After 17 years, it's time to say goodbye to my little buddy. Cancer is finally catching up with her and it's time to have her put down.

I realize I can ask my vet tomorrow but I'm up late tonight thinking about this. I was wondering about the local laws regarding pet remains.

Will the vet allow me to take the body home for burial or is that not allowed in Fairfax County? If I need to have her remains cremated, I'll do it but I'd prefer a nice burial spot in the back yard if possible.

Thanks.

*DISPOSAL OF DEAD ANIMALS*
The owner of any animal or fowl which has died is the responsible for having the body cremated or buried. The State Highway Department is responsible for pick-up of dead animals on state right-of-way. Call 703-383-VDOT. Most Animal Shelters will accept small animal carcasses for disposal. In Fairfax County call 703-830-1100.


Looks like you can take the dog

Peter R Wrote:
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> After 17 years, it's time to say goodbye to my
> little buddy. Cancer is finally catching up with
> her and it's time to have her put down.
>
> I realize I can ask my vet tomorrow but I'm up
> late tonight thinking about this. I was wondering
> about the local laws regarding pet remains.
>
> Will the vet allow me to take the body home for
> burial or is that not allowed in Fairfax County?
> If I need to have her remains cremated, I'll do it
> but I'd prefer a nice burial spot in the back yard
> if possible.
>
> Thanks.


Sorry to hear. Sad times for sure.

I've had to go through the same a few times and they've always let me take them home.

Cremated is better than burial in a backyard in my opinion. What will happen to the backyard grave after you move? With cremation, you can have the remains interned with you when your time comes. That way you can be with your little buddy for eternity. I have two little buddies so far that will be interned with me when my times comes.

Yes, absolutely! You have the option of cremation or taking her home. I know how hard this is. The euthanasia is almost instantaneous - which is a blessing. I'm so sorry you have to do this, but it is more humane for your pet.

You can even have the euthanasia performed in-home if you can find a vet who offers that service. It avoids the anxiety of having to leave home and be in a vet's office.

dobiegirl Wrote:
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> Cremated is better than burial in a backyard in my
> opinion. What will happen to the backyard grave
> after you move? With cremation, you can have the
> remains interned with you when your time comes.
> That way you can be with your little buddy for
> eternity. I have two little buddies so far that
> will be interned with me when my times comes.


Sounds like ancient Egypt. In the year 4156 when some future archaeologist digs up your remains they are gonna wonder what the little urns in your coffin are for.

Walk Like an Egyptian Wrote:
----------------------------------------------------------------
> Sounds like ancient Egypt. In the year 4156 when
> some future archaeologist digs up your remains
> they are gonna wonder what the little urns in your
> coffin are for.

We're all gonna be cremated and mixed together. Probably, by the year 4156, someone will have decided to make way for new urns and we will then be in some concrete mix somewhere, still together for eternity.

I am very sorry for your loss. I had to put my first dog to sleep three years ago and I still get very choked up about the whole thing.

Yum, that smells delicious. What's for dinner?

dobiegirl Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Cremated is better than burial in a backyard in my
> opinion. What will happen to the backyard grave
> after you move? With cremation, you can have the
> remains interned with you when your time comes.
> That way you can be with your little buddy for
> eternity. I have two little buddies so far that
> will be interned with me when my times comes.


Totally agree with this poster, I buried my beagle in the yard and then moved ten years later. I'm still kicking myself for that one...The next dogs were cremated and they're still with me.

In many countries, like Indonesia, canines are considered a delicacy. Just season well and cook as desired. A little fava beans and Chianti would make a nice side.

This way your pet will mingle with your body forever.

Michelle and I love to visit the shelter and adopt a free meal every so often. The larger breeds are often hard to adopt, which confuses me since there is so much more to love.

Had to go thru this with several dogs, cats, etc over the years. Its never easy and I feel your anguish. But part of being a responsible pet owner is knowing when it's time to say good bye and free your friend from any pain and fear.

We've always had our cats and dogs cremated and returned to us. Then you can do what you want with the ashes. Of course some of my friends always tell me they are just someone's fireplace ashes and I tell them to shut the fuck up.

Good to know you have compassion.
I have buried the pets, never wanted to hang on to the ashes. called it good, we all die, We are all nothing but shadows and dust.
Don't hang onto physical remains, move on, embrace the love and memories you shared with your pet.
Sorry for your loss.

Stabitha Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Had to go thru this with several dogs, cats, etc
> over the years. Its never easy and I feel your
> anguish. But part of being a responsible pet owner
> is knowing when it's time to say good bye and free
> your friend from any pain and fear.
>
> We've always had our cats and dogs cremated and
> returned to us. Then you can do what you want with
> the ashes. Of course some of my friends always
> tell me they are just someone's fireplace ashes
> and I tell them to shut the fuck up.

