Pet funerals are an extremely personal and individual matter. While some people may want the catharsis of a full-on funeral with family and friends, with scripture readings and prayers, others may feel more comfortable with a simple burial and only family and perhaps other pets in attendance. For large animals, such as large dog breeds, it may be more practical to have the body cremated (local veterinarians will know about businesses that do this) and then bury the ashes.
Most people think of their pets as full-fledged family members, and even when an animal is old and death is expected the mourning and grief can be intense. It is not necessary or healthy to try to pretend that nothing happened, particularly around children. They need to know that their grief is perfectly appropriate and part of learning to accept the inevitability of death. I was 14 and a freshman in high school when my dog died. It was one of the rare times when my mother let me stay home from school, because I was so very sad. It took a long time to work through that grief, but ultimately it prepared me to be a more responsible and loving pet owner as an adult.
Sometimes your options are limited, however. If you live in an apartment complex, you may not have access to a place to bury a pet. But that doesn’t mean you can’t have some sort of memorial. Even if you have to rely on the local sanitation department to take the body away, there are ways to add dignity to the process, such as wrapping your pet in his favorite blanket, and letting the sanitation workers know what is going on. Only the coldest hearted person would disregard your feelings at a time like this. However, if you are in this situation and there are elementary or middle school aged children in the house, it may be best to go ahead and have a memorial first, and then hand the pet’s body over at a time when they are at school.
Some regions have pet funeral homes, and they will handle your loss with dignity and respect. These establishments can be quite expensive, however, and some people feel more comfortable having a small, private service with only family. There are also clergy members who are willing to assist in things like choosing scripture for a memorial, particularly if they have been through the death of a beloved pet.
Pet funerals are not exercises in excess for spoiled pet owners. They are how millions of people pay tribute to a precious life that was not taken for granted, ahd they can be a very important step in the grieving process.
