You can choose to bury your pet at your property. This can be a meaningful and meditative process for home owners able to do so. You can also contact your local council's waste facility about possible disposal options at their site.
Some people choose to bury their pet in the backyard or garden. While there are no current laws against this in NSW, this can vary from state to state. It is important to double check with your local council before planning a backyard burial.
One option is pet crematoriums and cemeteries, which are available in most large cities and regional centres in Australia. The services are very professional and cover a variety of options and price ranges that suit most pet owners. Costs may vary with the size of the pet.
Is it legal to bury my pet in my garden? The simple answer to both those questions is yes with one exception and that applies to whether or not your pet is considered a hazard to human health after it dies. This will only occur in a very few cases.
A decomposing pet can cause bacterial contamination in the soil it touches. That contamination then seeps into the groundwater, which can spread it to other areas. If other humans or animals come into contact with the contaminated soil or water, they could become seriously ill.
Backyard Burial Tip: When burying a pet, don't do so in a shallow grave. Be sure to have at least two feet of soil on top of the body. You want the grave deep enough so that other animals cannot smell the pet's scent. It is natural for other animals to dig into the grave if the scent is strong.
Disposal to licenced landfill is the preferred option in most instances especially where there are large mortalities or where onsite issues (e.g. size, soil type, water table etc.) prevent environmentally safe burial.
If your pets are not buried deep enough into the ground, there is also the risk of resurfacing from flooding. You will need to wrap your pet's body in something biodegradable then dig a hole at least one metre deep, away from utility lines and preferably in an elevated site.
Choose an Appropriate Receptacle for Your Pet
First, place your pet's body in a heavy-duty plastic bag that fits his body. Next, place the bag in a wood, metal, or plastic bin.
If you want, you can bury your cat with a few of its favorite items. You can, for example, wrap your cat in its favorite blanket. You can also place your cat's favorite toy in the container with it, or other items the cat liked when alive. Make sure to tie the box closed with rope after placing the cat in it.
Specific Burial Guidelines:
The site where the animal is to be buried must be excavated to a depth that is large enough to contain the dead animal, as well as allow for a cover depth of 2-3 feet. Additionally, the burial site must be in an area that will not allow for feral or wild animals to dig up the buried animal.
Once you're sure your dog has passed, the next step is to call your veterinarian's office. A vet's office will take your dog's body and either dispose of it for you or store it for you before you have a cremation or burial. They might also know of resources like a pet crematory or a mobile vet service.
How soon do you have to bury your deceased pet? Most states will give a pet owner 24 to 48 hours after the pet passes before they have to legally bury or cremate the remains. Suppose you decide to place your dog's remains in a gravesite or cremate them in a crematorium.
You may see them twitch or take a final breath. This can be startling, but it's a normal part of the process. Your pet isn't in pain. Use of a sedative makes this step less likely.
This is a very individual decision that often happens organically. Some people only wait days to weeks, possibly because they cannot bear to go long without a canine companion. Others need several months to years before they are ready to bring a new dog into their lives.
If you believe that once a pet has passed away the body is just a shell, you can call your local animal control. They usually have low cost (or no cost) services to dispose of deceased pets. You can also call your veterinarian. You will need to bring your pet to the clinic but then they can arrange for disposal.
Deceased animals cannot be placed in your household bins. If your pet has passed away, you can choose to bury your pet at home in your backyard, or contact a vet or a pet burial or cremation service. Contact your local Waste Management Facility for options.
The top five causes of sudden unexpected death among 151 dogs were, in order, heart disease, toxicosis, gastrointestinal disease, trauma, and hemorrhage not associated with trauma.
This is simply a preference of the family and there's no right or wrong choice. Over ninety percent of pets are cremated and less than ten percent are buried. This cremation rate is significantly higher than the cremation rate of people - about half of people are cremated.
How deep should the hole be? The rule of thumb is to have at least 3 feet of dirt covering the top of the body. For a large dog, a 4 foot deep hole should suffice. Too shallow a grave will allow animals to dig up the remains.
It's not easy and can even give off an unpleasant smell.
The process begins with digging up an area in your yard where you will bury them. Needless to say, this isn't always easy. On top of this, if the remains is only buried superficially, it will give off an unpleasant odour in the air as the body decomposes.