Losing a dog is hard, and figuring out what to do with their body can feel overwhelming. If you’re trying to decide between pet cremation services or pet burial, both are options to handle your pet’s remains with care. But for most people, cremation is the more practical choice because:
- Cremation is the only safe option if your dog was euthanized or had cancer treatments, due to the chemicals left in the body.
- Cremation doesn’t come with burial restrictions or inadvertently conflict with local laws.
- Cremation allows you to keep your pet’s ashes with you, no matter where life takes you.
- Cremation offers more flexibility for a memorial service or final resting place with less restrictions, when the cremains are scattered.
- Cremating a pet avoids having to store the deceased body and the urgency for its care
- Cremation avoids the difficulty associated with finding an appropriate resting place and digging a hole, which can be made especially hard depending on the season, weathe,r and ground conditions.
Here’s what to consider when making your decision.
Cremation Is the Only Option If Your Dog Was Euthanized or Had Certain Treatments
If your dog was euthanized, received chemotherapy, or had other medical treatments, cremation is the safest option.
- Euthanasia drugs remain in the body and can be toxic to wildlife and the environment.
- Burial may contaminate soil and groundwater if not done under strict conditions.
- Many cities prohibit burying euthanized pets for this reason.
Even if home burial is allowed, it can pose a risk to other animals if disturbed. Cremation eliminates these concerns.
Burial Comes With Legal Restrictions—Cremation Doesn’t
If you want to bury a pet’s body, you may run into legal restrictions depending on where you live. Some states and cities don’t allow pet burials at home, while others require specific guidelines:
- Minimum burial depth (often 3+ feet) to prevent scavenging.
- Restrictions on distance from water sources to avoid contamination.
- Prohibitions in urban areas where home burial isn’t allowed at all.
Pet cemeteries are an option, but they come with plot costs, maintenance fees, and limited access to visit.
Cremation avoids these issues. There are no rules about keeping or scattering ashes, so you can choose any meaningful location without restrictions.
Cremation Lets You Keep Your Dog With You—Burial Doesn’t
One of the biggest benefits of cremation is that you don’t have to leave your dog behind if you move.
- You can keep the ashes in an urn at home and/or place them in a keepsake such as made into or a portion kept in specially made jewelry.
- If you prefer, you can scatter the ashes in a favorite spot like the beach, a hiking trail or backyard.
- Witnessed cremation may be possible if you prefer to watch your pet placed into the crematory. Cremation lets you choose how to remember your dog, no matter where life takes you.
With burial:
- If you move, the burial site stays behind.
- If buried in a pet cemetery, visits depend on their hours and location.
- Home burials sites can become inaccessible over time due to new owners or property changes.
Cremation ensures that your dog stays with you, even if your circumstances change.
Cremation Offers More Options Than Burial
There are 2 types of cremation:
- Private cremation (AKA individual cremation) – Your dog is cremated alone in a cremation chamber, and you receive the ashes.
- Communal cremation – A lower-cost option where multiple pets are cremated together (ashes aren’t returned).
Burial in a pet designated pet cemetery often costs significantly more due to:
- Cemetery plot fees
- Caskets and headstones
- Ongoing maintenance costs
If you choose home burial, the costs may be lower, but you still need to follow local regulations and consider the long-term impact if you move.
Cremation gives you more control over costs and how you choose to remember your dog.
Aquamation: A More Environmentally-Friendly Type of Cremation
If you’re looking for a greener alternative, some crematories like us at Compassionate Care offer pet aquamation (also called water, bio-, eco-friendly cremation as well as alkaline-hydrolysis) instead of flame cremation.
- Aquamation uses water and an alkaline solution instead of fire.
- It has much lower environmental impact than both burial and flame cremation.
- It still provides cremains that you can keep or scatter, just like flame-based cremation.
Burial may seem natural, but it can require land, contribute to soil disruption, and pose contamination and wildlife and domestic animal poisoning risks if the pet had medications in their system.
Aquamation is a great alternative if sustainability is a priority for you.
When Burial Might Be the Right Choice
While cremation is the more practical option for most pet owners, some people prefer burial for personal, cultural, or environmental reasons. Here are a few reasons why burial might be the right choice for you:
A Dedicated Final Resting Place
Some pet owners find comfort in having a permanent burial site where they can visit, reflect, and leave mementos. A pet cemetery or a designated home burial spot provides a physical place to grieve, similar to a memorial service for a human family member.
If having a specific location to visit is important to you, burial may be worth considering.
A Natural Return to the Earth
For those who prefer an entirely natural process, burial allows a pet’s body to decompose over time and return to the soil. Some people feel this aligns better with environmental values or personal beliefs.
However, it’s important to check local laws to ensure home burial is allowed and follow any guidelines for depth and location to prevent contamination and poisoning of wildlife or other domestic animals.
Religious or Cultural Preferences
Certain religious or cultural traditions favor burial over cremation, seeing it as a more respectful or spiritually significant way to lay a family member to rest. If your faith or personal beliefs emphasize burial, this may be a deciding factor.
Additional FAQs About Pet Cremation and Burial
What if my dog is too large to bury at home?
For large dog breeds like Great Danes, Saint Bernards, Mastiffs, or German Shepherds, home burial can be extremely challenging.
- A larger dog requires a much deeper and wider grave (often 4+ feet deep), which can be difficult to dig without professional equipment.
- Digging a grave large enough can be physically exhausting, especially in rocky, clay-based, or frozen soil.
- Some areas have strict local laws that prohibit pet burials of a certain size or require specific depth regulations.
- If you have limited yard space, burial may not be feasible, especially in urban or suburban neighborhoods.
For large dogs, cremation services provide a far more practical option, eliminating the difficulties of finding a suitable burial spot in a time-sensitive situation while still allowing you to keep or scatter their ashes in a meaningful way.
Can I get my dog’s paw print if I choose cremation?
Yes. A paw print keepsake must be made before cremation, so it’s important to request one ahead of time. Many cremation services offer:
- Clay or ink paw prints
- Engraved paw prints on urns or memorial plaques
- Customized keepsakes with their paw print
If you’d like a paw print, let your funeral home or crematory know when making arrangements.
Can I still have a pet memorial service if I choose cremation?
Yes! You can always hold a memorial service at home, at a pet-friendly location, or even as part of the scattering process.
What are my options for keeping my pet’s cremains?
After a private cremation, you’ll receive your pet’s ashes in an urn or a return container. Some people:
- Keep the cremains in a special urn at home.
- Scatter the cremains in a favorite outdoor location.
- Use their pet’s cremains in memorial jewelry or keepsakes.
How We Can Help
At Compassionate Care, we’ve helped Portland pet owners since 2009.
If you’re facing difficult decisions about your dog or cat’s end-of-life care in the Portland metro area, give us a call. We’ll guide you through the process and help make this time a little easier.
