
Interesting! Some rural cemeteries have a special area for burying domestic animals.
In urban conditions, burying a cat is more difficult. The procedure cannot be performed in public parks and front gardens of apartment buildings. Places behind garages or neglected park areas are also not suitable, and burial there can lead to a large fine. Therefore, people living in the city are advised to contact special services or take the body of the animal far outside the city.
Monument to the deceased cat
Cemetery
A human cemetery is not suitable for such a purpose. Caretakers strictly control the location and digging of graves, and such actions are prohibited by law.
Virtual cemetery
Web cemeteries have become increasingly popular lately. All this is again related to the framework of the law. Dogs have to be buried quite far away, so in moments of particular sadness it may be impossible to visit the burial site. This is why virtual cemeteries are gaining popularity.
Such resources require a daily payment for their place. Funds usually go towards building real animal cemeteries or helping those pets who need it. Usually all this is spelled out on the website.
Virtual cemeteries will preserve memories of your pet and also help you find support. These sites are visited by people who have recently lost their pets. People who have experienced the same pain can support themselves well.
Why you should be careful with animal funeral homes
Most owners of deceased animals cannot come to terms with the thought of parting, so to alleviate the suffering they turn to funeral companies. Unfortunately, in the modern market for such specific services there are unscrupulous organizations. They take money for burial and maintenance of graves, but then do not fulfill their obligations.
You need to be especially careful when choosing a virtual graveyard. There are many scammers on the Internet who are ready to profit even from a person’s misfortune.
How to say goodbye to a deceased pet
In case of forced euthanasia of a dog (old age, illness, injuries incompatible with life), it is advisable to be with her until the last. Just stroke, squeeze the front paws in your hands, speak kind words, ask for forgiveness.
Important! When a dog dies suddenly, saying goodbye can be especially painful for the owner. As in the case of euthanasia, pet, ask for forgiveness and only after that call the ritual service.
Saying goodbye to your beloved dog is always painful
Psychological advice
For many, a dog becomes a real member of the family, so its death becomes as tragic as the loss of a loved one. Psychologist Julie Axerold believes that after her death, a person loses not only a pet, but also a source of unconditional love, a constant companion who provides comfort and safety, as well as a ward for whom the owner is a kind of mentor, like for a child.
How to survive this period? In our culture, there are no rituals that would help us more easily cope with loss (obituaries, memorial days), so sometimes it is easier to do this if you follow some recommendations from psychologists. Despite the fact that they are quite simple, it is not always possible to do what experts advise during periods of intense grief.
Basic recommendations:
Do not look for someone to blame, especially if the pet died due to illness or injury.
It is worth realizing that even ideal owners and experienced doctors sometimes make mistakes, so it is important not to blame yourself with possible phrases “I didn’t have time”, “I made a mistake in choosing a veterinarian”. Every owner does everything in his power, so the main thing is that the dog spent a happy life in a caring atmosphere
Take a break and wait for the pain to subside
You should not immediately rush to search for a replacement for a departed pet, as this will be fraught with comparisons of different animals, which often turn out to be not in favor of new pets. After a loss, it is better to limit communication with familiar dog lovers, visits to the usual pet store or veterinary clinic in order to avoid unnecessary questions and memories. Fill the void. The dog owner develops a special rhythm and schedule of life, which can revolve around the needs of the pet (for example, daily walks, feeding schedule, etc.)
Lifestyle changes are one of the most powerful sources of stress, so it is important to come up with a new hobby or activity that will occupy your free time. This could be English or programming courses, going to the gym or renovating your own apartment - any options that will shift your attention away from pain and sad thoughts. Remember only the good things. Immediately after the death of a dog, the period when he was already sick or old most often pops up in his mind, but you need to try to get rid of such thoughts. After all, there were many other, more pleasant moments in the dog’s life: clumsy puppyhood, first training lessons, joint walks and trips and other cases that should be emphasized
To reinforce positive emotions, you can make an album or frames with photographs, and after a while, memories of your pet will only bring a smile, not tears.
Immediately after the death of a dog, the period when he was already sick or old most often pops up in his mind, but you need to try to get rid of such thoughts. After all, there were many other, more pleasant moments in the dog’s life: clumsy puppyhood, first training lessons, joint walks and trips and other cases that should be emphasized. To reinforce positive emotions, you can make an album or frames with photographs, and after a while, memories of your pet will only bring a smile, not tears.
- Get rid of reminders. You need to hide all things that remind you of the loss (collar, leash, feeding bowl, toys). You can give them to friends or donate them to a dog shelter where they will definitely find useful use.
- Help other animals. Psychologists believe that helping a dog shelter is a good way to quickly overcome a difficult emotional state. The realization that your help brings joy and benefit to someone will over time displace negative experiences.
- Get a puppy. It is no coincidence that this advice comes last, since you should not think about a new animal until the pain of loss subsides. If, when thinking about a new puppy, an involuntary comparison arises that he will never be as smart or loyal, then it is better to abandon such an idea for now. Otherwise, the new family member will not be able to receive the care and love of the owner to the fullest and give him new bright emotions.
Is it possible to bury your pet on your own plot?
Many people become so attached to their pets that even after their death they do not want to part with them. They bury a cat or dog in their garden and think that this is normal. However, making graves near the house is strictly prohibited.
People think that since it is their land, they have the right to do whatever they want. They may even dig a grave for their deceased pet and bury it. However, by law, the bodies of deceased animals are considered biological waste. Burying pets by burying them in the ground poisons the groundwater, no matter where the grave is dug for the animal - in a planting or on one’s own plot of land.
Currently, the law provides for only one method of burying animals - cremation. However, today crematoria are not available everywhere. In many cities, not to mention towns, they simply do not exist.
