The Pet Tree House - Where Pets Are Family Too : Do You Know What To Do When Your Pet Has Died at Home? The Pet Tree House - Where Pets Are Family Too : Do You Know What To Do When Your Pet Has Died at Home?

Saturday, September 8, 2018

Do You Know What To Do When Your Pet Has Died at Home?


Do you know what to do when your pet has died at home? A recent incident that happened in the Dale City area of Northern Virginia has prompted me to share this story with you.

In February, 2011, I allowed my little Shih Tzu, Domino, who had cancer to die at home. I was with him when he crossed over. I had already made preparations because I knew his time was near. The animal hospital a few miles away had told me that if he passed and they were closed (they close at 6:00 p.m.) that I should take him to a 24 hour animal hospital immediately.


Domino passed about 4:00 p.m. My husband wrapped him in a blanket and we took him to the animal hospital, where they immediately took him to the back to prepare him. I had already planned for cremation. I received his urn a week later, and his urn now sits in my curio cabinet next to his sister, Sugar.


Cremation for a pet can be very expensive, especially if the pet is big. Domino was down to about 8 pounds when he passed. His sister, Sugar crossed over in 2008, she was about 12 pounds so of course, it cost me more to have her cremated.


Everyone can not afford pet cremations…and some don’t choose to do so. Some bury them in their backyards.


In the case in Northern Virginia, the pet owner tried to cremate his dog himself in his yard and set his house on fire.


Firefighters say Charles Harris was trying to cremate his 11-year-old Rottweiler in the backyard of his Dale City home. Authorities said he used gasoline to get the fire going, but it quickly spread to his home.


The Associate Press reports that the man tried to get several animal shelters to help him dispose of his dog’s body, but they all told him the Rottweiler was too large.


Firefighters have not said how extensively the home was damaged. No injuries were reported.


If you have this situation, please do not try and cremate your pet in your yard. Consider contacting your Vet, animal control, animal hospitals and animal shelters.


Please have this conversation with your Vet while your pet is alive to get an idea of what you should do when the time comes, especially if you have big pets. Also, for more information on what to do, click here: What to Do if Your Dog Dies at Home  or What do you do if your cat dies in your house? What do you do with the body? 


FOLLOW US!
/