Macabre question....

[kcornel4]

We have the urns of our dogs, cats, and my Arabian stallion in a cabinet in the family room. For all but my horse, we have paw prints, collars and a favourite toy with each. For my horse, there is a lock of his mane on top of his urn. It does attract attention from some guests, but leads to telling stories and warm remembrances. No one has said (at least to our face) they think it is bizarre...

[maryw]

I have three of my dogs on the mantle (two Danes and one Lab). The lab and one Dane have been there about 3-4 years and the other Dane has been there for almost a year. I think about spreading the ashes by a tree in the yard but I hate the thought they will be there when I move sometime in the future. I told my neice that when my husband and I die to spread our ashes and the dogs ashes together. (We don't have any of our own kids.) Although I hope this isn't for many decades yet!!!

Tough decision on what to do...

[bringmetoast]

My brother and I each had a lab when we were younger. They were both cremated and we buried their tins at our family cabin up in the mountains. We had spread my grandma's ashes there but decided to bury the dogs under a tree, together. I made a little headstone and carved their initials into the wood.

Since then, my mom has 2 dogs pass. One was killed but the other she has the ashes for. She hasn't decided where to put Gus yet. She actually also has the ashes of my chihuahua too. I was going to bury her at the cabin as well but then I decided maybe not. She will probably just end up sitting somewhere in our house.

My mom suggested burying the ashes in my yard, but I won't live in this house forever so I don't want to bury anyone and leave them. The cabin is family property and always will be so I have no worries there.

[stephanie0013]

I have kept the ashes of my two past dogs. I keep them in my room on top of my dresser. It has three shelves and they are way at the top. You can see them if you glance up but they are not in your face or eye level. This way they are still with me but they don't draw attention from everyone else.

[WeLoveOur7Dogs]

I have the ashes from my very first dane in a cabinet. The rest we've had cremated and spread through the corn fields that surround our Vet's office. I knew I'd have a whole room full of urns if I kept keeping them all. I wish we lived in the country, I'd bury them in our yard and mark it with a special plant or tree.

[myboy]

My lab is in his favorite river in a nature center we used to walk. I took a pix of the bridge, and of his ashes in river (which actually looks cool). People comment the great pix.

[maggiemay98]

I have 9 urns lining my dresser (8 dogs and 1 bunny). Maybe it's creepy, but I like them being here with me. My family knows that when I die I want to be creamated and they can mix all of us together and scatter the ashes somewhere nice.

[zoocrew]

I haven't (yet) had to bury anything larger than my rats so can't really comment on what to do with the ashes. I haven't decided what I will do when that time comes. I have seen those ads in magazines (such as Dog Fancy) that say they can make diamonds/jewels of the ashes. I think that's an interesting concept that I am considering. One could make a necklace with multiple settings or if you have a large quantity of ashes, I suppose one large stone.

As for my smaller critters.............I've buried them at several homes. 3 hamsters at the home I grew up in, one cockatiel at my parents current home and marked it with a cross. I actually brought her all the way from Ca b/c I couldn't bear to bury her there when we would be moving a month later. My parents have quite the pet cemetary on their property although its getting quite crowded now as its on a small hillside next to the barn. They'll have to start a new one soon. At our last home I had 2 rats, 2 canaries, and my chinese water dragon buried. The current owners did a HUGE amount of landscaping, I really hope they did not disturb anyone's resting place, I tried to bury them in areas that one would not normally plant anything, although I did plant a rose near Francis (chinese water dragon).

[DaneFolly]

When it was time to euthanize my first dog, I really didn't know what to do or what my options were. I've mentioned before that I come from a family of ranchers and dogs were loved, but largely regarded as a necessary tool even more than a pet to love. Usually when a dog was euthanized it was left at the vet's office (my parents are the first non-ranching generation, and adore their dogs, but still do this). So when I said goodbye to my girl I left her body with the vet to dispose of - I regret this every time I think about her, and feel enormously guilty about it. I put her tag on my keychain and still carry it with me (which is more than my family would have ever thought to do), but I feel that I let her down, even though I know when I see her at the Rainbow Bridge she won't hold it against me. If I had it to do over I would have scattered the majority of her ashes and kept a small amount to have mixed with my own when I pass. I think you have to do whatever gives you peace, and if that's keeping the urns than more power to you! I can say first hand that doing or not doing something in this regard just because it's what your parents expect/would do will haunt you.

[RustyNail]

When I picked up my cat's ashes it was two days before Christmas. The little box looked a lot like a present so I stuck it in the Chrismas tree since she would usually climb up in it anyhow. Eventually I did bury her ashes in my own pet cemetary in the yard. If I didnt have the option of burying pets here i would probably very discreetly spread their ashes out in the park. There is no right or wrong answer--just do what feels right!