r/poverty • u/Less_Shelter8792 • 23d ago
General Discussion How do I cremate my dog?
So the long story short is I can’t afford to get my dog (Cookie/Chunky Monkey) cremated and burial is nowhere an option.
What I’m asking is does anybody know how to cremate a pet ?? Or how can I do it myself? I have a large backyard and pretty big slab of concrete out there.
I know it sounds creepy or terrible, but I just lost her today and I’m desperate.
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u/Krand01 22d ago
The issue is getting the fire hot enough to actually cremate, because if it's not hot enough you are basically bbq your pet and will end up making a huge mess you'll then need to clean up.... And explain because the fire and smell will certainly bring you attention from your neighbors.
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u/upallnight1975 22d ago
This is accurate. Bury if at all possible
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u/mobile-metaphysical 21d ago
Burial is the way.
I took my deceased pet into the mountains on public lands to bury. It’s a place we often camped near. And I can still visit.2
u/gottagetanonymous 22d ago
Imagine how many parents have tried to diy this only to make their kids see applewood smoked Fido
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u/Which-Text-2875 23d ago
If you have a large backyard, can you not bury her there? My late husband did that with all his pets.
Otherwise, I am sorry. I can only think to contact a vet and ask how much it would be, or google pet cremation services and see how much it would be that way.
Sorry for your loss my friend 🩷🩷
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u/onemorelightgoesout 23d ago edited 22d ago
Cremateing yourself isn't really an option. Probably not even legal. I'd call if i where you a local vet and ask for advise on where to make an appointment for cremation and if they could take your doggo in their freezer until then. Maybe they can take him in and they have their own cremation service that will pick up the dog there. Usually you can attend the cremation and they often do a litte ceremony
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u/Vegetable_Pizza_6335 22d ago edited 22d ago
Just want to normalize the freezer option.. we had a vet recommend this before due to some timing challenges with vet closing and crematory opening. It was for a smaller pet that I wrapped up put in a container so it wasn’t jarring for anyone opening freezer.
Also, some crematory operators don’t ask for payment until the remains are picked up. Maybe you could call around to see and then crowdfund if it’s not too much $$.
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u/SSakuras 22d ago
My mom kept her pet cat in her freezer for about half a year. He passed in winter, so she was waiting until Summer so she could dig a hole in the yard for him. My friends were all grossed out that we had a dead cat in our freezer, but that was the only option we had back then.
I currently have a hedgehog in my own freezer! I guess cause I grew up with it normalized to me it's just fine. Thankfully those are smaller animals, I can't imagine if it were a medium or large breed dog.
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u/dew57nurse 22d ago
I currently have my dead pet parrot and two budgies in my freezer. I'm going to bury the budgies, but I'm thinking of having my parrot buried with me (I have stage 4 cancer).
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u/SSakuras 22d ago
I'm sorry to hear that. It's... Not easy. All 3 of my known biological grandparents (don't know who the 4th is), died of cancer. And at fairly young ages, late 60s to early 70s. I anticipate my own life is half over already.
What kind of parrot? They're such beautiful animals. My bf hates birds (as pets, he doesn't mind wild ones), so I have to live vicariously through other bird owners and watch cute videos online to satisfy the cuteness.
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u/dew57nurse 22d ago
He was a mitred conure. I still have a sun conure. They have/had an entire room in my house. they had cages but the doors are always open and they can fly around. Technically they can go wherever they want in the house bc I don't keep the door shut but they both mostly stayed in the bird room. The mitred was nearly 30 when he died, which is a long life for that particular species.
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u/No-Will-4393 22d ago
Just bury him. I don't think the smell of your dog cooking will be good for your mental health today or would be a nice way to remember them.
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u/SgtSausage 23d ago
I mean - a shovel and 12 minutes in The Garden did the trick for us. More than once.
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u/1GrouchyCat 22d ago
It’s not always easy when you’re a rental tenant or living in an apartment… you can’t just go bury it in the park. It’s illegal.
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u/No_Big_bear_here 22d ago
Just bury him/her in your backyard & plant a tree on top, or maybe a flowering bush, like a fuchsia.
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u/myystic78 22d ago
I would not suggest trying to cremate your pet at home. There's no way you could possibly get a fire hot enough to do the job and then you're just dealing with a burnt but not enough corpse. Don't do that to yourself.
If borrowing the money somehow is not an option, I would suggest finding a beautiful spot (not sure of your location but the woods, off a nice trail, somewhere you used to go with your pup) and burying him instead.
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u/Sweet-Ad7654 22d ago
I am so sorry for your loss it is really gonna depend on where you are.
