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Just A (difficult) Question...

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MerryPip

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This might have been more appropriate in the Rainbow Bridge section but I just wanted to know what people's experiences were with cremation when they have lost a piggy. I have always buried my boys but find it the hardest thing in the world to do. I hate the idea that they are outside alone in the cold and really struggle to not just go back out and bring them in again....

I am thinking that next time I want to get them cremated but I don't know. H and Fraoch are so close I'd love them to be 'together' when the inevitable happens and that would be easier if they were cremated but equally I don't want to accumulate a little stack of boxes of ashes on my shelf (which is very likely as we like to rehome older piggies...) Any thoughts or experiences welcome. I always have plenty of photos and iusually have some pages in my scrapbook as a memento so not so worried about something to keep.

Also I work away from home most of the week, most weeks so the chances are most of the boys will pass away when I am not there but I want to be able to say goodbye to them before we have them cremated or buried. I'm not sure how feasible this is :( When my beautiful Stru died I was coming home the next day so it wasn't an issue but it could easily be 3-4 days til I was home....

I don't know what's the best way to make this hard time easier, all I know is I am not sure I can do the burial thing again but thoughts and ideas are welcome!

(Sorry for the morbid post but we talk a lot about future planning, piggy and person in our house as OH is a geriatrics doctor and we have geriatric piggies :) )
 
I decided to have my pigs cremated for 2 reasons, firstly I live in a rented property, couldn't bear the thought of not being able to take them if I ever left. Secondly they have always lived inside and I couldn't think of them outside and all alone. When they come back from that final journey they come home in a scatter pouch(unsealed) and because we have 10 rainbow pigs I have a single large urn into which the individual pouches have gone. I find the thought of cremation a lot easier than burial, they are all at home where they belong and they are all resting together. Sad it may be but it is my way of getting through a difficult time. The crematorium I use allow you to visit before they are cremated. I have never used this option I say my goodbyes at the vets. x
 
We've always buried ours in a section of the garden we call the Pets' Corner. My hubby always digs a grave and we then have a little ceremony but it's so hard. Also, we have an elderly bunch of piggies and are thinking of moving in the next few years, so we've been thinking about cremation too as we have to be practical. I saw a thread today where a member has decorated boxes to house her piggies' ashes. It got me thinking about it all again.
 
We've always buried ours in a section of the garden we call the Pets' Corner. My hubby always digs a grave and we then have a little ceremony but it's so hard. Also, we have an elderly bunch of piggies and are thinking of moving in the next few years, so we've been thinking about cremation too as we have to be practical. I saw a thread today where a member has decorated boxes to house her piggies' ashes. It got me thinking about it all again.
That was exactly what made me think about it..... We know our lads aren't going to last forever as they are all 4 or over so just want to think through our options. It's such a struggle and such an emotional time I wanted to plan before I get there if you know what I mean....

Maybe we could sprinkle their ashes in the garden with the rest of the gang (we are also a bit full with 5 piggies already in flower beds so not space to keep doing this indefinitely or we will have no space for flowers!) which might be easier on my feelings than burial...
 
Know what you mean -we have 4 piggies, 2 budgies and a hamster in our corner -at this rate we'll need a whole border. I think forward planning is the key - I can't think straight when I'm upset so I think if I can make the decisions ahead of time it will alleviate the stress a little when the time comes.
We've already sorted our own arrangements for ourselves in our Wills so it's a natural step to plan for the piggies too.
 
When I lost my first pig (and the only pig I've lost) I had him cremated. He became really ill and was put to sleep in the vets so I asked them to cremate him. I liked the thought of having him in my room looking over the other pigs.

However. We lost 4 of our bunnies in a very short space of time due to various reasons. We have each of them individually wrapped in their own towel but buried in the same box in the garden together. Because we lost them so close together, we dug up the box so they could all live together in there (which some people might find 'strange' or 'gross') but it made us feel better knowing they were all together, even when passed. Having 4 bunnies cremated would have been very expensive, which is another reason we went for a burial together.

I would love to choose cremation every time though. I like the thought of being able to take them with me if I had to leave.
 
I have just recently buried my fifth piggie (Clyde) in my back garden. I would have buried Suzie last summer but the ground was rock hard. I think cremating them and taking them with you (if you move) is a nice idea. Unfortunately, it just costs too much for me. Suzie's cremation (done by my Vets' practice) cost just over £100.
 
Cost has certainly been a thought for me as a space in the garden is free but if it's the right thing to do for us then cost isn't a big problem. Interested to know what the costs are though. I had pieces from someone else local who uses a local pet crematorium who have been good. It's also the same one my vets use.
 
When I lost my Buddy I was so upset I didn't know what to do (he didn't survive an operation) I went to pick him up from the vets & was just handed him in a box, no one talked about any options so we buried him in my garden. Only problem is I now rent that place out and have to ask my tenants not to dig in that particular spot which is awkward (but not as awkward as them digging there).

Bea was pts earlier this year after her ill health got the better of her. I decided to get her cremated and her ashes returned. I did some research and decided to buy a plant that flowers jan-march time as she was pts in jan. The idea is that every year when it flowers it will be a reminder of her. She's still in my garden without the fear of being dug up and I have my constant reminder.

