What to Do When Your Dog Dies at Home

The death of a dog is a devastating event and no owner is ever prepared for it. If your dog died suddenly at home unexpectedly, or after a long-term illness, you may be wondering about your options. When a dog dies at a veterinary clinic, the options are pretty straightforward. The vet will likely offer you several choices: such as private cremation, communal cremation, or burial in a pet cemetery or at your home. If you are planning to bury your dog, they will place the body in a bag so you can can proceed home and bury him/her at the site of your choice.

But at home? You may be too devastated for making an informed decision and may need some time to mourn and come to terms with the death. If you have scheduled your vet to put your dog to sleep at home, you may already have ideas. There are several options when it comes to a dog dying in your home. The following are some options you may want to consider.

Depending on what you want to do with your beloved pet's remains, you will have to follow different approaches. Generally, your options are the same as when your dog dies at the clinic, with the only difference being that you will have to take care of a few important aspects. We will look into each option in details.

• Burial

Burial is the most common choice for owners of pets that die at home. Many owners like the thought of having their pets rest in the same areas they have enjoyed life. A burial site also offers owners a place to mourn and think about their beloved animals. The simple fact of being able to post a grave mark and celebrate a memorial service may help owners cope better with the loss. Even animals left behind appear to grasp the concept of death better if they can visit the grave-site every now and then.

However, if you are considering burial you must keep in mind some legal aspects of this which may ultimately vary from one area to another. Many cities prohibit burials in residential areas and your best bet would be to call your local police, animal control, or vet's office to make sure you are abiding to your local laws. Even in some urban and suburban areas you may not be allowed to bury your dog in your property. If your local ordinances do not allow burial at your site, read below under the heading ''what if burying at home is not an option''.

As you arrange for burial, the body should be wrapped in a sheet, shroud, or blanket and then placed in two thick heavy duty plastic bags. Wear latex gloves as bodily fluids may be released. If you must post-pone burial for some time, you must have to find a way to refrigerate or freeze the body. Many vets are willing to store the body temporarily. Make sure you label the bags with your name and dog's name. If you are planning to keep the body at home for some time, make sure it is in a cool room such as a basement or garage for no longer than 4 hours. After this time, the odor make become severe. It may be wise to further wrap the body in more plastic bags if refrigeration is not an option. Placing the remains in an ice chest may help preserve the body a bit longer.

When time for burial arrives, you need to dig a grave deep enough (at least 3 feet) so to not create a health hazard or possibly attract wild animals. You can then transfer the body to a wooden casket.

Tip: Some owners like to bury their dogs with their favorite toys or favorite blanket.

*Note: if you are planning to have your dog undergo a necropsy (examination to determine cause of death) you do not want to freeze the body, but you may want to refrigerate it. Contact your vet immediately if this is something that you want done.

If burial at home is not an option, you can contact a pet cemetery. They may come to pick up your pet's body and take care of burial for you. Many can be reached even after office hours. Your vet may keep the body if you want to have your dog's body cremated or the pet cemetery may choose to pick up your pet's body if they offer cremation services.

• Cremation

If you wish to have your dog cremated there are many pet cremation services. You may be asked to choose between private or communal cremation. In private cremation, your pet will be cremated privately and you will receive the ''cremains'' in a small box with your pet's name on it. Cremains generally arrive withing a week, many in a day or two. In communal cremation your pet's body is cremated along with other pets and the ashes are spread in a natural setting or placed in a communal grave. In communal cremation you do not get your pet's ashes back.

Generally, pet cremation services and pet cemeteries are fairly quick in picking up your pet's body either at your home or your vet's office.

• Other Options

For some pet owners, a dead animal is simply a shell of the spirit now gone. There are ultimately no right or wrong thoughts about what a pet's body represents. Dog owners who prefer remembering their dogs in life and give little importance to remains always have the option of releasing the body to the vet's office or humane society. However, they must be fully aware that in this case, they will not have any choice when it comes to how the body will be disposed.

Owners of small pets at times may be tempted to just place the body for trash pick-up in order to save money or when they have no place for burial. This may be illegal for obvious reasons, however, some cities offer ''dead animal pick-up'' if the owners follow their instructions and place the body at the curb. New York's Bureau of Sanitation for instance, according to the ASPCA, offers collection of dead animals free of charge. The dead animal often must be placed in a box or bag and labeled as ''dead animal'. Animal control services at times are willing to pick up dead pets for a small charge.

Regardless of how your pet's body is disposed, life without your pet will be difficult. It is completely normal to feel depressed the first days. Often, your other dogs will also be part of the mourning process. Helping a grieving dog can be quite a challenge but it can help dog owners move on. Some dog owners proceed and get another pet while others ponder if getting a new dog after losing one is a good option. There is ultimately no right or wrong answer when it comes to the grieving process.