Helpful Information to Know for Burial of a Deceased Pet

• County ordinances may vary, please check with your County Officials regarding legality and restrictions (such as required burial depth, proximity to a water source, etc.)

 

• Be aware of gas or water lines present in a designated burial area prior to digging (contact utilities services).

 

• Consider future plans (moving, addition of other pets, etc.) when choosing a location.

 

• For smaller companion animals and pets, three to five feet should be an adequate depth. For large or farm animal pets, six to ten feet may be more adequate. These depths should allow the remains to be deep enough to prevent investigation by other animals in the area but shallow enough to not interfere with the water table.

 

• Lime powder (purchased from most farm/livestock or hardware stores) can be used to line the inside of the burial site, bottom and top. At least two feet of soil should be used to cover the top afterwards.

 

• If desired, use a fabric item rather than a plastic item to wrap your beloved pet (plastics will prolong the natural process of absorption of the remains back to the earth).

 

• A casket, box or urn is not required but may be utilized if so desired.

 

• If cremains are to be buried after cremation, doing so with an organic soil mixture will help foliage grow around the site as this creates a more nutrient-dense mixture than simply burying the cremains alone (which leads to such a high carbon concentration that it may prevent or delay foliage regrowth around the site).

 

• Using a headstone, memorial, or other decorative piece over the site may assist to discourage digging (many of the drugs used for euthanasia purposes may be harmful to fatal to other animals, therefore efforts to prevent disturbance are highly encouraged).

 

• If immediate burial is not desired, depending on pet size, remains may be placed in an airtight plastic container and placed in a refrigerator or freezer for burial at a later time.