I've attached some photos of the box which contained the little pouch for her ashes, as well as her plant. I think in future I would do this again as I've found this much more comforting.
 

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I have all my animals cremated as we have no garden. At our vets it costs about £47 for an individual cremation where we get their ashes back. I think price does tend to vary though. We have an expensive few months ahead as our group of 8 robos are getting very old and frail. I have absolutely loads of little wooden boxes sadly. Sometimes I put something in their box with them that is special. Nigel has a sachet of Dioralyte (his favourite) and part of his fleecy blanket.
 
Sorry it flowers around march-April but from jan it gets covered in these red buds as seen in the photo then opens into white flowers
 
I personally have my boys cremated and returned to me. The reason I do this is I can't bare the thought of burying them and moving house. I am at that point in time where eventually I will get my own home, being a 25 year old young adult. I don't like the thought of leaving them behind so i have them cremated and they sit on a shelf in my room with a photo of each of them, a little guardian angel statue and a rose hair piece that looks like a real flower.

I keep them in their bonded pairings. Ludwig is in a casket with Gilbert. Matthew I haven't gotten his ashes yet but as soon as I get htem I have asked my dad to put up a shelf for me and I will have it in the guinea pig room nearby Romano's cage so they are technically still close.
 
When I lost my Buddy I was so upset I didn't know what to do (he didn't survive an operation) I went to pick him up from the vets & was just handed him in a box, no one talked about any options so we buried him in my garden. Only problem is I now rent that place out and have to ask my tenants not to dig in that particular spot which is awkward (but not as awkward as them digging there).

Bea was pts earlier this year after her ill health got the better of her. I decided to get her cremated and her ashes returned. I did some research and decided to buy a plant that flowers jan-march time as she was pts in jan. The idea is that every year when it flowers it will be a reminder of her. She's still in my garden without the fear of being dug up and I have my constant reminder.

I've attached some photos of the box which contained the little pouch for her ashes, as well as her plant. I think in future I would do this again as I've found this much more comforting.
That's gorgeous!

I really like that idea. I am happy to bury or sprinkle their ashes in the garden and all the boys have an ornament or plant in their 'spot' (helps with the digging up risk too). Maybe this is a way to do it without the feelings I've had the last few times...
 
I have had one piggy cremated in the past and have several buried in my garden, very deep as foxes dig them up otherwise! However, so many piggies pass through our home that now l bury them in a large flower pot, and plant a nice plant on top. I would get them all cremated but its very expensive to get the ashes back. As for the wanting to say goodbye, we have a drawer in an old freezer that we can use as a mortuary drawer if necessary. I have a ritual of saying goodbye that involves cleaning and brushing them and wrapping them in soft material before putting them in their piggy pot. It really helps at a difficult time.
 
I have had one piggy cremated in the past and have several buried in my garden, very deep as foxes dig them up otherwise! However, so many piggies pass through our home that now l bury them in a large flower pot, and plant a nice plant on top. I would get them all cremated but its very expensive to get the ashes back. As for the wanting to say goodbye, we have a drawer in an old freezer that we can use as a mortuary drawer if necessary. I have a ritual of saying goodbye that involves cleaning and brushing them and wrapping them in soft material before putting them in their piggy pot. It really helps at a difficult time.

That's lovely.... I like to have a last snuggle and eskimo kisses. They've all been buried in brown paper bags, their favourite places to be :) The mortuary drawer is a good idea, that way I can say goodbye when I come home before we do the proper goodbyes.


I decided to have my pigs cremated for 2 reasons, firstly I live in a rented property, couldn't bear the thought of not being able to take them if I ever left. Secondly they have always lived inside and I couldn't think of them outside and all alone. When they come back from that final journey they come home in a scatter pouch(unsealed) and because we have 10 rainbow pigs I have a single large urn into which the individual pouches have gone. I find the thought of cremation a lot easier than burial, they are all at home where they belong and they are all resting together.
Midge&Panda those are almost the exact feelings I have been struggling with and although we own our house and aren't moving any time soon, I still detest leaving them out in the cold...
H and Fraoch are so clse I couldn't imagine them being apart so would love put their ashes in together eventually even if we have a new buddy for one of them at some point.

Thanks everyone for your thoughts, it's really helpful to share these debates with people who understand how special these things are.....
 
When I lived with my parents I buried them in their garden but I'm bought my own house 8 years ago and know this isn't my forever home so decided on cremation. There is a place near me (and may be of interest to you Rachel as it's in Meriden) called Heart of England pet cremation and they collect your pet or you can drop them off and they return the ashes.
 
Can i ask, see if a piggy dies at home, can you take them to the vet still to ask for them to cremate them for you? i don't know if this has been covered in the thread or not..?
 
Sorry hit reply too early.
They offer the ashes in an urn or wooden box or, which is cheaper at £24 a cardboard tube that is decorated. I had two wooden caskets at over 40 pounds a time then figured I'd end up with all these caskets all over the place, so I'm thinking of doing with the ashes the same as lady Kelly, I have two very large plant pots, just need to find the right plant then I will put the ashes inside. Then when I move I can take them with me.
Have you heard of ashes into glass? You can have the ashes (well a spoonful) put into jewellery or a glass paperweight. Expensive but a lovely idea.
 
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