It's a fact that some businesses that offer cremation services for pets are less than reputable in the interest of profit. I've read enough stories of cremation fraud, that I personally observed the cremation of my pets and mother to ensure I had what I thought I had. I highly recommend anyone considering having a family member cremated (to include beloved pets) to be present to observe the process and safeguards to ensure no surprises surface in the future. It's comforting to know that what you have is in fact what it is. The crematories get a lot of animals from various sources and it would be very easy and tempting from a profit perspective to take shortcuts. Businesses are only reputable, because their clients demand it. It's best not to fully trust a business in this type of matter.

Get a cheap plastic bong and smoke your pets ashes. This will release your pets inner Chi and you and your doggie will merge as one and romp together in Shangri-La for the rest of eternity.

Fudrucker Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Get a cheap plastic bong and smoke your pets
> ashes. This will release your pets inner Chi and
> you and your doggie will merge as one and romp
> together in Shangri-La for the rest of eternity.


White Nigger.

some info Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> You can even have the euthanasia performed in-home
> if you can find a vet who offers that service. It
> avoids the anxiety of having to leave home and be
> in a vet's office.


Works great for wives as well.

I watched a documentary about the process. You can either have yours done as part of the "community" group of ashes and get ashes back that are likely mixtures of many animals or you can have yours done individually (probably more costly). It takes several hours for the cremation to complete -- quite an interesting process. We had ours done individually, but there is no way to know for sure whether the ashes belong to my dog, but I don't lose sleep over it. I have the memories, the ashes don't do anything for me.


dobiegirl Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Stabitha Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Had to go thru this with several dogs, cats,
> etc
> > over the years. Its never easy and I feel your
> > anguish. But part of being a responsible pet
> owner
> > is knowing when it's time to say good bye and
> free
> > your friend from any pain and fear.
> >
> > We've always had our cats and dogs cremated and
> > returned to us. Then you can do what you want
> with
> > the ashes. Of course some of my friends always
> > tell me they are just someone's fireplace ashes
> > and I tell them to shut the fuck up.
>
> It's a fact that some businesses that offer
> cremation services for pets are less than
> reputable in the interest of profit. I've read
> enough stories of cremation fraud, that I
> personally observed the cremation of my pets and
> mother to ensure I had what I thought I had. I
> highly recommend anyone considering having a
> family member cremated (to include beloved pets)
> to be present to observe the process and
> safeguards to ensure no surprises surface in the
> future. It's comforting to know that what you have
> is in fact what it is. The crematories get a lot
> of animals from various sources and it would be
> very easy and tempting from a profit perspective
> to take shortcuts. Businesses are only reputable,
> because their clients demand it. It's best not to
> fully trust a business in this type of matter.

Pet cremation is not that expensive. Yes, you can go the cheap route and have your pet cremated as part of a group and get a percentage of the ashes, but that's not necessary. The individual pet cremation is not much more expensive and you can also make arrangements to witness the process so you know you've got your pet's ashes.

When my 20+ year old cat stopped eating and drinking, I knew she was shutting down. I called many vets in the area to see how much it would cost to have her put to sleep. There is a wide range of prices out there for this service. One place told me $650! I ended up going to Parkway Animal Hospital in Burke. They charged $35 and I was able to take my cat home. They were very nice and allowed me to have as much time as I needed to say goodbye. When the time came, I was able to hold her as the vet administered the shot. Within 5 seconds, she was gone. I carried her out in her bed and we buried her in our back yard. Parkway even sent us a sympathy card about a week later. My husband went to Home Depot and bought a plastic, water proof tool box and we placed the cat in the tool box and buried her. My kids wrote goodbye messages on the box with sharpies before the cat was taken to Parkway. It was a very sad day and we still miss the cat after two years. So call around for prices....some places play on your emotions and figure the can charge high rates. Hope this helps.

Company: FFXU Crematorial Services
Mission: Pets to Ashes while you wait
Reasonably priced. Bulk discounts available.

An opportunity such as this cannot be passed up.

I could be wrong but I'm right 99% of the time

Shop Around Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> My husband went to Home Depot and bought a
> plastic, water proof tool box and we placed the
> cat in the tool box and buried her.

Glad your experience went well, but the above is what I don't get. Hopefully this won't be offensive.

I've buried three pets on my property. I've got over a half acre and can put them in the wooded area towards the back. However I do recognize that at some point down the road it is possible some future owner is going to disturb that area. No matter how you dispose of the carcas, it is going to break down over time. How quickly this happens depends on how it is disposed of. I figure if my pets' bodies break down quickly and thoroughly, they are less likely to be a problem for the future owner. So for me a burial arrangement that lets microbes, maggots and worms and water and heat get to the body is better than a burial arrangement which is going to rely solely on the fauna already in the animal's body.

I can see where a plastic container might be preferable if you expected to dig up the pet's body when you move, although cremation offers the same advantage. So why the container?