In this regard, the owner of a deceased dog or cat can easily avoid a fine for burying their pet in the ground. The reason is simple: the law cannot be fulfilled. Although in court, when imposing a fine, they may indicate that the citizen himself had to transport the animal to the nearest crematorium.
Resting places for animals
Russian law prohibits the disposal of animal bodies to land located within the city.
Deviation from this norm is interpreted as an administrative offense entailing a fine. Nevertheless, Russian dog owners, as a rule, bury the remains of their deceased pets in secluded park areas, forests, ravines along rivers, and behind the house in a vacant lot. Often these are places where they loved to walk with the dog. Sometimes a grave for a four-legged friend is arranged next to existing spontaneous burials of dogs. Is it correct?
It is unlikely that the owners do this because they are not afraid of fines, do not care about the environment, or consider the above-mentioned places to be the best last refuge for the dog. Most likely, everyone would not mind burying a dog in accordance with the culture of animal burial. But in Russia, as in Ukraine, this culture is still quite young.
So, where to bury a dog without getting into conflict with the law?
- In a forest belt outside the city.
- In a special cemetery for animals.
Pros and cons of these options:
| Burial place | pros | Minuses |
| In the country |
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| At the cemetery |
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We do not recommend setting up a dog’s grave in the backyard of your house. Firstly, this violates sanitary and environmental standards. Secondly, we caution you against deciding to bury your pet in a place that you will stumble upon every day. In the first months of loss, it will be especially difficult to bear.
A little about spontaneous animal cemeteries. There is nothing wrong with this if they appear, say, somewhere in the forest. And it’s a completely different matter if this happens near memorial sites, churches, human cemeteries. As much as we love our dogs, we must respect other people's feelings. Not all of them will understand and accept someone’s decision to bury an animal near the grave of a loved one.
WHAT TO DO if a pet dies
Thousands of cats and dogs die every month in Chelyabinsk. Meanwhile, according to Russian laws, only three methods of animal disposal are allowed. Two of them are suitable for domestic animals: burning in crematoria ovens or disinfection in biothermal pits on the territory of cattle burial grounds, the so-called Beccari pits. If the animal dies, the veterinary service must be notified. About where to call, where to find a crematorium and what fine you will have to pay for the “unauthorized grave” of a pet - in the WHAT TO DO section of the Access News Agency.
“Animal corpses are biological waste, and they must be destroyed in accordance with veterinary and sanitary rules. You need to understand why it died. And if the animal died from an infectious disease, then it is necessary to contact the veterinary service,” says the famous Chelyabinsk animal activist and veterinarian Karen Dallakyan.
STEP 1. Call the veterinarian
If an animal dies prematurely not from old age, but from a disease, such as rabies, a respectable owner should call the veterinarian. A doctor will arrive, pick up the corpse, conduct laboratory diagnostics, draw up a medical report and send the deceased animal for disposal.
Under no circumstances should you bury a dead animal in the forest, on a summer cottage, or in a park. After all, even one animal that dies from infection and is buried in the ground threatens an outbreak of disease. According to Karen Dallakyan, pathogens of infectious diseases that could cause the death of an animal can survive in the soil for centuries. These are anthrax spores and other infections, including non-spore-forming ones. And there are no guarantees that impromptu burials will not be dug up by other animals, or that contaminated material will not be carried away by rodents. When washed out, pathogens can enter groundwater.
“I know that Chelyabinsk residents store corpses in garden plots, in garages, some even on the balcony. They are waiting for a thaw to bury them later. Many people throw animals into trash cans and landfills,” says the animal rights activist.
Illegal pet cemetery discovered in Chelyabinsk
Meanwhile, administrative liability is provided for unauthorized burial or dumping of animals in a landfill. The fine for individuals is from 4 to 5 thousand rubles, for officials – from 20 to 40 thousand rubles, for entrepreneurs – from 40 to 50 thousand rubles. And the harshest punishment awaits legal entities - from 500 to 700 thousand rubles or administrative suspension of activities for up to 90 days.
STEP 2. Call the animal crematorium
There are two types of pet cremation. One of them is general cremation, when a large number of animals are burned simultaneously in a general manner. The ashes of all animals are subsequently disposed of; in this case, the owner will not be able to take the ashes of his own animal.
Another option for cremation is private. In this case, the corpse of only one animal is put on fire, and all this happens in high-temperature chambers designed for the cremation of one individual. The ashes are returned to the pet owners in a special urn, which the owner can take with them and bury where they deem necessary, or keep it as a reminder of the pet.
In the animal crematorium on Ferrosplavnaya Street, 79 in Chelyabinsk, an average of 50-70 animals are cremated per month. Its services include transportation (permissible accompanied by the owner), individual or general cremation, courier delivery of an urn with ashes to your home, or disposal of ashes. Prices range from 300 to 3 thousand rubles. Phone – 8-9000-77-11-77 or 8-90-80-78-88-28.
How communication with a person affects the soul of an animal
The path of pets, who live in very long, close physical and emotional contact with humans, is different.
Such animals learn a lot in terms of communication and interaction, understanding other creatures, feelings and their manifestations.
They also receive the most valuable thing - human attention and love.
Our consciousness has a strong influence on them, sometimes forcing them to abandon their nature, and begins to develop free will in them. The animal is aware of itself and its desires, sometimes even a sense of humor appears!
They say that such animals, with a high level of consciousness, do not live long. They transform quite quickly, but on a human level. Although this is not always the case. They are also distinguished by a special piercing gaze.
Dog and cat breeders sometimes warn owners when choosing a puppy or kitten: “If you choose the smartest one based on the eyes, then it is unlikely that its life will be very long, just keep this in mind.”
This is how animal owners, without knowing it, help create new human souls.
