Preplanning Your Pet's Cremation or Burial

The Benefits of Making Final Arrangements Ahead of Time

In a perfect world, our pets would live forever, and we’d never need to think about pet cremation, burial or memorial services. Unfortunately, since immortality is out of reach, the time will come when every pet parent needs to face some tough decisions about their fur-baby’s final arrangements. This is upsetting to think about at any time, but it’s especially hard to consider when you’re already going through intense grief. That’s one reason why preplanning, or making final arrangements for your pet while they’re still healthy, can be such a blessing.

Preplanning funeral arrangements and a final resting place is common for humans. You may already have a plan written for yourself for your loved ones to carry out when your time comes. There’s no reason your furry family members shouldn’t have a similarly detailed plan for their final days. Taking the time to prepare now, while you’re clear-headed and calm, can help you make the choices that best align with your values and the needs of your family. If you know that a pet’s death will be coming soon, you can also make plans with a pet cremation service like Best Friends to arrange the details in advance so that such emotional decisions won’t have to be made on an already difficult day.

Focusing on Your Grief

Losing a pet is never easy. When the time comes, you may find yourself overwhelmed with sadness, especially if your loss was sudden or unexpected. If euthanasia was involved, you may have already had to make a difficult and emotionally fraught decision. Having to decide in the moment what you want to do with your companion’s body can add even more stress to the situation. While grieving and under pressure, you may make a decision you later regret or are unhappy about.

When you preplan for your pet’s final arrangements, you are free from the time constraints of deciding in the moment. You have the space to take a breath, grieve, and allow yourself to experience your loss without having to worry about whether you’re making the best decisions.

Choosing Pet Memorial Services in Advance

If your pet is getting older, it makes sense to think ahead to what will happen when they die. But it’s never too early to plan for that day. When you bring a new puppy or kitten into your life, part of being a good pet parent is looking ahead to see how your companion fits into your life over the next decade or two.

Some things to consider:

• Do you want your pet’s remains to be kept near you? For some people, having a grave they can visit, or ashes safely stored at home, is a comfort. For others, the physical body is a vessel for a spirit that’s no longer present after death. Some people may even find the presence of remains stressful or unpleasant. Think about your feelings regarding this so you can decide if pet burial or cremation is right for you.

 

• Do you own your own property? If you have a home with a large enough yard or garden, home burial is an option. If you choose cremation, you can bury or scatter the ashes at home or choose a different meaningful location. If you live in an apartment or will be moving soon, you might prefer to bring the ashes with you or have them scattered in a dedicated pet cemetery to be able to return to whenever you want.

• Do you want to view your pet’s body after death? Some people find closure in seeing the deceased pet, showing the body to other pets, and giving a final goodbye or brushing before the pet is laid to rest. Others find this too painful and want to preserve positive memories of their pet’s life instead. There’s no wrong answer – but knowing in advance how you’d like the body to be handled and transported, and who you prefer to take care of handling the remains, will help you when the day comes.

It’s okay if your feelings change over time or if you make a different decision in the moment than you thought you might. What is important is that you take some time to think about what you’d like to do now, so you can ease the burden of deciding in the moment when the time comes.

Preparing for the Cost of Losing a Pet

Another important consideration when planning for your pet’s end-of-life care is cost. The cost of final arrangements for your pet will depend on exactly how you would like your furry friend to be memorialized and laid to rest. At Best Friends, we make it easy to plan ahead with our simply priced cremation and memorial options and online prepayment options. Many pet owners find great benefit in paying for cremation and memorial services in advance, so that they don’t have to think about it when they’ve just lost someone they love.

At Best Friends Pet Passings & Cremations, we offer simple, convenient cremation packages with up-front pricing so you can plan accordingly. We’re also here to help you plan and pay for final arrangements and customized keepsake items for up to six months in advance.

As pet parents ourselves, we’ve experienced the pain of losing one of our own, as well as the comfort of knowing everything will be taken care of when we have to say goodbye. If you have any questions about pet cremation and memorial services in the Albuquerque, New Mexico area, or are seeking help with your grief, we are here. Call us at (505) 345-5615 or drop us a note, or stop by in person to speak with a member of our staff.