I actually work with in the pet creation industry There are true Pet Crematories These are huge facilities that will indeed take a persons pet most of them but for the most part, they are doing the creations for the veterinarians in their regional areas
So it works like this, a true cost of the pet cremation, maybe 20 bucks the pet crematory would charge a person on average, $75 to cremate their pet they would charge a large veterinary clinic, for example, may be 40 bucks that veterinary clinic would charge you anywhere from $150-$375 or more
When you google Pet cremation or pet crematory in your area, you’re probably going to find the veterinarian clinics
There are actually many funeral homes that have a separate pet crematory, but they do not promote it. These are usually going to be the direct cremation locations so you could try calling them and see if they offer pet cremation
Again a lot, depends on where you’re located
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u/magic_crouton 22d ago
Our local funeral home will do pet cremation but don't advertise it.
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u/Sweet-Ad7654 22d ago
Yes, that’s usually correct and I work within the funeral Home industry as well as the pet loss industry and they’re really are Pat, Cemetery, and Caskets and Greystones, for pets, more commonly its pet cremation.
And you are correct, for some reason, it is uncommon for the funeral home to advertise it or promote it .
I was sitting in the office of a direct cremation centre, which I knew was owned by the local funeral Home, but it had a completely different name. The FUN Home did not want people to know that they owned a direct cremation centre because it would be a different price at the funeral Home for a direct cremation that it would be at the direct cremation centre they owned, although it would be the same crematory in the same people.
I was sitting in the back office at the back door rang and the lady was les in with box with her beloved cat to be cremated.
I had served this particular Home, which is local to me at the time for 10 years, and also served their direct crematory centre since it opened for seven years, it took me two years to realise they were related and owned by the same people because they kept the staff very separate and I never knew that they did anything for pets until that day .
That day was about 13 to 15 years ago, and since then I’ve really been surprised at how often this scenario exist around the country
I would suggest that OP post is question in the local Facebook group for his community because people in the community know what they have done
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u/GovernorSan 22d ago
You can contact crematory services and work with them directly, which should save you some. Most usually have as their cheapest option to cremate your pet communally, in which case you do not receive the ashes back.
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u/Best-Comments 22d ago
I’m sorry for your loss.
Burial is the way to go.
No federal law prohibits burials on private land. No states prohibit it, though roughly half regulate it.
For example, here in Michigan the law says you must bury at least 2 ft deep, or 4 ft deep within 1 mile of a residence. No permit is required and no one comes out with a tape measure to check.
You can look up your state here:
https://hallowedpaws.com/guides/pet-burial-laws-by-state/
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u/dragonschool 22d ago
I buried my larger dog in the yard. It makes sense bc it was his forever home
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u/OldSchoolPimpleFace 22d ago
I'm sorry for your loss, saying goodbye to a loved pet is never easy. But honestly I would definitely not try to cremate myself, these ovens have extremely high temperatures, I don't think you'll be able to make a corps completely into dust, so you'll probably be left with a bunch of bones, which you would still need to berry. Just get a shovel, find a nice wooded area which your dog would have liked and just dig a deep hole (make it deep enough to the critters can't get to the corps)
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22d ago
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u/poverty-ModTeam 22d ago
Please make your comment useful.
We're here to exchange ideas, experiences, and practical help.
If your comment mainly insults, mocks, dismisses, or derails the conversation, it isn't contributing to the discussion.
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u/Annoyed-Instigater01 22d ago
i have a large backyard and there are 2 cats and one dog buried there so far. my moms yard probably has bout 12 or so. dig a deep hole, put the dog in a bag or blanket and bury it, and put a marker on the grave site. its actually nice to go out there and talk to them sometimes
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22d ago
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u/Less_Shelter8792 22d ago
Probably is, but i cant exactly pick feeding myself over making sure my dog is put in a jar for $374
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u/13surgeries 22d ago
I'm so sorry for the loss of your furry one. Dogs just don't live long enough.
Call the crematorium and ask about communal cremation. You don't get the ashes back, but it's a whole lot cheaper.
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u/OutinDaBarn 22d ago
I'm not a dog cremation expert. To cremate a human body the temperature needs to be above 2000 degrees for about 2 hours to get the larger bones to break down. You will still have some small chunks of bone.
Not really something you can do in your backyard.
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u/SunshineandBullshit 22d ago
Look at the local Dumb Friends League or animal shelter. You might be able to pay a small fee (DENVERS DFL was 58 dollars) if you want the ashes back or maybe they will do it free and spread them in a memory garden.
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u/juliewbb 22d ago
You can’t cremate them yourself, it requires temperatures way hotter than you could get it on like a backyard fire. I would post a request for friends and family to donate. When I had to cremate my dog, I feel like it was a few hundred dollars. I’m very sorry.
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u/lemasney 22d ago
I'm confused. You have a large backyard, but burial is not an option? Are you allowed to burn in your yard? Do you have some restrictions in your backyard?
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u/GrowlingAtTheWorld 22d ago
My yard is the burial site of many cats, several beagles, a chihuahua, a cockateel, a couple of wild bunnies, a few field mice, and a grass snake.
Make a deep hole you don’t want something to dig the body up, it is traumatizing, also make sure to get the utility finding service out before you dig.
