Many people think about burying their pet in the backyard, but this isn’t always the most dependable or safest choice.
It puts the community and the environment at risk, and it makes you susceptible to suffering a second loss in the event that you move or a natural disaster occurs.
The reasons why you shouldn’t bury your pet in the backyard are discussed below, along with alternative options you have for providing a peaceful final resting place for your furry friend.
How Much Does It Cost To Bury Your Pet In A Pet Cemetery?
This may all depend on your residence and cemetery choice. Depending on the casket you select and the additional services you desire, such as a memorial service, a headstone, a paw print keepsake, etc., the average cost ranges from $500 to $5,000+.
Why Not to Bury Your Pet in Your Yard
According to blog site theconversation.com, backyard burial may seem like the easiest way to take care of your pet’s remains and keep them close by, but it can be dangerous for other pets and wildlife.
Most pets are put to sleep with an extremely concentrated drug – pentobarbital – that stays in the body for up to a year. If your pets gravesite is disturbed by construction, water, or other means and is then eaten, it can make any animal that consumes it very ill or cause death.
Also, if your pet dies from a disease which could be spread to other animals or people, the body might also pose a risk. Diseases like parvovirus can spread quickly among dogs. If a mouse or bird is able to disturb the remains of your pet in either one of those situations, and another pet has contact with them, this can mean serious issues for the next animal. No one wants that to happen.
5 Reasons Burying Your Pet in Your Backyard Is a Bad Idea
Here are five reasons it is not a good idea to bury your pet in your backyard:
Your pet may be dug up by neighborhood pets or by wild animals if you bury them in your backyard. As pets decompose, they emit gases other animals can smell. Some hunting dogs are trained specifically to locate and communicate information about objects below the earth’s surface. If they are able to, animals like dogs and foxes will dig up a buried pet.
Resurfacing becomes a particular issue if the pet had a contagious disease or received euthanasia. Euthanasia generally involves a concentrated anesthetic drug, pentobarbital, that can linger in a deceased pet’s body for up to a year. If another animal digs up your pet and comes into contact with the drug, it could become sick or die. And if your pet died of a contagious illness like parvovirus, that illness could infect other animals and spread through the neighborhood pet community.
After a lot of rain, a pet that was buried in your backyard might come back to life. The same health risks to other animals are present from a pet that emerges during flooding.
More importantly, witnessing your deceased pet being swept away by floodwaters or washed up after them could be extremely upsetting.
A dead animal can contaminate the soil it touches with bacteria. After that, the contamination seeps into the groundwater, where it can spread to other places. Other people or animals could get very sick if they come in contact with the contaminated soil or water.
Because of the health and safety issues outlined above, backyard pet burial is illegal in some cities and states. Check with local authorities to determine what regulations apply to you. If you bury a pet in violation of local ordinances, you could risk fines. And even if backyard burial is allowed in your state, regulations may govern how soon, how deep and how far from groundwater you must bury your pet.
FAQ
How do you dispose of a dead dog in Texas?
Coping with the Death of Your Pet The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals of Texas (SPCA of Texas) provides counseling to those who are mourning the loss of a beloved companion animal. Their phone number is 214-461-5131. You can get in touch with the Health Department between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and noon if your pet has passed away. m. and 5:00 p. m.
What do you do when a pet dies in Texas?
There are no national laws regarding pet burial. However, as long as you take certain precautions ahead of time, you will generally avoid any legal repercussions if you want to bury your pet yourself at home or on your property after losing a beloved companion animal.
Can dogs be buried at home?
The general rule is to have at least 3 feet of dirt covering the top of the body when digging a hole. A 4 foot deep hole should be sufficient for a large dog. If the grave is too shallow, animals may be able to dig up the remains.