When your pet dies, you will have some important decisions to make, despite your grief.

Burial can take place in many ways and it is up to you, the pet owner, to decide how you want to honour your pet’s memory.

Some people choose to bury their pets in the garden or back yard of their own house.

Others prefer that the final resting place of their pet should be a proper pet cemetery where their graves are taken care of.
There is an alternative method to burying your animal; and that is cremation.

Cremation is a process where the body of your pet is taken and its bodies is put under extreme heat and pressure. The heat causes the body to disintegrate and turn to ashes. The broken pieces of collars, pins and other accessories that pets wear are then separated using a magnetic holder. After the ashes are cremated, they are put in a bag, sealed and returned to the owner, unless you state otherwise.

Cremation is not an easy option for any pet owner. Owners are often encouraged to think about it in advance, while the pet is still alive. It is important to decide whether you want the cremation to take place privately or communally.

Communal cremation means your pet will be cremated along with other animals. As a result, their remains will be mingled with others, so you can’t get their ashes back.

With private cremation the ashes can be returned to you, the owner. You can then choose to scatter the ashes, preserve them in an urn, or bury them.

There are a few important questions before you can decide on the cremation process. These help you to make a better informed decision.

Question 1: What is cremation?

It is important to know what cremation actually is and all the steps involved in the process. Since the pet owner is usually grieving at that time, explaining the process can seem callous or even gruesome.

So it is important to have knowledge beforehand, and make the decision in advance when you are in a rational state of mind.

Question 2: What will my pet’s ashes look like?

Pet ashes are usually grey or white in colour, unless drugs or other medicines are used on the pet. They are given to the owner in a sealed bag or a sturdy box that can be buried later. Pet crematoriums provide urns that can be used to keep the ashes for safekeeping.

Question 3: How do we know the ashes belong to our pets?

Pet crematoriums have a reputation to maintain and they would, under no circumstance, jeopardize that. Most crematoriums offer a private cremation service where you can watch the cremation being done. That is a decision entirely up to you, the pet owner, as it is difficult to watch your beloved pet getting cremated.

Question 4: How do you dispose of the cremains?

‘Cremains’ are the ashes of the pet that is cremated. You can either preserve these ashes or bury them. There is no best method, and no hard and fast rule on what to do with ashes. Some people choose to keep the ashes in their homes until they are finally ready to part with them.

Private crematoria like Essex Pet Crematorium provide dignified services and cremation offerings, as they understand the close bond between people and their pets. They also offer keepsakes, urns and customized boxes for burials.