For the pet owner, the death of a beloved pet is accompanied by the feeling of having lost a good friend. If your faithful companion has left you, you feel a feeling of emptiness in addition to the sadness. After many years of being together, the memory of countless shared experiences and happy hours, shaped by harmony and intimacy, remains. A dignified farewell is considered an important step in overcoming the feeling of sadness and loss. Are you wondering what to consider when burying an animal? Mr Beam gives you the answers to your pressing questions.
Animal burial: what is allowed and what is not?
If you want to bury a dog or cat on your own property, you generally do not need official approval. However, if it is an even larger animal, a permit from the responsible veterinary office is required. However, if the dog or cat has died due to a notifiable illness, burial on your own property is prohibited. The same applies if the property is located in a water or nature reserve.
The minimum distance between the grave site and public paths is specified in the respective local statute. Usually it is two meters. The animal corpse must be buried at least half a meter deep and carefully covered with earth. You also have to make sure that wild animals cannot dig up the mortal remains. The carcass may only be wrapped in easily decomposable material, such as a towel or woolen blanket.
The legal provisions applicable to animal burials are not uniformly regulated at the federal level.. Example Bremen: In view of the high groundwater level in the Hanseatic city, burying pets in your own garden is generally prohibited. Violations can result in high fines.
If you enjoyed walking your dog in the woods, then you may be thinking about burying your deceased friend in his favourite spot. According to the Animal Body Disposal Act, however, burying in the forest is strictly prohibited. Violations constitute an administrative offence that can be punished with a fine of up to 15,000 euros.
If you have your dog or cat euthanized by the vet and do not want to take your animal's body home with you, your animal's body will be disposed of in an animal carcass disposal facility. For many animal lovers, however, this is not an option. In addition to burial on your own property, there is the option of cremation in a crematorium. You can also consider a dignified burial in a pet cemetery. There are already around 120 animal cemeteries nationwide, and the trend is rising.
Choice of different burial options
Disposing of dead pets in the animal carcass disposal facility is unthinkable for many people. They see the faithful companion as a family member who deserves a dignified farewell. If you also belong to this group, you have the following options:
- Animal burial on own property
- Cremation in the crematorium
- Burial in a pet cemetery
Are you renting and don't have your own property? Then you should consider cremation. Several animal bodies are often burned together. However, you can also opt for a single cremation. It gives you the opportunity to take the ashes home with you in an urn. Where you then place this container is up to you to decide. There are no legal regulations for the storage of urns. You can also scatter the ashes, for example in your garden.
Animal burials in a special animal cemetery are becoming increasingly popular. You can choose between a collective burial or an individual burial. In addition to the cost of the actual burial, there is also a grave fee. Animal burial in a cemetery is therefore significantly more expensive than cremation in a crematorium. Nevertheless, many animal lovers opt for this form of burial, as it is considered particularly dignified.
Animal burial leaves room for individual wishes
If your emotional bond with your pet is particularly intense, a dignified ceremony can help you overcome the pain. Special funeral services will help you to organize and carry out an appropriate memorial service. The burial place in the animal cemetery can be individualized with a gravestone or commemorative plaque according to your taste. In this way, you underline the bond with your pet after its death.
When it comes to engraving memorial stones and plaques, undertakers are increasingly relying on our Mr Beam laser cutter. It makes them independent of other service providers and enables them to quickly produce individual funeral items according to customer requirements. With the Mr Beam laser cutter, not only stone can be precisely engraved. Engravings on wood are also possible. In addition, acrylic can be processed and foam can be cut to size. This puts the funeral home in a position to enhance every ceremony considerably with the right decoration.
Calculate the cost of the animal burial in advance
If you bury your deceased animal on your own property, you will not incur any costs. If you choose a different type of burial, you should inform yourself in advance about the associated financial costs. The individual cremation of a dog or cat costs around 300 euros, depending on the weight of the animal. If you as a pet owner want to be present at the cremation in person, additional costs may arise, as well as for the urn. Community cremation is cheaper than cremation of individual animals.
The burial in the animal cemetery is considered the most expensive variant of animal burial. And no matter how great the grief and pain, you must insist on a concrete offer from the undertaker. This is the only way to ensure that your budget is not exceeded. In addition to the costs for the burial, ceremony and decorations, there is also a grave rent.
Professional help relieves grief and pain
Losing your beloved pet brings sorrow and pain. If you had to put it to sleep, you might even feel guilty. Your fellow human beings do not always bring up the necessary understanding. What was a family member for you, they only see as an interchangeable animal. If you find little support from friends and acquaintances, specially trained animal bereavement counsellors can help you. Experienced animal undertakers are also able to support you in dealing with your grief.
Networking with people who are also grieving their pet can be helpful. Social media platforms allow you to connect with like-minded people and share experiences. You can remember your animal on special memorial portals and receive the encouragement of all those who are emotionally connected to you.
A dignified farewell helps in coping with grief
If you leave your animal in the doctor's office after it has died, you should bear in mind that it will then be sent to the rendering plant. If you have a strong emotional bond with your pet, you will likely choose a more dignified burial. However, before you decide on one of the numerous variants, you should set your budget and find out about all the costs associated with animal burial . A dignified burial is considered to be extremely helpful in coping with grief. On the other hand, if the animal burial degenerates into pure disposal, later regret can be the result.