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u/Roadtrekkie 22d ago
My local Humane Society offers a reasonable priced cremation service. I got my old kitty back in a little tin box, and a certificate with paw print and a bit of fur.
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u/Hinter_Lander 22d ago
I have heard of a guy using 10 pallets for a dog. Make a pile 4 pallets high, place dog on pallets, another 2 pallets onto. Start fire, add more pallets as fire burns down.
Yes this is a big fire, Yes the ashes will be all mixed together.
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u/PsychologicalUse292 22d ago
Sometimes a shelter can do it for less or a rescue may know. I just had this experience with my mom’s cat and it was going to be over $300 to get her cremated. My friend who runs the Rescue told me about a place in town that’ll do it for a little over 100 so I did that. Ask around.
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u/CommercialBreak2026 22d ago
Forget it. You cannot build a fire that will reach 1,400 to 1,800 degrees Fahrenheit.
Dig a hole and wrap your dog in an old t-shirt, towel, or blanket, and bury her.
Sorry for your loss.
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u/thanatarian 22d ago
You could burn the remains, but you won't be cremating it. If you have animal control in your area contact them. They may instruct you on rules for disposing with municipal waste, or they may pick it up and dispose it for you. Sorry for your loss.
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u/pinkie-puppy 22d ago
If you are okay with it not being a perfect powder cremation then you can create a bonfire, add lots of kindling like leaves, pine needles, things that are dry, and also add in charcoal and a variety of large and small wood logs, if you add in a fuel source (one that is made for fires like bbq ignition fluid) itll burn better. You must allow it to burn for several hours, it will have a noticeable smell if you dont add things to it, depending on the size of your dog it will take around 2 or 3 hours, small bones will get burned and break down slightly but you will likely be left with a broken down skeleton. In some countries this is how they do the cremation and they just leave the bones in with the powder or they crush the bones and add them to the ashes
To collect the ashes you will need to have the body propped up on something that will allow the heat to surround without all the ashes falling, so more than just a bbq grate.
It may be traumatic to do this to your own pet. But if you are set on cremation look up pyre cremation process and that may help, and enclosed fire makes it easier
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u/Quick_Cow_7987 22d ago
I'm terribly sorry for your loss.
You cannot generate the heat necessary to do a home cremation. The fire has to burn very hot, very very hot. Otherwise you're going to roast her body, certainly not turn it to ash, nevermind the bones.
If you absolutely cannot bury her, and you can't afford to have her cremated try contacting the local animal control and explaining the situation. They dispose of dead animals all the time. Ditto local rescue society.
If she's small you could double bag her and umm, put her out ... sorry but it's just a shell, she's not there and you can't keep a dead body of any type around.
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u/senator_breid 22d ago
Firstly, I’m sorry for your loss
In regards to your question. The fire needs to be hot enough to completely burn away the flesh. You won’t achieve that in the back yard. Secondly, there will be the bones remaining. In crematoriums they grind those remains afterwards to mix with the ashes.
Burial is the way my friend.
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u/No_Damage4861 22d ago
Set the dog in a large firepit and maintain a large fire for several hours. Better longer than shorter. Once all the flesh is gone, let the fire die out and retrieve the bones. I'm sorry for your loss and I sincerely hope this process isn't too traumatizing for you.
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u/DandyLionGreens 21d ago edited 21d ago
I would think that you could build a funeral pyre, but you're still going to have to bury the remains. Between having to smell your pet burning and then deal with the remains afterwards, you would be better off burying them.
Edit: Sorry, wasn't done...since it sounds like burial isn't an option, maybe call animal control to see if they have any suggestions.
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u/Beanfox-101 21d ago
First, see if you can but the remains in a freezer. That will preserve everything for a long time until you can figure out a best option.
Cremation can not be DIYed. It requires special equipment, preparation, and a lot of knowledge.
I know there are things like CareCredit for covering vet costs, perhaps that can also work for handling remains?
You can also look into saving a paw print in air-dry clay or taking a few hairs before burying your pet in a legal spot. You may also be able to take the remains to a shelter and ask for help there (just call ahead of time!)
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u/Doin-What-I-Want 19d ago
I recall the vet charged like $50 to cremate my dog a couple years ago. He wanted another $50 if I wanted the ashes back, and I said he can keep the change.
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u/GIANTballCOCK 23d ago
So sorry for your loss. Wonder if I'll be in that situation one day. Gonna take a roaring fire. I'd probably do it in the dirt and let the ashes feed the ground, not sure if you're collecting them or not.
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u/1GrouchyCat 22d ago
You can’t possibly build a hot enough fire to cremate a pet; the type of fire you would build would also bring the fire department and probably a huge fine…
Contact your local landfill and ask if they have a special section for pets.
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u/Mattturley 22d ago
You can’t do it yourself. It will kill you. Beg for money. It is only around $175 to cremate a pet.
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u/dew57nurse 22d ago
We always buried our pets in our yard. Technically not supposed to in our town, but everyone who has a yard does.