Bill.N. Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Shop Around Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > My husband went to Home Depot and bought a
> > plastic, water proof tool box and we placed the
> > cat in the tool box and buried her.
>
> Glad your experience went well, but the above is
> what I don't get. Hopefully this won't be
> offensive.
>
> I've buried three pets on my property. I've got
> over a half acre and can put them in the wooded
> area towards the back. However I do recognize
> that at some point down the road it is possible
> some future owner is going to disturb that area.
> No matter how you dispose of the carcas, it is
> going to break down over time. How quickly this
> happens depends on how it is disposed of. I
> figure if my pets' bodies break down quickly and
> thoroughly, they are less likely to be a problem
> for the future owner. So for me a burial
> arrangement that lets microbes, maggots and worms
> and water and heat get to the body is better than
> a burial arrangement which is going to rely solely
> on the fauna already in the animal's body.
>
> I can see where a plastic container might be
> preferable if you expected to dig up the pet's
> body when you move, although cremation offers the
> same advantage. So why the container?


You're missing the point. she did it because the cat was with them for 20 years, It was part of the family. what the fuck would the kids think if you chucked the cat in a hole and just started dumping dirt on the cat.
It's obvious they loved the cat. They wanted to make sure the cat of 20 years was treated with respect.

To Bill.N - I'm not offended about your comment regarding the box. The reason we placed the cat in the water tight tool box was so other animals would not smell a rotting carcass and dig her up. When we made the decision that she was suffering too much, that's when I called and shopped around for prices from various animal hospitals. My husband went out to the far corner of our backyard and dug a 4+ foot hole. Our kids were at school and when they got home, we told them the cat was going to be put to sleep. My husband placed the tool box with a sharpie on top of it for us to write goodbye messages. He was the first one to do so and after a while, we all wrote many messages to her on the box. He then took the cat to the vet and when he got home, he placed the cat wrapped in blankets into the box without us seeing him doing so. He placed the box in the ground and then told us to come outside for her "funeral". We said lots of nice things and then I took the kids inside while he covered her up. If and when we move, we will probably take her with us, so she won't be a problem for anyone. We ended up adopting another cat from the animal shelter who was 12 years old at the time we adopted her. She is a great cat and when it's her time, we will bury her the same way.

To "have a heart" thank you for your understanding and compassion.

I've had my pets cremated at Sunset in Alexandria. They also offer urns, of which I have two cat-shaped ones for the ashes. They're both now in the china closet, wearing the collars they wore in life. Even though this is our long-term home, I know we'll move someday so I won't bury them here. This summer, when we take a ride out to Skyline Drive, I'll walk into the woods, dig a hole, and put them there. The Blue Ridge Mountains will be the best headstone I could imagine.

(OTOH, if I die first, my wife may have me creamated and buried behind the garden shed. I'd ask that she place the cat ashes with me.)

My vet did not charge anything for euthanizing our cat.

Sorry for your loss - putting down a loyal pet is one of the most difficult acts of love I have ever experienced. It just plain sucks.

3 of our cats have died or been put down over the years and we paid to have them creamated. We moved and I brought 2 with us. The other one loved our old back yard so I spread his ashes there - it seemed fitting.

They live in your heart and memories now - the physical remains are, in my opinion, not them anymore. On a lighter note I have had my mother-in-law's ashes in a box on the book shelf for 10 years. Its definitely weird toting her around when we move but whatever...

Had to put down four cats over time and I would absolutely go for the in-home euthanasia. Better for the pet in the short term and better for yourself emotionally..

Killing your four cats just because you don't have the time to care for them is terrible.

You should be a more responsible pet owner.

It is illegal in ffx to bury your pet or any animal in your yard. Just food for thought.

Ode - what is the Ffx county law code that says it is illegal to bury in backyard???

Read fairfax county.gov site, it is legal and the site provides guidelines to follow.

Garage+car+ garden hose= Bob's your uncle.

Fairfax libtards are more concerned with proper pet burial than any concern regarding the babies they support being murdered.

Liberalism is really taking a stretch here.

More concern if Fido's corpse drains into a storm sewer and causes pollution over that of the innocent lives they support being murdered that never grew up to enjoy a pet.

Liberalism is a mental disorder.
Attachments:

You can take your little friend home after the vet eases the suffering, and bury the remains yourself. Pick a place that will never be disturbed for the interment.

I suggest a National Park or Forest. I know that it is against the policy of the parks/forests do bury a dog or cat, but if you do it quietly no one needs to know. Pick a place near a pretty tree or something that suggests peace and comfort to do the burial.

Although I have never lost a pet, or needed to go through the process of selecting a place to bury a pet - I did need to dispose of the bodies some workers that met with a untimely death.

I'm sorry about your pup! We buried our dog on our suburban property. Be sure to spread garden lime over the body as it will help speed the decomposition process and deter any scavenger animals. And bury your friend at least 3-4 feet deep. Good luck. I know I feel much better knowing my beloved pet is on our grounds!

Ran into this old thread while looking into this myself. Found this link to the county site:

http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dpwes/trash/animal.htm

We're allowed to bring them home and bury them.