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How to Cremate a Pet at Home and Do It Right, written by Phil Hawn
I know you don't want to think about it, but the lovable little fur balls, or those without fur
will eventually need to be laid to rest when it gets to this stage, after everyone that loved them has been able to say goodbye
It's time to think about what to do with the remains. Cremation is possibly the most sanitary and space-saving method to dispose of the deceased pet
not to mention the added benefit of being able to store them in your house if you want, as with any veterinary service
Cremation will cost a certain amount of money. So is there a way for you to do it yourself
Using a large barrel and starting a fire containing your pet and adding flammable stump remover to generate the appropriate heat about 1500 degrees Fahrenheit
will enable you to cremate most pets, unless you have a large open space capable of containing a large open flame
You should not cremate your pet at home if you want to know if cremation at home is the right thing to do
and want to learn how to keep listening. Is it possible for me to cremate my pet at home
Something many people may not realize about cremation is that burning any animal's body down to only ash
requires a very high temperature, around 1500 degrees Fahrenheit. This is because the bones will need this extra heat to burn versus the rest of the remains of the animal
Bones are made out of somewhat different organic material and need some extra treatment
even though you are unable to just have a campfire and cremate your pet
It is still possible to cremate your pet at home. The way to do this is to find a chemical compound ash
When it is ignited, it will burn very hot and will get you the temperature you need
likely the easiest chemical of this nature to get a hold of would be potassium nitrate
Potassium nitrate can be found in stump remove for removing tree stumps
which you can buy at most hardware stores. What animals can be cremated
This might not be such an obvious answer as I'm sure that most of us have not had a lot of experience
with cremating animals at this point. However, since animals, like humans, are all made from generally the same materials
just about any animal you could have as a pet, will be eligible for a cremation
The only restriction that may come up with this issue would be the size of the animal
If you are looking to cremate a horse or even a very large dog and you don't have the space for a rather large fire
it may not be a good idea to attempt a cremation at home. How long will it take to cremate your pet
Of course, this largely depends on the size of your pet and also the heat you are able to generate in your homemade crematorium
Based on industry standards, you can find the rough time in below. However, I would suggest you add some extra time to account for your less efficient setup
Pet cremation time. Small dog 30-45 minutes. Large dog 1-3 hours. Cats 30-45 minutes
Fish rodents and reptiles 30-45 minutes. Horses 6-10 hours. If you have a reptile, please read my article on cremating turtles and other reptiles
Perhaps you have a hamster or other small rodents. If so, you will find my full article on cremating these types of pets useful
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Thank you. And now back to the reading of this article. Is my home right for performing a cremation
In case it wasn't obvious, no. You should not try to cremate your pet inside your home
You will need to have an outdoor space large enough to maintain a rather large open flame
Certainly, you should not be doing this within a condo complex as you may get a hefty fine and the fire department called on you
So, I think this is really a pursuit for rural folk or ones with a sizable backyard
Ideally, you should have an open backyard with plenty of space to perform the procedure
Shades and bushes at least 20 feet from the flame. If you are in doubt of whether your backyard is suitable
you should consult your local fire department and they should be able to come and have a look at your spot to see if it will be safe to use
Is it legal? While it may be frowned upon among animal lovers as it might not be the most gentle way to lay your pet to rest
it is completely legal to cremate your pet on your own. And the thing is it doesn't have to be disrespectful at all
If you want to be with your pet as they are returned to the stardust they were made from, then this can be quite a moving experience
The fact that there are no laws against it may indicate that it's not a distasteful process at all
Having said that, you will need to do it in a safe manner in order not to cause damage to you or your neighbor's property
How do I prepare the deceased pet? Since pets often die unexpectedly
and as you will need to prepare the necessary materials, it is a good idea to keep the remains from decomposing too quickly
Decay, just like with all living things, will start to set in almost immediately after death
and certainly take hold rapidly within the first 24 to 48 hours
The best thing to do when keeping your animal after it dies is to put it in a sealed plastic bag if you can get one big enough for your pet
If your animal is a bit too big, you could use a garbage bag. Then put it into a freezer to keep it from decaying until you are ready to proceed with cremation
A big basement deep freeze is your best friend here. But just for hygiene's sake, try to empty it out before placing a rather large animal in there
There are other methods you can use from dry ice to using air conditioning
which I've discussed in another article here aimed at preserving humans. But the process is much the same
What is the process of cremation? After your pet has died, it is important to get the body frozen as soon as possible to avoid a tricky situation
With the onset of decomposition as mentioned above, After that, it is important to make sure the area that you will be using meets the fire code for your city and neighborhood
To make sure, it is always best to check with your local fire department, but for some general guidelines, you can look at a site like the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Next, it is time to gather the materials you need. This will include a metal container or a barrel large enough to burn your animal in
The inside of an old dryer is commonly used. Charcoal to keep your fire burning long enough
A lot of potassium nitrate, depending on the size of your animal
Most commonly found in gunpowder, but for these purposes, it is best to use stump remover
This will create the heat that you need. A lot of burnable wood and kindling
A metal pan for collecting the ashes. A sledgehammer or heavy tool to crush remaining bones
When you have all of your tools needed, you can then set up your metal container in an open, safe area
Place your deceased pet on top of the metal pan and place some wood and charcoal around it
Then proceed to put the burnable wood on top and around the animal. Cover the entire fire generously with stump remover and a bit of charcoal leader fluid
Once this is finished, you can then stand as far back as you can and set the contents on fire
Keep the fire going as long as you need to get your pet to completely reduce to ashes
This may take a while and need some additions of more wood and stump remover
Be prepared to see some bone fragments remaining in the pan. Often from the thicker bones
These will need to be crushed and should be done before they cool fully. Then after the fire has cooled, then you can remove the bottom pan
You should have the cremated remains of your pet. Then you can store your pet's ashes in whatever you wish to preserve the memory of the animal
What should I do with ashes? After you have collected your pet in an appropriate container, such as this urn which you can pick up on Amazon
you can always get creative. It is common for people to keep their beloved pet's ashes inside in a plant pot
or perhaps in their backyard in a nice garden memorial, which are pretty affordable on Amazon too
Perhaps even scattering the ashes somewhere the pet really enjoyed would be a nice gesture
Anything that will help you be more at peace with the death of the pet is suitable
Another great option is to get the ashes made into a permanent piece of jewelry
You should check out the beautiful handcrafted pieces Mark Hamilton makes with cremains by visiting his site here
If you want to pick up a quality urn or memorial for your beloved pet, I would really recommend One World Memorial which offers a wide range of products for both pet and human memorials
I was personally very happy with an urn I bought from them recently. So should you really cremate your own pet
So, as we've seen, cremating almost any size pet is both possible or legal throughout the United States
However, that still doesn't mean you should do it, even if you have all the right tools and the right setup
Remember this is your best friend, your companion for perhaps many years
If you have a sensitive constitution, you may not wish the last images of your pet being those of a cremation pyre
So, seriously consider the emotional as well as the financial costs of doing this before you proceed
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