Choosing the Right Pet Casket
Pets add so much to our lives - friendship, affection, humor, companionship, and so much more. But the most difficult part of pet ownership is losing our beloved pets. And once we lose them, there are some very important decisions to make - like whether to choose cremation or burial. If you do choose burial, where do you find a pet casket? How do you choose the right pet casket? How do you choose the right size pet casket?
As unpleasant a task as it is, you will do yourself a very big favor if you can do some homework and answer these questions before you lose your pet. This is not always feasible if you lose your pet suddenly due to health issues or an accident, but if you can, I strongly suggest planning for that dreaded day beforehand. And the reason that I say this is because it’s simpler to figure these things out when you’re clear headed and not brokenhearted. These decisions become much more difficult to deal with after you’ve lost your pet. Also, many pet caskets are custom made so having them shipped within a day or two can be quite costly. And if you choose to bury, you will need the casket quickly.
There are many different types of pet caskets available, from plastic to wood, and from very lavish to simply a wooden box. The prime factor in deciding on a type of pet casket is to first determine whether it’s more imperative to you to that the casket will remain intact in the land for a very long time, or that the casket is eco-friendly. These two options are entirely different directions to go in, and this choice marks a very important distinction in your decision making process.
If it’s important to you to the pet casket stay intact for a very long time, there are several pet caskets on the market that will meet your needs, in both wood and plastic. This is often a concern for people who are burying in their backyard and anticipate digging up the casket at a future date if they move and want to take their departed pet with them. It is also a concern if you’re worried about other animals digging up the fresh grave. You can avoid this by digging deeply enough when you bury. Many casket makers also use a rubber gasket on the cover to provide an extra seal, as well as hardware to firmly attach the cover. Most of these caskets are made of plastic, not environmentally friendly, but they do lock out dampness and decay very well.
If you’re “green-minded” and are more concerned with putting something into the earth that is bio-degradable, you also have more than a few options. You can simply swaddle your loved one in a special blanket or non-synthetic piece of fabric and bury deeply into the ground. Or, if you prefer a special box or vessel in which to lay your beloved friend to rest, there is a variety of environmentally friendly pet caskets on the market. You can find biodegradable paper caskets and wooden pet caskets with minimum hardware and without rubber gaskets. The beauty of wood pet caskets is that you can have wood engraved, so you can personalize the pet casket for a sentimental touch. To keep them entirely earth-friendly, avoid imitation fabric linings. Some pet caskets are available with all-natural cotton linings, dye-free. The lacquer on the wood can also be environmentally-friendly.
When trying to choose the right size pet casket, it’s always better, of course, to err on the side of caution and go a little larger if you’re unsure. Measure from nose tip to tail tip and add a few inches to be careful.
If you’re burying in a pet cemetery, be sure to get all of the specifications from the cemetery before purchasing your pet casket. Many cemeteries place the casket into an outer chamber that is positioned in the earth so you need to be sure that your casket will fit within their chamber.