When our fur-babies leave us...I don't know how to ask this
 

...what do you do? I mean, funeral arrangements? I'm the type of person who prefers to be prepared for difficult, unavoidable life events. My babies are healthy, but I know that some day my heart will be broken when God calls them back home :(.
I'm also considering a plan for my absence and my hb's in case we go first. I'm trying to find someone I can entrust my treasures to (I wouldn't trust my family and/or friends with a plant).
Any thoughts? Please advice :)

My vet's office has always made the arrangements for me. I hope it will be a long, long time before you have to worry about this.

Oh, the vet
 

it didn't cross my mind to ask them. I hope is a very long time too, thank you :thumbup:

My vet took care of having my beloved grrls' bodies to be cremated. It is easier for me to let my vet to do the arrangements. Only the hard part is to pick up the urns.

Some of my customers passed away leaving their pets behind. So few dogs are lucky to have good home with the family members. Some are not lucky. I hope someone will have better answer. My sister and I promised that we'll take care of our babies if one of us go before our babies go. I hope you don't have to worry about that for many years! :)

I have made arrangements for new homes for all my furry family to go to friends and family as I have so many and everyone I know has pets of their own so I know all mine could not all go to the same home. Also when that day comes for them to go to the bridge I always get tranquilizers from my vet to give at home before we go to the office for that final trip as it helps relax them. My thing is that I don't want Fear or Pain to be the last things my babies feel before they leave this earth so the tranqs help allot. I know most vets will give something to help calm them before the final injection, I just prefer to do it at home and be one step ahead of the game as they are all a bit nervous at the vets office anyway.

when my 13 year old died..we buried him with his blankie under our holly tree. He has a 'paw stone' with his picture in it. I'm sure if something happens to Thomas..he will be right beside him. They were best friends...
If we go first? I have 2 daughters that will make sure he is well provided for..

I haven't thought about this...but it sounds so sad that one day we will all go.
I'll be sure to make the best of everything with life and my yorkie baby. :)

when my 14 year old sheltie passed she was at home so we buried her in the yard with her own marker then a few months ago when my grandmothers sheltie died of a accident we had her at the vet for necropsy and they creamated her because after they have been gone for so many days they are not allowed to send the body home so we buried her ashes and ordered her a marker

Having gone thru this heart wrenching situation August 11th of this year, Angus was put to sleep at home on his little blankie he'd had all his life. Although it was hard for both my husband and I, it was easier than having to drive to the vets and worse still, driving home again without him. I'm so glad my vet had this service. They took his body away and took care of the cremation etc.

We have always make arrangements with each of our yorkies as to what wld happen if we predeceased them. We have actual made a provision in our Will that a certain amount wld be put aside for vet bills etc. and that our son or my best friend wld take them into their home for the remainder of their lives.

I also hope it's a long time before you have to face this situation, but your wise making plans well in advance.

First have a will made out and leave money to those who take her so they can take care of her, then decide if you want to bury her or have her cremated. When my 16 year old Delsi was on a decline, friends of ours bought her a nice casket that doesn't deteriorate in the ground. Small Eternal Rest Pet Casket - Cat, Dog or Other Pet I knew I wasn't going to have her cremated due to the expense of it. (To make sure your pet is the only one cremated, you can be there to see the empty crematorium and wait till they are cremated, but it's terribly expensive).
I'm happy to see your thinking ahead like this. It's such a comfort knowing your babies will be taken care of in your passing, or while your alive.

We buried our Alex in our yard, his favorite blanket and built a beautiful flower garden around his memorial stone. It is a lovely spot to visit and meditate!
Glad we did it this way. My concern is the same as someone else mentioned above you never know if you are going to get your own dog's ashes back. Unless you pay a very high fee.

There have been several really good threads about what would happen to your babies if something happened to you. I'm enclosing a link to one but there have been others. It's really worth considering.



http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/gen...t-tragedy.html

When my Italian Greyhound, Libby, was diagnosed with lymphoma, I started looking around at my options. I found a pet crematory where I could take her and wait for her ashes. I just couldn't leave her there or have her cremated with a bunch of other animals. I did have to drive a little over an hour to take her there, but it kind of gave me a chance to grieve on my own on the drive there and back. The folks at the crematory are wonderful, compassionate and very caring. Sadly, I have since had a couple old cats cremated and two other dogs, my wonderful Poppy and Pita. One of the cats and one of the dogs was sixteen and the other cat and dog were seventeen. If only they lived longer. Just writing this makes me cry for their loss.

I also found some pretty cloisonne urns and a very pretty larger urn for all of them on ebay of all places. In fact, I kind of went a little crazy with the cloisonne urns and actually have extras here, but hope I don't have to use them for a very long time.

Having the pets cremated this way is actually cheaper than if the vet had it done. It was $157.00 for each pet and was more personal for me. It was one of those things I just needed to do for them and for me.

Our vet only charges $100 more to have them cremated separately as opposed to a communal cremation. I think it was $140 or $40 -- something like that, maybe not exact.

That was very thoughtful of your friends to provide a nice casket. Something you would have found very difficult to order ahead of time. Nice that they did it for you. You all have made me start thinking about who will take care of mine should I go before them. Guess I better talk to my kids.

I have my cemetery plot and my headstone all ready. The only thing left to do is put my date of death on the stone. My babies will be put next to me in my plot. It is in my will and has been made known to my family and friends.